SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Michael Caloiaro threw for two touchdowns and ran for one, but the Widener football team could not come away with a victory in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series as it dropped a 49-21 contest to Susquehanna at Doug Arthur Stadium.
 
With the loss, the Pride ended the 2021 season with a 7-4 overall record. However, the Blue and Gold's 7-4 record marked their second straight winning season.

Making their second Centennial-MAC Bowl Series appearance in program history, the Pride had a slow start to the game, falling into a 28-0 hole through the first 24 minutes of the game. Then with 6:20 left in the half, they got on the scoreboard after Caloiaro ran for a 1-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play, 79-yard drive. Caloiaro went a perfect 6-for-6 passing for 75 yards on the drive, highlighted by a 24-yard pass to All-MAC First-Team receiver James Gillespie and a 12-yard strike to Zack Vanscovich to set up his 1-yard scoring jaunt. 

After Susquehanna scored another touchdown on a 30-yard run, the Pride answered with a score with 46 seconds left in the half after Caloiaro found Ty Holbert on a 6-yard TD pass to cut the River Hawks' advantage to 35-14 at halftime. 

In the second half, the River Hawks added their final two touchdowns — one in the third quarter on a 6-yard pass and one in the fourth on a 57-yard pass to take a 49-14 advantage. However, Widener scored the last touchdown of the game after Caloiaro connected with All-MAC First-Team tight end Joe Bristow on 13-yard pass. 

By the Numbers

• Caloiaro finished the game completing 21-of-35 passes for 208 yards in his first career game for the Pride.
• Gillespie led the Pride with six receptions for 93 yards. The Huntingdon Valley, Pa. native finished his storied career with 174 receptions and 2,889 receiving yards, which are good for third and fourth on Widener's all-time lists for those two categories.
• Colin Murt paced the Pride on defense, leading the unit with 15 tackles and one tackle for loss.
• Matt Okuniewski and Michael Schoenleber each had an interception for the Pride in the defeat. Okuniewski picked off a Susquehanna pass on its second drive of the game in the first quarter, while Schoenleber snagged his INT on the River Hawks' third drive of the second quarter.