CHESTER, Pa. – Widener Football answered a 21-0 deficit with 31 unanswered points with Shimko, Schiller, Helsinger, and McArdle coming away with huge plays.
 
The 40-24 win moves the Pride to 4-5 on the season and 3-5 in the MAC.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Andrew Olsen went 17-of-26 for 198-yards with two touchdowns.
• Michael Turner rushed 63 yards on nine attempts for a touchdown.
• 46-yards from Devin Ahmed over the air led with two receptions.
• Luke Shaeffer led the defense with 11 total tackles while Luke Shimko, Anthony Schiller, and Ben Helsinger forced a fumble.
• The Pride would hold 255 offensive yards, block a punt, and forced three fumbles.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pride would open on the offensive side with a short series. Dalton Wickel would open the Pride drive with a short 1-yard run before Andrew Olsen hit a 4-yard pass to Khylil Jones before the Monarchs opened their drive. The Monarchs struck first at 10:22. Another offensive series for the Monarchs showed another touchdown to make the score 14-0 with Elijah Benton and Ryan Wilson picking up tackles. A long series from the Monarchs would the quarter with a score of 21-0.
   
• To begin the second, Olsen would hit an 11-yard pass to Jones before Wickel would rush for 4-yards for a first down. Fred Adler put the Pride on the board with a 36-yard field goal at 10:38. Joshua Salter picked up a tackle along with Jalen Walker and Tyson Weber forcing a 21-yard Monarchs punt. Olsen began the Pride drive at the WID40 with a 16-yard pass to Marquell Perry, an 18-yard pass to Devin Ahmed, and a 21-yard pass to Harrison Stewart-Smith. The Pride drove the field with the Stewart-Smith pass give the Pride their first touchdown of the game. At 5:09 Ben Helsinger forced a fumble with Luke Shimko jumping on the ball to put the Pride offense on the KINGS19. The Pride capped off the drive with a 30-yard field goal making the score 21-13 with 2:55 left. The Pride headed into the locker room down 21-13.
   
• The Monarchs opened with the ball before Ryan Wilson snagged an interception that would go the distance before a penalty brought it back to the KINGS45. A Monarchs' pass interference penalty would move the Pride to the KINGS30 while Jones hit a 17-yard pass for a first down. Olsen's pass left gave Jabaryi Olidge a touchdown and Malachi Holmes helped with a 2-point conversion to tie the game at 21. The Pride would score 21 unanswered. Jerry McArdle came up with a huge block at 10:25 while the Pride went on to score a 44-yard punt return to extend the score to 28 unanswered. Shimko forced a fumble on the next Monarchs' drive to give Michael Miller a 19-yard return allowing Adler to hit a 19-yard field goal. The quarter ended in favor of the Pride 31-24.
   
• To start the fourth, Olsen would hit Ahmed for a deep ball to the WID47. Turner broke loose for a 30-yard run to the KINGS21. Adler went on to hit a 25-yard field goal to make the score 34-24. Anthony Schiller came up huge again with a forced fumble while Shimko helped turn the ball over on downs. Holmes snagged a 31-yard ball while a roughing the passer penalty extended the drive to the KINGS14. Miller's run left extended the score to 40-24, sealing the game. Anthony Miceli hit a tackle at the WID12 to turn the ball over on downs and seal the game at 40-24.

UP NEXT
Widener heads to Doylestown, Pa. to take on the 6-3 (6-2 MAC) Delaware Valley Aggies for the annual Keystone Cup. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on Saturday, November 15.