DOYLESTOWN (PA) –Tyler Bing sent the Delaware Valley University Homecoming crowd home happy as the junior wideout scored on an eight-yard run with just 42.9 seconds remaining to give the Aggies an 18-15, come-from-behind victory against previously undefeated Stevenson University in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.
The result left both teams with a 5-1 overall record and 4-1 marks in MAC play. Both head into their bye week just a half game behind 6-0, 5-0 Albright College. The Aggies will travel to Albright when they return to action on Saturday, October 17.
Stevenson appeared on the verge of its first-ever win over DelVal in the five-year history of its program as the Aggies were called for a personal foul penalty as a player tried to leap over the row of blockers in front of the Mustang punter. That came with just over three minutes remaining and it gave Stevenson a first down on its own 28. However, two plays later, running back Paki Brown was stripped of the ball in a scrum by DelVal defensive tackle Devante Ford and linebacker Matt Smith came out of the pile with the ball at the Mustang 34-yard line with 2:36 to go.
On the ensuing drive, the Aggies faced a third-and-seven when backup quarterback Dashawn Darden, who sees a number of snaps in a game, rushed for 11 yards and a first down. Robert Cleveland followed with a seven-yard scamper to the Stevenson 13 as the clock ticked under a minute. The Mustangs were called for an offsides penalty on the next snap, giving DelVal a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line. Bing got the call on a jet sweep to the right, cut to the inside to avoid a defender and found his way into the end zone for the go-ahead score. Cleveland then added a two-point conversion to give the Aggies an 18-15 lead.
Following a kickoff return, Stevenson took over on its own 40-yard line. After an incomplete pass, quarterback Jeff Farrah hit Cortez Taylor at midfield and he got out of bounds. But, Farrah was sacked by Luke Boonstra and Rashaad Lighty on the next play. Farrah then scrambled and slid for three yards and the Mustangs used their final timeout. An incomplete pass with 4.9 seconds left brought up one final play and Farrah's Hail Mary pass was intercepted by Anthony Martinez and the Aggies had the win.
DelVal fumbled the first play from scrimmage deep in its own territory and Stevenson moved the ball to the Aggie six. Farrah threw the ball into the end zone and DelVal's Shawn Miller was there to intercept it and return it 100 yards for a touchdown. It tied the school record (and can never be broken) for the longest interception return and Nick Restaino added the extra-point for a 7-0 lead with 11:07 left in the first quarter.
Those were the lone points of the first half, thanks mostly to Miller as the sophomore safety came up with another huge play, this time on the second play of the second quarter. Farrah completed a pass to Seth Jordan and he appeared heading for a 57-yard touchdown. However, Miller caught him from behind and popped the ball out at the one-yard line. The ball rolled off of Jordan's legs and out of the end zone for a touchback and possession to DelVal.
The Mustangs picked up their first points with 6:16 left in the third quarter as Tim Sternfeld completed a 12-play, 76-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal.
DelVal moved the ball to the Stevenson 25-yard line on the ensuing possession, but faced a fourth-and-11. Under pressure, Darden threw a ball that was picked off by Chris Coffee and returned 80 yards for a touchdown. Sternfeld missed the extra-point, but the Mustangs had a 9-7 lead with 3:03 left in the quarter.
The Aggies got a field goal of their own, their first of the season as Restaino booted a 22-yarder 89 seconds into the fourth quarter. Stevenson responded on its next drive as wideout Neil Harps got behind the secondary and Farrah hit him for a 40-yard touchdown with 11:06 remaining. The two-conversion attempt failed, leaving the score at 15-10. It stayed that way until DelVal's heroics at the end.
Both teams combined for nine turnovers in the contest (DelVal 5, Stevenson 4) while the Aggies were edged in total yards, 358-330. They netted just 224 yards on the ground, eight days after compiling 535 rushing yards in a win over FDU-Florham. Darden led the ground attack with 69 yards on 12 carries and he was also 4-for-8 for 58 yards in the air. Bing had five carries for 67 yards and the game-winning score while also adding three catches for 50 yards.
Defensively for DelVal, Miller tied for team-high honors with eight tackles and one pass breakup to along with his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown and the forced fumble at the edge of the end zone, Smith had eight tackles and the fumble recovery that led to the game-winning score.
Farrah completed 14 of 27 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for Stevenson. Jordan hauled in four passes for 92 yards. Kiandre Burrell netted 71 rushing yards on 20 carries. Billy Lewis had eight tackles and an interception while Cory Pietrzyk had seven stops and a pick.