Football

Delaware Valley 40, FDU-Florham 22

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - The Delaware Valley College football team moved one step closer to its first Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship as the Aggies jumped out to a 40-0 lead and cruised to a 40-22 victory over visiting FDU-Florham.

The Aggies, who were 2-8 overall, 1-8 and tied for last place in the MAC last year, continued their amazing turnaround as they improved to 7-1 overall and remained in a first place tie with Lycoming College with a 6-1 mark in the conference. However, Delaware Valley has the tiebreaker edge thanks to its 38-27 victory over the Warriors two weeks ago.

The Aggies control their own destiny and can win their first-ever MAC title and a trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs with victories in their last two games. The Devils fell to 0-8 overall and 0-8 in the conference with the loss.

Delaware Valley jumped out to a 14-0 lead as Adam Knoblauch hit Rob Wallace for an 18-yard touchdown with 8:37 left in the first quarter and a Taylor Ramos four-yard touchdown run with 10:40 to go in the second quarter. Ramos' score was set up by a Anthony Silver fumble recovery on an FDU-Florham turnover.

The Aggies then used the big play for their next four touchdowns as the lead ballooned to 40-0 with 4:48 remaining in the third quarter. Less than two minutes after Ramos' touchdown, Knoblauch connected with Don Marshall for a 41-yard touchdown and a 20-0 advantage.

It remained that way until 8:48 was left on the clock when Anthony Blasi blasted a 65-yard punt for FDU-Florham that went over the head of Ramos. Ramos picked up the ball at his own five-yard line, broke four tackles and went 95 yards for the longest punt return in Delaware Valley history. Knoblauch then hit Lenzie Davis for the two-point conversion and a 28-0 lead.

Knoblauch and Marshall teamed up again, this for a 36-yard scoring strike with 5:20 to go in the third for a 34-0 lead with 5:20 to go in the quarter.

On FDU-Florham's first play following the kickoff, Patrick O'Neill's pass was intercepted by Carlo DeAngelo and the senior returned it 65 yards for a score and a 40-0 advantage. The interception was the second of the game for DeAngelo and the ninth of the season, including two returned for touchdowns. He entered the 2003 campaign with just three career interceptions.

The Devils scored three late touchdowns as O'Neill hit Jeremy Carr for 11 and 30-yard scores with a Chris Trolan one-yard touchdown run sandwich in-between. The 22 points were the most scored by FDU-Florham this season.

Knoblauch finished the game 13-for-21 for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Wallace hauled in three passes for 49 yards and one score while Marshall made two catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Ramos netted 66 yards on 11 carries and also set a school record with 112 yards on seven punt returns.

Delaware Valley set a pair of team single-season records in the game. The Aggies have now scored 279 points on the year to best the total of 253 that was set in 1967. They also set a new standard with 3,490 yards of total offense, breaking the previous mark of 3,376 that was set in 2001.

Aggie placekicker Bill Miller also set a school record with his second extra-point of the day. The freshman now has 30 extra points to break the previous single-season mark of 29 that Mike Santillo set in 1990.

The Aggie defense limited FDU-Florham to 252 yards of total offense, including just 100 yards through the first three quarters of the game. They forced four turnovers and recorded four sacks as well.