DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley College senior tailback Chris Smallwood made the first home night football game in school history a record-breaking event as he rushed for six touchdowns in a wild, 54-35 triumph over Wilkes University in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.
The Aggies, who were coming off an early bye week, improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference while the Colonels fell to 1-2 and 1-1.
A large crowd packed Robert A. Lipinski Field at James Work Memorial Stadium for the first football contest under the new lights. After the pre-game festivities, it was Smallwood who stole the show. He carried the ball 20 times for 213 yards and the sixth-highest, single-game rushing total in school history. Smallwood's touchdowns went for 49, 1, 5, 42, 34 and 37 yards and broke the rushing record of four held by numerous players and the overall single-game touchdown mark of five (one rushing, four receiving) set by Harry Capozzoli against Lock Haven back in 1968.
Delaware Valley withstood a fast-paced Wilkes offense that ran 113 overall plays (54 rushing, 59 passing). The play total set a new Division III regulation record and just missed the overall mark of 114 plays that was set by Rose-Hulman last week in a 74-68, triple overtime win over Illinois College.
Smallwood wasted no time in getting his night going as he took a handoff on the third play of scrimmage and raced 49 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 Aggie lead just 50 seconds into the game.
Wilkes tied the contest on its second possession of the game as a seven-play, 50-yard drive was capped by PJ Incremona's six-yard scoring run with 8:22 left in the opening quarter. The Colonels then took a 14-7 lead less than four minutes later thanks to some trickery and wide receiver Jon Conklin took a handoff and tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to Tim Bousson.
The Aggies answered before the end of the quarter as a pair of 20-plus yard passing plays from Aaron Wilmer to Stephen Greco and Rasheed Bailey respectively put the ball at the Wilkes eight-yard line. Wilmer ran for seven yards before Smallwood bulled his way in on the next play. Brandon Snyder's extra-point made it a 14-14 ballgame with 1:14 to go in the first.
In the second quarter, the teams combined for three interceptions on three consecutive drives, the last coming when Delaware Valley linebacker Matt Smith picked off a Ryan Dailey pass and returned it 18 yards to the Colonel 42. After a penalty, Wilmer hit Bailey for a 34-yard pass to the 12-yard line. On third-and-three from the five, Smallwood found the end zone for a 21-14 advantage with 5:35 left on the clock before the intermission.
Back came the Colonels and Dailey hit Nick Dawson for a one-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 left and the teams went into the locker rooms tied at 21-21.
Smith forced and recovered a fumble on Wilkes' opening drive of the second half and the Aggies took advantage as Smallwood got the call and went untouched from 42 yards out for a 28-21 score. The Colonels ran 11 plays on its next drive and faced a fourth-and-five from the Delaware Valley 15. They lined up for a field goal but went for a fake as Conklin, the holder, threw another scoring pass, this time to Jacob Brook and a 28-28 score with 8:56 left in the quarter.
The teams then traded touchdowns again. First came the Aggies as Armani Fuller-Williams had a 50-yard kickoff return, which set up another race to the end zone by Smallwood. His 34-yard run and Snyder's extra-point came just 22 seconds after Wilkes' trick touchdown. However, the Colonels countered with 5:13 left as Conklin caught a 15-yard scoring pass from Dailey.
Delaware Valley took over the contest at this point as it scored the final 19 points of the event. It began with a seven-play, 67 yard drive that was capped by Wilmer's 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Max Stella. After a Colonels' three-and-out, a long punt return by Tyler Bing with a face mask penalty tacked on gave the Aggies the ball at the Wilkes 32. Three plays later and on the first one of the fourth quarter, Wilmer found senior Danny Lopez for his first career touchdown, a 27-yarder and a 48-35 advantage.
Midway through the fourth, Smallwood capped his night in style as he ran to the right, cut to the outside and then muscled his way through the defenders at the 10-yard line for a 37-yard touchdown, the school record and a 54-35 final.
Delaware Valley had 448 yards on the night, including 270 on the ground. Wilmer completed 10 of 22 passes for 178 yards and two scores while Bing had 95 all-purpose yards (38 rushing, 34 receiving, 23 punt returns). Fuller-Williams had five kickoff returns for 143 yards.
Defensively, Danny Wynne and Frank Law had 12 and 11 tackles respectively. Keith Jenkins and Rashaad Lighty had two sacks apiece while combining for 14 stops and Smith finished with eight tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
For Wilkes, the 113 plays resulted in 524 yards (344 passing, 180 rushing). Dailey was 29-for-56 for 323 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Conklin caught eight passes for 85 yards and a score while also completing two passes for 21 yards and two touchdowns. Tanner Stengel led the balanced defensive effort with nine tackles.