WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Ursinus Football team wrapped up a tremendous season by defeating King's 24-13 in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series game on a chilly Saturday afternoon.
 
 
The win caps off a 9-2 record for the Bears in the 2022 season and the first time the team has achieved nine wins since the 1999 season. It was also the second time in program history that the team has won a Centennial-MAC Bowl Series game after defeating Misericordia in 2018. Meanwhile, the Monarchs ended their season at 8-3 overall.
 
Senior linebacker Brett Gross was named the game's MVP after recording 14 tackles (three solo), one forced fumble, and breaking up one pass.
 
Senior Jack Psenicska put the finishing touches on a historic season at the quarterback position by going 18-of-33 for 233 yards with three touchdown passes and one interception. Psenicska now holds Ursinus single-season school records of 2,910 passing yards, 36 touchdown passes, and 225 completions in addition to his multiple career records. Psenicska tossed all three touchdown passes to his senior classmates with two going to Kevin DePrince and the other going to Octavious Carter. DePrince finished the day with 60 yards on six catches and another senior, Dallas Evans, led the way with 97 yards on six catches.
 
Sophomore running back Tony Holden rushed for 72 yards on 21 carries to pace the Bears rushing attack.
 
Ursinus saw their scoring first streak end at 10 games after the Monarchs took advantage of a Holden fumble in their own end to go up 7-0 at the 9:28-mark of the first quarter. The Bears defense made King's work to earn the touchdown as they needed 12 plays in 31 yards to score off a one-yard rush on fourth and goal. The opening deficit did not last long as the Bears drove right back down the field to tie the game at seven when DePrince scored on third and five from the Monarchs nine yard line. The Monarchs started with great field position yet again after a 51-yard kick return, but the Bears defense forced a three-and-out plus to get a punt.
 
The next four drives between the two teams all ended in punts, however, it was the fourth punt that would loom large in the contest. A short punt from King's landed the Bears at the Monarchs 35-yard line and Psenicska found a wide open Carter two plays later to make it a 14-7 game with 11:48 left in the second quarter. The Bears defense stood tall once more on the ensuing Monarchs drive as they stopped running back Shemar Ellis for no gain on 4th and 2 from their own 40-yard line. However, Ursinus got turned away on downs in Monarchs territory on their next drive. King's used momentum from the stop by driving all the way down to the Bears five-yard line before Gross stripped quarterback Tyler Moore of the ball on a scramble just short of the goal line to the 14-7 intact into the half.
 
 
The Monarchs aggressively went for it on 4th and 7 from their own 29-yard line to open the second half and were stopped to set Ursinus up with excellent field position. However, Psenicska was intercepted in the end zone to end the chance for the Bears to extend the lead. King's built off the interception by driving 80 yards in 12 plays to score a touchdown, but sophomore Anthony Esposito blocked the extra point to keep the Bears in front at 14-13.
 
 
Following a pair of punts, the Bears put together a 15-play 6:15 drive to open the fourth quarter which ended with a 35-yard field goal from senior kicker Dakota Wherrity. The Monarchs drove into Bears territory on their ensuing drive looking to potentially taking the lead, but the Bears forced a turnover on downs with 6:04 left in regulation from the 31-yard line. Ursinus put the game away on its next drive as Psenicska found DePrince once again, this time from 20 yards out, to put the Bears up 24-13 with 1:48 left in regulation.
 
The Monarchs held a 354-325 advantage in total yards for the contest with 169 coming on the ground. Junior safety Ryan DiVergilis added 10 tackles (three solo) for the Bears while senior Ethan Belville made seven tackles (three solo) and recorded a sack plus forced fumble.
 
Ellis led the Monarchs offense with 92 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown. Amir Gibson recorded the King's lone interception, recorded five tackles (four solo), and broke up three passes.