Football

WIDENER UNIVERSITY 44, DELAWARE VALLEY 14

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Widener University scored 23 unanswered points to pull away from host Delaware Valley College and defeat the Aggies, 44-14, in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.

The Pioneers, ranked 19th in the American Football Coaches Association Division III poll, improved to 6-1 overall and 6-1 in the conference with the win while Delaware Valley fell to 1-7 (0-7 MAC). Widener also retained the Keystone Cup, which is awarded to the winner of the annual game between the two teams.

The Aggies went into the bag of tricks to pull within seven, 21-14, with 12:28 left in the first half. On fourth-and-two play from the Widener six-yard line, freshman quarterback Adam Knoblauch pitched the ball to tailback Al Glackin who tossed it to wideout Rich Gear for an apparent reverse. However, Gear stopped and threw across the field to a wide-open Knoblauch for a touchdown. Tom Rady's added the extra-point to cap an eight-play, 74-yard drive.

However, it was all Widener from there. The Pioneers made it a 28-14 with 6:59 to go before halftime as, after a Delaware Valley fumble, they drove 38 yards on eight plays. A Mike Warker 13-yard pass to Mike deMarteleire put the ball on the Aggie one-yard line and Warker snuck into the end zone on the next play.

Widener then scored nine points in the third quarter and its defense did not allow a single yard on 11 Delaware Valley plays during those 15 minutes. With 11:20 left in the quarter, Aggie punter Tom Rady could not handle a low snap in the end zone and a loose ball was recovered by Delaware Valley as Widener was awarded a safety.

The ensuing free kick was fielded at the 50-yard line and, seven plays later, Warker hit Tyreak Savior for a 28-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-17 play. Ragan's extra-point made 37-14 with 7:43 left in the quarter. Widener finished the scoring just 58 seconds into the final quarter as deMarteleire scored on 13-yard run that was set up by a B.J. Hogan interception.

Widener jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 9:10 left in the first quarter as Michael Gandy capped an eight-play, 85-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown. Delaware Valley countered seven minutes later as Knoblauch hit Gear for an eight-yard scoring pass and a 7-7 ballgame.

It took just two plays and 53 seconds for the Pioneers to regain the lead as Warker hit a streaking Luther Bowen for a 61-yard scoring strike. Austin Martin made it 21-7 with a two-yard touchdown run just 14 seconds into the second quarter.

Knoblauch finished the day 14-for-25 for 155 yards and one touchdown while also catching a scoring pass. Gear hauled in five passes for 58 yards and one score while completing his first-ever collegiate pass for a touchdown.

Glackin, a senior, racked up 179 all-purpose yards, including a team-best 94 yards on 15 carries. He had 42 yards on three kickoff returns and became Delaware Valley's all-time leader in kickoffs with 1,539 yards.

Defensively, Andrew Erby led the Aggies with seven tackles while fellow linebacker Nick Sabean notched five tackles and two sacks.

Before the game, the Aggies honored their five seniors who were playing in the final home game of their collegiate careers: Gear, Glackin, Chris McIver, Sean Needham and Ken Teleski.