DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) – It was a big day for Delaware Valley University football on its home turf as the defense allowed just 62 total yards, the offense posted over 460 yards, senior Michael Nobile set a new program record, and the 11th/14th ranked Aggies defeated Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) foe Misericordia, 41-0.
The win improved the four-time defending conference champions to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in MAC play, and extended their conference win-streak to 38 games in-a-row. The Cougars dropped to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in league games.
Late in the first quarter, Michael Nobile, the two-time All-American defensive end, made a move around the right tackle and chased down Misericordia quarterback Tanner Sample for his 39.5 career sack to set a new all-time program record. The previous mark of 39 stood for 12 years and belonged to Kyle Gesswein, a 2010 graduate, two-time All-American, two-time defensive player of the year, and soon-to-be Hall of Famer.
The game went into the second quarter still tied at 0-0 with neither team gaining more than 50 yards of offense.
In the second quarter, each team turned the ball over in the early going, as Misericordia picked off a 4th down pass at its own 40-yard line, but then went 3-and-out and was forced to punt. The punt was mishandled on the snap and first-year Micah Bootman recovered it for the Aggies to set the team up at the Cougars' 37.
Three plays later, Louis Barrios hit Ryan Loughlin in stride over the middle of the field and the senior dove into the end zone to break the scoreless tie. Nick Choi added the extra point and DelVal took a 7-0 lead with six minutes left in the first half. It was the first touchdown of the season for Loughlin.
After the defense forced another 3-and-out, the Aggies cashed in with a highlight-reel touchdown reception from Nahsir Morgan. On 1st-and-10 from the 20, Barrios lofted a pass to the near pylon where Morgan climbed the latter and hauled in the touchdown with one hand while fighting off the defender for his second score of the season and a 14-0 DelVal lead.
The Aggies maintained the two-score lead into the halftime break. Misericordia managed just three rushing yards and 21 passing yards in the first half and was 0-for-9 on third down attempts. On the other side of the ball, DelVal posted 132 yards of offense in the first half with Barrios throwing for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
On the first drive of the second half, Barrios picked up where he left off in the first as he found sophomore Jahaire Johnson over the middle and he cruised for a 23-yard touchdown reception, his first of the season, to make it a 21-0 game.
Later in the quarter with the Cougars backed up in their own territory, Nobile came flying around the edge again and knocked the ball from the quarterbacks hand for his second sack and a forced fumble. Damion Smith was right there to scoop up the fumble and take it in for an easy score to put DelVal ahead, 28-0.
Misericordia was 0-for-4 throwing the ball in the third quarter while the Aggies completed 6-of-7 passes for 151 yards. The Cougars were held to 43 yards in the stanza compared to 164 for the home team.
In the fourth quarter, DelVal sophomore tailback Jay White ran in a 54-yard touchdown, his longest of the season. Three plays later, Lundrim Nasufi blocked a punt, and on the very next play White broke free for his second rushing touchdown in as many plays, this one a 26-yard score to ultimately lead to the 41-0 final.
The Aggies finished with 466 yards of offense on 62 plays while the defense held the visitors to just 62 yards on 70 plays.
Barrios went 15-for-23 for 247 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He hit eight different receivers in the game including Dillon Shamanow who hauled in the longest catch of the day at 47 yards. White carried the ball 16 times for a season-high 129 yards and two scores, and rookie Kyle Powell got five carries for 24 yards.
Defensively, Nick Chapman had a team-high eight tackles while Michael Nobile had four tackles, all in the TFL category, including two sacks and a forced fumble. Anthony Nobile added two sacks and seven tackles and Yusuf Aladinov joined his defensive line mates with two tackles for loss of his own.
The Aggies take to the road in week five for a showdown with undefeated MAC rival Stevenson on Saturday, October 1 at 12 p.m.