Football

DELAWARE VALLEY 28, NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY 0

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Delaware Valley College scored on four of its first five possessions, and capitalized on five turnovers, including three fumbles by New Jersey City University, in recording a 28-0 shutout of the Gothic Knights in a battle of previously winless teams at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.

The Aggies, who had given up 205 points for a 51.3 average in their first four games, posted their first shutout since the 1998 season in improving their record to 1-4 overall (0-4 MAC). The win was the first for first-year Delaware Valley coach G.A. Mangus. New Jersey City is 0-4, and have lost eight straight since last season.

The Aggies scored on their first three possessions in the first quarter to secure a 21-0 edge at the end of the period. Freshman quarterback Adam Knoblauch dashed for a 24-yard TD when he scrambled up the middle, broke several tackles and scored down the far sideline at 11:01.

After New Jersey City went three and out, Delaware Valley took over near midfield, and made it 14-0 when Knoblauch found tight end Kevin Moloney wide open in the middle of the endzone from eight yards with 7:26 remaining in the quarter. On the next possession, Al Glackin's two-yard drive up the middle made it 21-0 at 1:50 of the period.

Delaware Valley's final touchdown was set up by a forced fumble and recovery by Andrew Erby at the eight-yard line. Knoblauch hit Moloney again, this time from five yards out with 10:32 remaining in the second quarter. The Aggies had 261 of their 315 yards in the first half.

Meanwhile the Delaware Valley preserved the shutout with five turnovers and stopped New Jersey City inside the red zone on five occasions (two fumbles, two interceptions and one turnover on downs). On back-to-back drives, Gothic Knight Johnnie Taylor had two grabs for what appeared to be touchdowns in the second half, but fumbled both on the Delaware Valley one-yard line when sophomore Dougie Howard stripped the football both times. Clint LaStella and Will Robinson recovered the fumbles. The two drives that ended in interceptions were recorded by Aggie freshman safety Keeven Thomas. They were the first two picks of Thomas' collegiate career.

Knoblauch was 14-for-24 for 174 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to one touchdown he ran in himself, Glackin had a career day for the Aggies as the senior carried the ball 25 times for 125 yards and a touchdown. Freshman wide receiver David Carmon had five catches for 72 yards, and all-time leading receiver Rich Gear made another four grabs for 59 yards. Moloney caught just two passes for 13 yards but they both for touchdowns.

Leading the defensive charge for Delaware Valley was junior linebacker Nick Sabaen who had eight tackles (five solo), 2.5 sacks for minus 22 yards, three total tackles for losses and a forced fumble. Erby had eight tackles (four solo), one forced fumble and one recovery and freshman linebacker Azaria Numerato added eight hits (three solo), including 2.5 for losses and one sack.