(box score)
Junior Adam Smith (Littlestown, PA) rushed for a career best 201 yards on 33 carries and the defense again played solidly for Widener, which had its late rally fall short in a 29-24 Middle Atlantic Conference loss at Wilkes in Edwardsville, PA.
Smith rushed for 117 yards in the second half and became the first Widener player to reach 200 yards since Khalee Prothro had 210 against Susquehanna on October 14, 2006. This helped the Pride (3-6, 1-5 MAC) notch a 236-62 edge in rushing yards and 310-217 in total offense.
Junior Shane Szumski (Moorestown, NJ) had 10 tackles, three for a loss and two sacks for Widener, which permitted only 61 yards and three first downs after intermission.
The game did not start in Widener's favor as the opening kickoff was fumbled and recovered by Jose Clemente at the Pride 35 yard line. Two plays later, Zach Tivald took the handoff and zigzagged 32 yards for a score just 59 seconds into the game for a 7-0 Wilkes lead.
The Pride's first offensive possession ended with a blocked punt from Corey Gilroy at the 32 yard line, but senior Ray Townsend (Ewing, NJ) was on the spot. He hustled all the way to the end zone and recovered for a safety, holding the Colonels (6-3, 3-3) to just two points for a 9-0 margin with 12 minutes to go in the first.
After a Widener muffed punt, Wilkes increased its lead to 15-0 with 10:02 left in the first as Rob Johnson found Gennaro Zangardi on a 28-yard touchdown pass.
The Pride's offense got it in gear midway through the quarter with freshman Jimmy Lahue (Whitehall, PA) scoring on a one-yard sneak for a 15-7 game. Smith helped the cause with a 24-yard run on third down to the Colonels 16 yard line.
Wilkes added to the lead with 90 seconds remaining in the first as Harry Reese scored on a one-yard dive for a 22-7 margin.
Haupt on the next drive led Widener on a seven-play, 50-yard march and it ended on a 10-yard run. The extra point from sophomore Matt Breslin (Sugarloaf, PA) with 13:03 left in the second quarter made it 22-14 Wilkes.
The Colonels got the momentum back with 5:34 left in the half, getting a 46-yard screen pass from Johnson to Shawn Gregson for a 29-14 contest.
Widener's first drive in the second half belonged to Smith, who had seven carries for 31 yards in the march. The 13-play drive that lasted almost six minutes ended with Breslin's 21-yard field goal with 7:12 to play in the third quarter for a 29-17 margin.
The Pride continued to make it a ball game, closing to 29-24 with 46 seconds left in the third quarter on Haupt's one-yard sneak. That ended an 11-play, 77-yard drive which used almost five minutes.
It also ended a third quarter in which the Colonels managed just 12 yards, including minus-3 rushing, and no first downs.
Wilkes punted the ball out of bounds at the Widener 46 yard line with 1:13 remaining, giving the visitors one last chance with no time outs. Haupt completed a nine-yard pass on the first play to sophomore Justin Horning (Red Hill, PA), but on fourth down threw an interception to Kevin Gerhart with 25 seconds left.
Junior Kevin Franklin (Baltimore, MD) and senior Zach Smith (Boyertown, PA) each had an interception for the Pride, who held the ball almost 34 1/2 minutes and posted a 21-11 first-down advantage.
Johnson completed 11-of-23 passes for 155 yards and two scores for the Colonels. Ryan Clifford had 12 tackles and Gerhart ended with 11.
Widener on Saturday hosts Delaware Valley in the Keystone Cup Game, beginning at 1:00 pm.
