WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The visiting Western Connecticut State University Wolves were beaten, 38-0, by the Wilkes University Colonels in Landmark Conference football action this afternoon at Schmidt Stadium.  WestConn closes the 2025 season at 5-5 overall and 2-4 in the Landmark, while the Colonels finish at 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the league and qualify for the Chesapeake Challenge Bowl series and will play Shenandoah next Saturday in Virginia.  Freshman WR Tamarion LaFortune (West Haven, Conn.) paced the Wolves offense with four catches for 99 yards and junior S Ryan Rondeau (Carmel, N.Y.) made a team-high 10 tackles.

After a scoreless first quarter, Wilkes took advantage of a short WestConn punt to take possession at the Wolves 36-yard line and scored on its first play of the drive on a touchdown pass from Justin Moore to Janas Simms with 11:20 left in the first half.  Wilkes went 72 yards in 11 plays and scored its second touchdown on a three-yard run by Cooper King with 3:36 left in the second quarter.  WestConn answered and advanced deep into Colonels territory on a 53-yard pass from junior Dylan Jackson (Monroe, Conn.) to LaFortune, but the Wilkes defense held strong and the Wolves sophomore Marciel Do Amaral (Danbury, Conn.) could not convert on a 35-yard field goal.  WestConn senior DE Kevin Martinson (New Fairfield, Conn.) blocked a Wilkes punt late in the second frame and Jackson threw a pair of passes for first downs to junior WR Serge Lagardere (Stamford, Conn.) to help the Wolves reach the Colonels three-yard line.  Wilkes stopped WestConn twice on runs and the Wolves ran out of time.

The third quarter was also scoreless, but Wilkes intercepted Jackson three times and recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter while outscoring the visitors, 24-0, in the final 15 minutes.  Jackson was 22-for-39 passing for 230 yards, while Lagardere added five catches for 54 yards.  King was 11-for-27 for 213 yards for Wilkes.  The Colonels rushed for 206 yards and held the Wolves to two rushing yards on 26 carries.  Martinson and senior LB Dominic Rienzi (Brewster, N.Y.) each had eight tackles and sophomore Tafari Johnson (Bronx, NY.) totaled four tackles and two pass breakups for the WestConn defense.