DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley University junior cornerback Jalen Mayes intercepted a pass in the end zone with 40.9 seconds remaining to thwart Lycoming College's comeback bid and seal the Aggies' 28-20, Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) victory on Senior Day.
DelVal honored its 18 seniors in a pre-game ceremony and the group notched the 32nd win of their Aggie careers as the team improved to 7-2 overall and 6-2 in conference play. DelVal is still in contention for a postseason berth for the ninth straight year and the 13th in the last 14 years as a win at archrival Widener University next Saturday, November 12 would clinch a spot in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series.
The Aggies also still have an outside shot at a share of the MAC title after Wilkes University's 38-35 upset of undefeated Stevenson University. DelVal would need to defeat Widener and have both Stevenson lose at Lycoming and Albright lose at Lebanon Valley College next Saturday for a three-way atop the standings (the Aggies cannot get the conference's automatic bid to the NCAAs, but the MAC does recognize co- and tri-champions).
DelVal took a 28-20 lead with 5:01 remaining after a three-yard touchdown run by quarterback Dashawn Darden. Lycoming's Aaron Davis then appeared to return the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back on a holding penalty and the Warriors (3-6, 2-6), instead, started a drive on their own 26-yard line.
Eighteen yards on the next two plays along with an Aggie personal foul penalty moved the ball into DelVal territory at the 41. Lycoming then had a third-and-five from the 36 when quarterback Chase Whiteman scrambled for six yards and a first down. Whiteman then converted another third down with his legs as an eight-yard run on a third-and-seven put the ball at the Aggie 19-yard line. Whiteman then went for it all on the next play, but Mayes was there to step in front of a Warrior wide receiver in the end zone and notch the first interception of his career. DelVal took a knee twice and celebrated a victory in its home finale.
With a prevailing wind behind its back to start the game, Lycoming went on a nine-play, 70-yard drive and found the end zone on its opening possession. Whiteman capped it with a four-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead less than seven minutes in.
It stayed that way until the second quarter when the Aggies had 80-yard touchdown plays on back-to-back possessions. They faced a second-and-13 when Darden, with the wind behind him, hit Eric Shorter in stride down the right sideline for the long score with 10:50 left on the clock. Then after a Warrior drive stalled after four plays, tailback Devantay Ellis took a handoff up the middle, cut to the outside and was gone for the touchdown. It came three minutes after Shorter's score and DelVal had a 14-7 advantage.
The teams exchanged interceptions and then Lycoming had to punt as the Aggies took over at their own 16-yard line. Seven players later, they were at the Warrior four-yard line and Robert Cleveland took care of the rest for the touchdown and a 21-7 lead with 47 seconds left before the intermission.
Lycoming got the lone points of the third quarter as Joe Pinzka recovered a fumble on a punt return at the DelVal 17, and Whiteman hit Dante Gipson out of the backfield on the next play to make it 21-14 with 2:55 to go in the quarter.
After a three-and-out by the Aggies, the Warriors proceeded to go on a 15-play, 76-yard drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock. They kept the drive alive with three, third-down conversion and then had a fourth-and-two from the nine-yard line when Whiteman found an open Mike Mulvihill in the end zone. However, a low snap on the ensuing extra-point attempt resulted in Devon Flynn's kick hitting the right upright. That left DelVal in the lead at 21-20 with 7:27 remaining. DelVal then drove down for Darden's score and held on at the end thanks to Mayes' heroics.
DelVal finished with 494 yards of total offense (263 passing, 231 rushing). Darden completed 15 of 25 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 43 yards and a score. Ellis carried the ball 13 times for 155 yards and a touchdown. Shorter had two catches for 106 yards, including the long score.
Defensively, the Aggies held Lycoming, which was without the service of the conference's leading rusher in Blake Bowman, to 295 yards on the afternoon. TJ Waters led the way with 12 tackles while fellow linebacker Nicholas DiGati added 10 stops. Mayes had six tackles and the big interception while Shawn Miller had a pick of his own.
Whiteman was 12-for-25 for 136 yards and two touchdown. He was also the team's leading rusher with 13 carries for 62 yards and one trip to the end zone. Gipson had 56 yards on the ground and caught four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. Mulvihill had five grabs for 74 yards and a score. Defensively, Mike Ward notched 11 tackles and one forced fumble. Zach Smith and Khamari Williams combined for 12 stops and two interceptions.