Football

Delaware Valley 38, Lycoming College 27
Aggies Stun 10th-Ranked Warriors, Move Into First Place In The MAC

WILLIAMSPORT (PA) - The Delaware Valley College pulled off, perhaps, the biggest win in school history as the Aggies traveled to Lycoming College and upset the No. 10 Warriors, 38-27, in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.

The win improved the Aggies to 5-1 overall, 4-1 and in first place in the MAC with four games remaining. Delaware Valley, which was 2-8 last season, now controls its own destiny in the conference and its bid for a NCAA Division III playoff spot.

The victory was also the first against Lycoming (4-1, 4-1) since 1982, a span that saw the team go 0-19-1. In fact, Delaware Valley had scored a combined 31 points in the last 11 meetings with the Warriors before putting 38 on the scoreboard this afternoon.

The Aggies scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase a 21-17 deficit. They faced a third-and-17 from their own 32, but,on the first play of the fourth quarter, Adam Knoblauch rolled out of the pocket to his left and found Nick behind the Warrior defense for a 68-yard scoring strike.

On the ensuing possession, Delaware Valley defensive back Carlo DeAngelo intercepted his second pass of the game and returned it 17 yards to the Lycoming 48-yardline. The Aggies found the end zone again seven plays later as Knoblauch found fullback Chase Lauth wide open for a four-yard score. That pushed the lead to 31-21 with 9:59 to play.

Delaware Valley's defense held on two consecutive Warrior possessions, forcing the home team to turn the ball over on downs. Following the second stand with 5:34 to play, the Aggies went to the ground and rushed on six consecutive plays for 62 yards and a touchdown that was the final nail in Lycoming's coffin. The touchdown was a four-yard bootleg by Knoblauch with 3:09 remaining. Knoblauch led Delaware Valley by completing 20-of-36 passes for 267 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran 13 times for 33 yards and one touchdown.

Lycoming got on the board first with an impressive drive to open the game. The Warriors ran 15 plays, went 70 yards, and took 8:32 off the clock with Miller eventually going into the endzone from a yard out.

That lead would hold up until late in the second quarter when Delaware Valley's Matt Wallick forced and recovered a fumble at Lycoming's 26-yardline. Two plays later, Knoblauch found Rob Wallace for a 24-yard touchdown. The point after knotted the game at 7-7 at the half.

Midway through the third quarter, the Aggies' Bill Miller connected on a 27-yard field goal to give Delaware Valley their first lead of the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Jason Porter forced a fumble and Eric Inama recovered it to give the Aggies possession at the Warrior 18. Knoblauch needed just one play to find tight end Kevin Moloney for a scoring strike and a 17-7 lead.

Lycoming, however, would answer with two quick scores of its own. On their next possession, the Warriors marched 65 yards on 11 plays to climb within 17-14. Mann found Sean from six yards out for the scoring play. Lycoming's defense then came up with a fumble recovery on the first play of the following drive. The Warriors took advantage, scoring to regain the lead on just three plays when Mann found Ricky Lannetti for a 14-yard touchdown pass. That made the score 21-17 in favor of Lycoming and set the stage for Delaware Valley's fourth quarter outburst.

Wallace and Brady led the Aggie receivers with four catches for 83 yards, and three catches for 81 yards, respectively. Each also scored once. Taylor Ramos was Delaware Valley's leading rusher with 39 yards on seven carries, with all 39 yards coming on five carries on the Aggies' final drive of the game

Defensively, Andrew Erby led Delaware Valley with nine tackles. DeAngelo added seven stops and two interceptions. DeAngelo entered the game ranked second in Division III in interceptions and he now has seven picks in six contests.

For Lycoming, Phil Mann led the offense, completing 30-of-50 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 25 yards on six carries. Ricky Lannetti set a new single-game record for the Warriors with 16 receptions in the contest for 106 yards and two touchdowns.