PITTSBURGH – The Dukes ended their season on a high note with a 33-0 victory over Wagner on a cold Saturday afternoon at Rooney Field on Senior Day in Northeast Conference (NEC) play.
 
Duquesne closes out the season at 4-7 overall, 3-4 in NEC play, and clinch a winning-record at home for the 13^th-straight season. Meanwhile, the Seahawks end the season at 1-10 overall, 1-6 in league play.
 
Linebacker Todd Hill had a day to remember with seven tackles (six solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, and four quarterback hurries. The Steel Valley High School alum became the first Duke with at least 5.0 TFLs in a game since former Duquesne linebacker and current Pittsburgh Steeler Christian Kuntz had 6.0 against Dayton in 2016. Hill also tied Kuntz's 2016 total of 11.5 sacks for the third-most in a single-season by a Duke.
 
Running back Billy Lucas led the offense with 114 yards rushing on 17 carries. He also added a six-yard touchdown catch. Fellow tailback JaMario Clements rushed for a career-best 94 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown.
 
Quarterback Joe Mischler closed out the season by going 9-of-20 through the air for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Wide out Dwayne Menders, Jr. led the team with three catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in his final college game.  
The Dukes' defense forced a three-and-out and took over near midfield on the first possession of the game. Mischler found Menders on the left side wide open in the end zone to put Duquesne ahead 7-0 with just over 10 minutes to play in the first quarter.
 
A Wagner turnover on a bad snap in their own territory led to the next Duquesne score. Mischler capped off the nine-play 45-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to Nick Leopold to make the score 14-0 two minutes into the second quarter.
 
The Dukes were limited to a 20-yard Brian Bruzdewicz field goal on their next possession which pushed the lead to 17 with 5:20 to play until halftime. Duquesne got the ball back and moved into the red zone behind a season-long 43-yard rush by Lucas that put the ball on the six-yard line. Mischler connected with Lucas two plays later on a touchdown pass to send Duquesne into the locker rooms ahead 24-0 at halftime.
 
A second half touchdown rush by Clements and a 29-yard Andrew Smith field goal was more than enough for the Dukes in the second half. Wagner drove into Duquesne territory twice in the second half, but an interception and a fumble on those possessions allowed the Dukes to finish off the shutout win.
 
Duquesne out-gained the Seahawks 384 to 164 in total offense, including an advantage of 219 to 43 in rushing yards. The 43 rushing yards allowed was a season-low for the Dukes' defense.
 
The defense finished with a season-high 17.0 tackles for loss, with 11 different players registering a tackle in the backfield. The total was the most TFLs in a single-game since before 2009.
 
Duquesne also finished with a season-best 7.0 sacks, with six different Dukes getting into the stat sheet.

Linebacker Gianni Rizzo finished with five tackles (two solo) with 2.0 TFLs and a sack. Ayden Garnes and CJ Barnes each posted interceptions for the Dukes.
 
Wagner's Titus Leo led the Seahawks with 10 tackles (eight solo) and 3.0 TFLs while playing in his final game. He is the two-time reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Prior to the game the Dukes honored and recognized 22 final-year student-athletes and three managers for their contributions to the program. Duquesne is set to return the majority of their starting lineup next season, including both Hill and Lucas.
 
GAME NOTES: The Dukes have shutout Wagner in each of the past three meetings and not allowed any points since the fourth quarter of their game in 2019 … The 44-0 win in the 2021 finale at Wagner was the last time the Dukes shutout an opponent … The 7.0 sacks were the most in a game since the Dukes posted 7.0 in the 2021 season-finale at Wagner … Punter Michael Berarducci averaged a season-best 48.3 yards on three punts, with a long of 54 and another that was downed at the three-yard line … J.T. Cooper's fourth quarter catch was the first of his career … Four different Dukes took snaps under center in the game … Duquesne leads the all-time series with Wagner, 13-5 … The Dukes own an eight-game winning-streak in the series; the longest current-streak against any opponent … This season marks only the fourth time in the past 31 years that the Dukes will finish a year with a losing record and is the first losing record since 2012.