Wilkes Falls Just Short Despite Trichilo’s Heroics

By KEVIN KAZOKAS [email protected]
Sunday, September 12, 2004 Page: 4C

EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University football team clung to life until the
final play Saturday afternoon despite a series of costly mistakes.

But when Kyle Devlin’s 51-yard field goal attempt sailed far left and fell
well short as time expired, it completed a day of snake-bitten fortune for the
Colonels.
Wilkes turned the ball over three times and failed to capitalize on what
could have been a huge early mistake by Albright as the Colonels fell to the
Lions 38-35 in a season opener at Ralston Field.

The result marked just the second time in its last six tries that Albright
beat its Middle Atlantic Conference rival.

Wilkes senior running back Brett Trichilo lit up the Lions’ defense for
three touchdown runs and 189 rushing yards, which brings him within 59 yards
of the MAC career rushing record (4,399 yards, held by former Wilkes standout
Mike Hankins).

But the Colonels fell behind early in the second period to Albright’s
high-powered, no-huddle offense and failed to recover despite posting 22
fourth-quarter points.

“This first game you have to look at it as a steppingstone for us,” said
Trichilo, who will attempt to break the career rushing mark next week at
Lycoming. “We’ve got to learn from this game and take away a lot of
lessons.”

Trailing by three with less than 30 seconds to play, Wilkes forced an
Albright punt, then took the ball to the Lions’ 34-yard line on two
consecutive pass completions. The rally fizzled, however, as Devlin shanked
the game-tying field goal attempt with the clock reaching zero.

“All the way up to the end, I never thought we were going to lose,” said
Wilkes head coach Frank Sheptock. “The team showed a lot of heart, a lot of
perseverance and persistence because not a lot went our way.”

Things started going wrong for Wilkes late in the first period, deep inside
its own territory. The Colonels, up 7-0, failed to recover a fumble that was
well within reach after an Albright pass completion, and the play resulted in
a 42-yard gain for the Lions, putting the ball on the Wilkes 6-yard line.

Albright’s Dustin Kaplan eventually kicked a 22-yard field goal to cut the
margin to 7-3.

The Lions took the lead for good with 13:52 to go in the second as
quarterback John Port connected with tight end Justin Holland on a 35-yard
touchdown pass. Kaplan’s extra point gave the Lions a 10-7 advantage.

Albright eventually stretched the lead to 24-13 with 4:56 remaining in the
third. The Lions drove 28 yards on three plays after Wilkes quarterback Duran
Porrino threw his lone interception of the day. Port completed the drive by
finding wide receiver Steve Mocey on a 6-yard touchdown pass.

Both teams posted two touchdowns apiece in the first 10 minutes of the
fourth as Albright built a 38-27 edge. But Wilkes refused to surrender,
uncorking a 12-play, 88-yard drive to draw within three.

The drive culminated with Porrino faking a pitch and tossing a 10-yard
touchdown pass to Jim Jordan with 1:58 showing on the clock, then adding a
successful two-point conversion throw to Kevin Carroll.

But Wilkes failed to recover an on-side kick, and Albright went three plays
and out before the Colonels embarked on their final, unsuccessful drive.

Senior tight end Paul Bilous also had a touchdown catch for the Colonels, a