Football

DELAWARE VALLEY 35, FDU-FLORHAM 29 (4 OT)

MADISON, NJ - Senior wideout Rich Gear caught a 25-yard touchdown pass in the fourth overtime to end his career in storybook fashion as Delaware Valley outlasted host FDU-Florham, 35-29, in a wild, Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.

Both teams ended their seasons with 2-8 marks. The two teams played a triple-overtime classic back in 1997 with the Aggies winning at home by a 47-44 score.

FDU had the ball first in the fourth overtime, but on its second play, freshman cornerback Josh Trinkleback made an interception at the six-yard line to end the Devils' possession. Trinkleback began to return the pick and was hit late out of bounds for a penalty that was assessed on Delaware Valley's possession of overtime.

With the ball on the 12-yard line instead of the 25, the Aggies saw their first pass fall incomplete. On second down, freshman quarterback Adam Knoblauch threw up a fade pass in the back of the end zone and Gear came down with it for his 31st career touchdown and the final victory.

Gear finished the day with five catches for 63 yards and two scores. The most prolific receiver in Aggie history, Gear wraps up his career with 11 school records, including 194 career catches for 3,118 receiving yards and the 31 scores.

Fellow senior Al Glackin helped get the game to overtime as he had a career day with 41 carries for 209 yards and the team's two touchdowns in regulation. The 209 yards is the second-highest, single-game total in school history while his career-best 793 yards on the season ranks third in that category. Glackin, who entered the year with 700 yards in his first three seasons, finishes his career ninth on the all-time rushing list with 1,493 yards.

Delaware Valley took a 6-0 lead after Glackin ran in a 26-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play 77-yard drive with 10:32 left in the first quarter. Tom Rady's extra-point attempt was blocked by Mike McDonaugh.

The Devils took a 7-6 lead a quarter later when Quadir Muhammad-Bruce reeled in a 16 yard pass from Michael Passero (Verona, NJ). Freshman Mike Rabasca made the extra point to give FDU the one-point advantage.

FDU extended the lead to 14-6 when Passero and Muhammad-Bruce hooked up for another 16-yard touchdown, this one with just 10 seconds left in the first half. Rabasca made the kick.

The only other score during regulation came when Glackin broke free for a 34-yard touchdown with 11:39 left in the third quarter. David Carmon caught a two-point conversion pass from Knoblauch to tie the game.

The Devils had a chance to win the game with just three seconds left on the clock. Rabasca lined up for a 35-yard field goal, but Delaware Valley's Nick Sabean broke through the line to block it for his fourth blocked kick of the year.

The Aggies struck on the first play of their first possession in overtime as Knoblauch tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass to senior Chris McIver. Rady made the kick to put the Aggies up 21-14.

The Devils came back as the Ed Cracchiolo scored on an eight-yard rush. Rabasca made the do-or-die kick to keep FDU alive. Cracchiolo rushed three times for 20 yards on the drive.

Delaware Valley held FDU in the second overtime and appeared to have the game won on its first play as Glackin broke free for a 25-yard touchdown. However, a holding penalty negated the score and the Aggies were stopped on downs, forcing a third overtime.

Delaware Valley had the ball first in the third overtime and on fourth-and-10 from the 25, Knoblauch hit Gear for the touchdown. Delaware Valley went for the two-point conversion, as mandated by NCAA rules starting in the third overtime, and Knoblauch hit Kevin Moloney for a 29-21 Aggie lead.

Cracchiolo rushed for a two-yard touchdown two plays after Marc Cuniglio was tackled at the one-yard line by Keeven Thomas after a 24-yard catch-and-carry on FDU's first play of the third overtime. Passero hit Muhammad-Bruce for the two-yard two-point conversion to keep FDU alive.

That set-up the Delaware Valley heroics by Trinkleback on defense and Knoblauch and Gear on offense in the fourth overtime.

Knoblauch finished the day with 151 yards on 12-for-33 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The MAC Rookie of the Year candidate started all 10 games for the Aggies and set school records with 179 completions and 345 attempts. His 2,214 yards and 20 touchdowns passes ranks second on the school's single-season list.

Defensively, sophomore linebacker Andrew Erby had 13 tackles and an interception and he finished the season with a team-best 106 tackles. Trinkleback had two interceptions as he finished tied with Thomas with the team lead in that category with three. Sabean had six tackles to finish second with 59 while leading the way with 6.5 sacks.