Thursday, August 31, 2017

King's Football Edges Moravian 30-27 on Tumminello Field Goal With 1:37 Remaining

Zach Whitehead threw for 309 yards and added three rushing touchdowns in King's win over Moravian.
Photo Courtesy of King's Sports Information
WILKES-BARRE -- Mike Tumminello kicked a 38-yard field goal with 1:37 remaining as the King's College football team posted a season-opening 30-27 victory over visiting Moravian College Thursday at McCarthy Stadium in Wilkes-Barre Township.

After Moravian tied the score at 27-27 on a 26-yard pass from Doug Erney to Nick Petros with 5:32 to play, the Monarchs began their game-winning drive from the King's 25-yard line.

A six-yard rush bu Jordan Downes and a five-yard completion to Corey Flynn gave the Monarchs a first down at their own 36. Whitehead then found Tyler Marroni for 14 yards before a nine-yard pass to Marquis MIller advanced the ball to midfield.

After a penalty on King's moved the ball back to their own 45, Whitehead found Marroni for seven yards before picking up a first down with a 14-yard keeper to the Greyhound 25. King's would reach the Moravian 18 where the drive would stall and Tumminello's career-long 38 yard field goal squeaked past the cross-bar to put the Monarchs ahead.

Moravian had one last chance and reached midfield. But on a fourth-and-seven play, King's Aaron Vascos registered a game-clinching sack of Erney with 0:51 to play. King's would take a pair of knees to run out the clock.

Whitehead completed 27-of-44 passes for 308 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions while rushing for 83 yards on 20 attempts with three scores on the ground. Marroni had nine catches for 155 yards. Titus Nelson rushed for 28 yards on seven carries.

Defensively for King's, Mando Sallavanti had eight tackles while Jake Manetti added seven stops, including three for loss.

King's will travel next Saturday to face defending MAC champion Stevenson at 12:00 noon in Owings Mills, Md. Stevenson dropped its season opener Thursday night to Frostburg State by a 33-7 count.