Football

Delaware Valley 31, Lycoming College 13

WILLIAMSPORT (Pa) - Delaware Valley College scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to pull away from host Lycoming College and defeat the Warriors, 31-13, in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.

The win was the 15th consecutive regular-season victory for the Aggies as the defending conference champions improved to 4-0 overall and 4-0 in the MAC this season. Lycoming fell to 1-2, 1-2.

Delaware Valley led 21-13 heading into the fourth quarter and the Aggies controlled the ball for nearly 12 minutes (11:55) in the stanza. They took over possession on its own 18 just 13 seconds into the quarter following a Lycoming punt, and went on a 14-play, 70-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes on the clock. The drive culminated with Bill Miller's 29-yard field goal to make it 24-13 with 8:44 remaining.

Delaware Valley's defense held Lycoming deep in its own territory and took over at the Warrior 33-yard line. Five plays later, Jake Sheffield broke two tackles and reached the end zone from 13 yards out with exactly five minute remaining to make it 31-13.

Delaware Valley scored the lone points of the first quarter as Steve Cook ended a 10-play, 84-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge. The rushing touchdown was the 24th of the senior's career, tying him with 1991 graduate Tim Ford for the Aggies' all-time record. Miller added the extra-point for a 7-0 lead with 3:57 remaining in the first.

Lycoming tied the game early in the second as quarterback Sean Hanna escaped the Aggie rush and found a wide open Tim Brown downfield for a 64-yard touchdown. Mike Monastra's extra-point made it a 7-7 ballgame with 14:11 remaining in the first half.

Delaware Valley took the lead for good with 7:33 to go before intermission as Sheffield caught a 14-yard screen pass from Adam Knoblauch. The touchdown was set up by a 42-yard catch-and-run by Cook just one play earlier.

After the Aggie defense held, Delaware Valley found the end zone again, this time off a screen pass that Don Marshall caught from Knoblauch and went 36 yards for the score. Marshall's touchdown occurred just three plays after he took a big hit over the middle and came out for a play. Miller's extra-point upped the Aggie lead to 21-7 with 4:43 remaining in the half.

Lycoming made things interesting in the third as Hanna found Jeremy Ebert for an 87-yard touchdown reception with 9:10 remaining. However, Monastra's kick sailed wide, leaving the score at 21-13. That set the stage for Delaware Valley's big fourth quarter.

The Aggies notched 433 yards of total offense while limiting the Warriors to 231 yards, 151 of which came on the two big touchdowns. They also controlled the ball for 35:45 and ran 21 more play than Lycoming (71 to 50).

Cook rushed for just 44 yards on 17 carries, but became Delaware Valley's all-time leading rusher in the process. He upped his career total to 2,659 yards and surpassed 1988 graduate Jim Wilson (2,634) for the top spot.

Sheffield finished with a team-high 63 yards on 11 carries while Knoblauch rushed for 47 yards on 17 carries. Knoblauch was also 13-for-24 for 264 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted four times. Marshall led all receivers with five grabs for 97 yards and one score.

Defensively, junior linebacker Justin Porter made his first start a memorable one for the Aggies as he recorded 10 tackles and four sacks, missing the school's single-game record by just half a sack.

Fellow linebacker John Pursell added 10 tackles while lineman Matt Wallick had 1.5 sacks. Junior cornerback Matt Murphy intercepted his fourth pass of the season, including his third in the end zone for a touchback. The pick came in the second quarter with the game tied at 7-7.

Hanna was 7-for-18 for 181 yards and two touchdowns for Lycoming. Brandon Taugh carried the ball 15 times for 40 yards while Ebert made three receptions for 106 yards and one score.