OCTOBER 4, 2003
BOB ZIADIE
JACKSON SETS CAREER RUSHING MARK AS MONARCHS RALLY
TO DEFEAT MORAVIAN, 27-19
WILKES-BARRE -- Junior tailback Richard Jackson
became King's College's all-time leading rusher with 182 yards on 37
carries on his 21st birthday and the Monarchs overcame a 19-0
first-quarter deficit to defeat visiting Moravian College 27-19 at Robert
L. Betzler Field.
With the win, King's improved to 3-2 overall and 2-2 in the Middle
Atlantic Conference. Moravian fell to 2-3 overall and in the MAC.
Moravian struck quickly on the second possession of
the game when Chris Jacoubs broke free for a 65-yard run to put the
Greyhounds on top. Josh Miller's conversion gave Moravian a 7-0 lead with
10:36 remaining in the first quarter.
King's would make a critical mistake on its next
possession when punter Matt VonTanhausen fielded a low punt and dropped to
one knee to make the catch, giving the Greyhounds possession at the
Monarch 12 yard line. Three plays later, Jacoubs would scamper in from
six-yards out to extend the Moravian lead. Miller's kick, however, was
blocked by Tom Reardon as the Greyhound advantage stood at 13-0 with 7:44
remaining in the opening stanza.
The Monarchs would counter when they drove to the
Moravian 24-yard line But on a second-and-four play, quarterback David
Hessler was pressed on a roll out and was picked off by Moravian lineman
Justin Moyer who rumbled 74-yards for a touchdown. The two-point
conversion failed but the Greyhounds held on to a to 19-0 advantage with
5:24 remaining in the first quarter.
King's would respond with a seven play, 81-yard
scoring drive. An 18-yard pass from Hessler to Blake Letchford moved the
ball to the Moravian 46-yard line. Two plays later, Hessler's pass to Matt
Nicodemus was deflected into the air by a Greyhound defender but the
sophomore tight end made a juggling catch and raced 42 yards into the end
zone. VonTanhausen's kick brought King's to within 19-17 with 0:04
remaining in the first quarter.
The Monarchs would continue to chip away in the
second quarter with a 10-play, 67-yard drive, capped by a 16-yard run by
Jackson. VonTanhausen, who was 13-for-13 on the year in extra-point
attempts, missed his first conversion of the year and King's trailed 19-13
with 8:07 left in the half, a deficit which would carry over into the
third quarter.
King's would continue its comeback in the second
half when the Monarchs mounted a 13-play, 71-yard drive. Facing a crucial
fourth-and-one play from the Moravian 46, Hessler kept the drive alive
when he picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak. Hessler would
then find Julian Walker for 16 yards to the 30. Three plays later, Jackson
broke free for a 22-yard touchdown run to knot the score. VonTanhausen's
kick gave King's its first led of the game, 20-19, with 6:06 left in the
third period.
Midway through the fourth quarter, King's would make
a big defensive play of its own when Michael Taylor picked off quarterback
Jerry Venturino to give the Monarchs possession at the Greyhound 34.
Jackson would carry for 18 yards and added a seven-yard carry to moved the
ball to the Moravian six. On the next play, Jackson would break a tackle
and find his way into the end zone to extend the King's lead.
VonTanhausen's kick pushed the score to 27-19 with 1:21 remaining in the
contest.
Jackson entered the game needing 137 yards to break
King's career mark of 2,808 yards set by Jim DeMaise from 1996-99. With
his season-high 182-yard, three-touchdown effort, the junior standout now
has 2,854 yards.
King's dominated the game statistically, holding a
436-164 advantage in total yards. King's rushed for 216 yards, compared to
127 for Moravian. The Monarchs also passed for 220 yards while the
Greyhounds threw for just 37 yards.
Hessler completed 14-of-25 passes for 220 yards and
a score for the Monarchs. Walker caught five passes for 80 yards while
Nicodemus added two receptions for 72 yards. Jackson chipped in with three
catches for 18 yards.
Jacoubs led Moravian with a solid 26-carry,
126-0-yard effort. Venturino completed 4-of-12 passes and threw three
interceptions.