Football

DELAWARE VALLEY 26, LYCOMING COLLEGE 19

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Adam Knoblauch hit Don Marshall for a 41-yard touchdown pass with just 24 seconds remaining to give undefeated Delaware Valley College a 26-19 victory over defending Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) champion Lycoming College and its third last-minute triumph of the season.

The Aggies improved to 6-0 overall (5-0 MAC) for the first time in school history and, dating back to last year's final two wins, tied a school record with its eighth victory in a row. The Warriors fell to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference with the loss.

Delaware Valley trapped Lycoming at its own 1 on a 36-yard punt by Bill Miller with 2:23 remaining. The defense stopped the Warriors at the 10, and following the punt, the Aggies took over at the Lycoming 41-yard line with 33 seconds left on the clock.

The first play saw Knoblauch get flushed out of the pocket, but the junior found Marshall behind the Warrior secondary for the game-winning score. Knoblauch completed 23 of 45 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 46 yards on seven carries. Marshall hauled in five passes for 135 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

Two Hail Mary passes by Lycoming quarterback Glenn Smith were knocked down and the Aggies had another last-minute victory. In week three, Delaware Valley scored with 29 seconds left for a 46-39 victory over Susquehanna, and the Aggies did it again last week with 55 seconds remaining for a 20-19 victory at King's.

After trailing 12-0 early in the third quarter, Delaware Valley scored two times in the quarter to take a one-point lead. Knoblauch completed a 12-play, 87-yard scoring drive by hitting Lenzie Davis with a nine-yard touchdown pass with 7:43 remaining, and then capped a nine-play, 74-yard drive with a five-yard scoring strike to David Carmon with 1:21 left in the third. Davis caught a career-high eight passes for 30 yards and the one score while Carmon had six catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Delaware Valley then took advantage of a crucial and controversial turnover by the Warriors. A Miller punt was originally ruled down by one official, but others overruled the call and said it hit a Lycoming player. The fumble was recovered by A.J. Neal at the Warrior 11, and Steve Cook needed just one play to get into the end zone for a 19-12 Delaware Valley lead with 8:10 remaining. Cook netted a game-high 110 yards on 23 carries.

After Lycoming went three-and-out, the Aggies took over deep in their territory. Knoblauch hit David Carmon for a pass, but Carmon was stripped of the ball by Mike Piotrowicz, who ran the fumble return into the end zone from 18 yards out. Chris Schraeder's extra-point tied the game at 19-19 with 5:37 remaining and set the stage for Delaware Valley's last-minute heroics.

Lycoming entered the game without starting quarterback Phil Mann, who separated his shoulder in last week's win over FDU-Florham. Smith played solidly and helped the Warriors take a 9-0 halftime lead. He directed a scoring drive that was capped by Schrader's 27-yard field goal just 15 seconds into the second quarter, and tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Tony Kopp with just 20 seconds remaining in the half to culminate a 16-play, 80-yard drive. The Warriors added to the lead with Schrader's 27-yard field goal early in the third quarter.

Smith was 20-for-40 for 210 yards and one touchdown while Kopp had four receptions for 40 yards and the one score. Lycoming struggled with its running game against the top-ranked defense in the MAC as it netted just 32 yards on 34 attempts.

Andrew Erby and Neal had 11 and 10 tackles to pace Delaware Valley. The Aggies also registered four sacks on the day with one each by Erby, Kevin Bliss, Anthony Silver and Matt Wallick.