Football

Delaware Valley 49, FDU-Florham 3

MADISON (NJ) - Delaware Valley College used a 28-point second quarter to propel itself to a 49-3 victory over host FDU-Florham in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.

The win improved the defending MAC champion Aggies to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play. It was also the team's 13th straight regular-season victory dating back to the end of the 2003 campaign.

Delaware Valley held a 7-3 lead heading into the second quarter. The team then racked up 28 points, 199 yards of total offense and just five yards allowed in the 15 minutes as they built a 35-3 halftime lead. For the half, the Aggies racked up 402 yards on 49 plays while allowing just 29 yards on 28 plays.

Delaware Valley quarterback Adam Knoblauch threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter alone, including an eight-yard toss to David Carmon to complete an eight play, 56-yard drive. Bill Miller's extra-point made it 14-3 with 9:19 remaining.

FDU-Florham (0-1, 0-1) went three-and-out and the Aggies followed with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with Knoblauch's 11-yard scoring to senior tight end Jason Rorer. The Devils were stopped on three plays again and a poor punt and penalty left the ball on their own 31. Two plays later, tailback Steve Cook found a hole and then the end zone from 18 yards out for a 28-3 advantage with 3:16 to go before halftime.

On FDU-Florham's next possession, quarterback Dan Huff was intercepted by linebacker A.J. Neal and Neal returned it 16 yards to the Devil 33. After an incomplete pass, Knoblauch found tailback Jake Sheffield open down the middle for a 33-yard touchdown with 1:28 remaining for a 35-3 halftime lead.

Delaware Valley scored on its first possession of the second half as Knoblauch went deep to Carmon for a 35-yard score. The Aggies' last touchdown came with 7:38 to go in the contest as backup quarterback Andrew Hasenauer hit James Hale in the end zone from 25 yards out.

The Aggies took the early 7-0 lead as Knoblauch faked a handoff to Cook and went untouched into the end zone from five yards out to cap a nine-play, 79-yard drive.

On Delaware Valley's next possession, Knoblauch was picked off by John Sacco at the Devil 18-yard line. Sacco went down the left sideline and looked as if he was going to score, but Knoblauch hustled downfield and tackled him at the Aggie 11. Delaware Valley's defense then stood to the challenge and forced FDU-Florham back three yards on the next three plays. The Devils had to settle for a Michael Rabasca 31-yard field goal and a 7-3 deficit with 2:22 to go in the first quarter.

Knoblauch completed 19 of 33 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for 28 yards and one score. Carmon was the top receiver with eight grabs for 126 yards and two trips to the end zone.

Cook had a big day on the ground with 161 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries. The senior now has 2,494 career yards and is just 141 shy of breaking the Aggie all-time record of 2,634 yards by 1988 graduate Jim Wilson. The touchdown was the 23rd of Cook's career, tying him with two players for second place and leaving him just one behind 1991 grad Tim Ford's record total.

Defensively, Neal had seven tackles to go along with his one interception. Fellow linebacker John Pursell tied Neal for top-honors with seven stops while tackle Travis Albanesius added five tackles and two sacks. Linebacker Chuck Hodges added a 25-yard interception return. Placekicker Bill Miller tied a school record with seven extra-points in as many attempts.

Phil Sylvester paced the Devils with 95 rushing yards on 12 carries. Quarterbacks Dan Huff and Don Stoltz were a combined 3-for-18 for 23 yards and two picks.