EDWARDSVILLE (PA) – Wilkes University scored 12 unanswered points in the second half while Delaware Valley University went 0-for-5 in the red zone as the host Colonels posted a 12-7, come-from-behind victory in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) opener for both teams.
Both teams saw its overall records go to 1-1 and it was Wilkes' first win over the Aggies, which were receiving votes in the D3football.com Top 25 poll, since 2007.
The Colonels trailed 7-6 in the fourth quarter and faced a fourth-and-four from the DelVal 49 when quarterback Ryan Dailey and wideout Garrett Armstrong teamed up for a seven yard pass to move the sticks. Three plays later, they were down to the nine before an offensive face mask penalty backed the ball up to the 24. Dailey threw a screen pass to Jacob Brook and he scampered into the end zone for the touchdown. The two-point conversion pass failed, but Wilkes had its first lead of the game at 12-7 with just 2:14 remaining.
A squib kick gave the Aggies the ball on their own 34-yard line to start the final drive of the night. A holding penalty pushed the offense back 10 yards, but Wilkes was then called for pass interference. Two plays later, on third down, the Colonels were called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty as a referee was bumped by a player on their sideline. That put the ball at the Wilkes 43 and two pass plays from quarterback Danny Farley to Tyler Bing placed the ball at the 26 with 27 seconds left.
A pair of incomplete tosses brought up third-and-10 and Farley hit Eric Shorter for 12 yards and a first down at the 14 as the Aggies called timeout with 14 ticks remaining. Farley had two incomplete passes, the last out of the end zone with two seconds left. DelVal used its final timeout to prepare for its final play. Farley threw the ball to the left corner of the end zone but it was out of the reach of Shorter and Wilkes celebrated its win.
The game did not look it would come down to the final seconds as DelVal scored on its first drive of the contest. The Aggies converted a pair of third-down plays to keep the drive going and they reached the Colonel 26-yard line where they faced a second-and-eight. Armani Fuller Williams took a handoff, cut to the outside and went untouched into the end zone to cap the 10-play scoring drive. Nick Restaino added the extra-point for the early 7-0 lead with 4:56 left in the opening quarter.
The Aggies appeared to be on their way to a second score as they drove 89 yards on 12 plays to take the ball all the way down to the Wilkes 1. They converted one fourth down on the drive and faced a third-and-goal just outside the end zone. Farley was stopped on a sneak to bring up fourth down and tailback Robert Cleveland was stopped just short of the goal line with 2:56 left in the half. Wilkes ran out the clock to end a first half that took less than an hour to play.
The Colonels tried an onsides kick to start the second half, but Danny Smith recovered it for DelVal at the Wilkes 48-yard line. The Aggies drove into the red zone before a sack bumped them back to the 23 and Farley threw a pass that was intercepted by the Colonels' River Johnson.
The Colonels responded with a long scoring drive, capped by a seven-yard touchdown toss from Dailey to Armstrong. However, Bryan Mellon's extra-point attempt clanked off the left upright to keep DelVal ahead by one, 7-6, with 8:08 to go in the third quarter.
In the waning moments of the third, the Aggies used a 41-yard pass play from Farley to Bing put the ball at Wilkes' four-yard line. A holding penalty on first down moved the ball back to the 14 and the drive stalled there. A 31-yard field goal attempt by Restaino went wide left, keeping it at a one-point contest.
The DelVal defense forced a punt and the offense took over on its own 11. Big plays from Devauntay Ellis and Michael Fowler, Jr. aided the drive as the Aggies took it all the way to the Colonel 9. A high snap over the quarterback's head resulted in a 24-yard loss and Wilkes eventually took over at its own 33 with 6:21 left. The Colonels took the lead on their ensuing drive and held on at the end for the win.
DelVal held a slim, 378-370 advantage in total yards but Wilkes went 2-for-2 in the red zone while the Aggies were 0-for-5. Farley completed 17 of 35 passes for 238 yards with Bing (4 catches, 68 yards) being his top target. Ellis carried the ball nine times for 77 yards. Defensively, Matt Smith had 14 tackles while Aric Boyes and Ethan Snyder had 10 stops apiece. Boyes added the team's lone sack of the night.
Dailey was 28-for-38 for 223 yards and two touchdowns for the Colonels. Armstrong hauled in seven passes for 67 yards and one score while PJ Incremona led the ground attack with 93 yards on 22 carries. Tanner Stengel paced the defensive effort with 14 tackles.