OWINGS MILLS (MD) – In a battle of first-place teams in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), defending champion Delaware Valley University rallied from a 17-0, first-quarter deficit on the road and defeated Stevenson University, 31-20.
The Aggies, ranked 20th in one national poll and 22nd in another, won its 15th consecutive conference game, a streak dating back to 2016. Ironically, the last loss was a shutout on Stevenson's home field, but DelVal avenged that to improve to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the MAC. The Aggies will enter their bye week with a half-game lead over Misericordia in the standings. The Mustangs fell to 3-2 and 2-1.
DelVal turned the ball over on the third play of the game as quarterback Dashawn Darden lost the ball and it was recovered by the Mustangs at the Aggie 21-yard line. Stevenson converted a third-down play for a first-and-goal from the four. However, Anthony Tedesco recorded a sack and a two-yard tackle for loss over the next two plays while Billy Walsh stopped a screen pass for a one-yard loss on third down. The Mustangs were forced to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Brandon Riberio and a 3-0 lead just five minutes in.
Later in the first, Stevenson went on a 12-play, 86-yard scoring drive for a 10-0 lead. The drive was capped when Patrick Najmola caught a pass and raced towards the end zone when he was hit by Anthony Thomas and fumbled at the three. However, the ball was recovered by Chaz Lyles in the end zone for touchdown with 2:53 left in the opening quarter.
Then, just two seconds later on the ensuing kickoff, a squib got by all the DelVal players and bounced towards its own end zone. An Aggie went back to fall on the ball, but deflected it into the end zone and Stevenson's Brad Kinckner recovered it for the touchdown and a 17-0 lead.
DelVal got back in the game thanks to a nine-play, 79-yard scoring drive that was aided by a pair of Mustang pass interference penalties. The Aggies faced a fourth-and-10 from the Stevenson 27 when Darden hit a wide-open Dan Allen for the touchdown. Nick Restaino added the extra-point for a 17-7 ballgame two minutes into the second quarter.
The DelVal defense held late in the half and the Aggies took over on their own 30-yard line. On a third-down play, Darden and Allen teamed up for a 26-yard pass with an additional 15 yards added to the play on a roughing the passer called. That moved the ball to the Mustang 18 and, on the next play, Darden hit John Graham in the end zone with 43 seconds left to pull DelVal to within three, 17-14.
Like the Aggies in the first half, Stevenson had a turnover on the third play of the second half. Lineman Michael Nobile came in from the blind side and sacked backup quarterback Ty Crabb, forcing the ball loose. DelVal's Kenyonn Jones was there to recover it at the Mustang 39-yard line. Later in the drive, the Aggies had a third-and-10 from the 15 when Marquis Ellis, who started at cornerback and saw time at wide receiver, caught a pass at the first down marker, broke a tackle and scored. Restaino's extra point gave DelVal its first lead of the game at 21-17 with 10:28 remaining in the third quarter.
A Stevenson field goal in the third made it a one-point game. Then in the fourth, All-American punter Stephen Adams placed a kick inside the Stevenson 20-yard line for the fourth time in the game, this one to the 16. On the first play, a mis-communication in the handoff resulted in a Mustang fumble. Tedesco scooped it up for the Aggies and returned it to the one-yard line. Darden took care of the rest with a sneak on the first offensive play to up the DelVal lead to 28-20 with 10:15 remaining.
Following a three-and-out and a Stevenson punt, the Aggies took possession at midfield. Donte Simmons took a handoff and went 32 yards to put the ball in the red zone. Three plays later, Restaino came on for a 32-yard field goal attempt and nailed it for a 31-20 advantage with 6:08 to play.
Ryan Barrett intercepted a pass for the Aggies on the next drive and Ellis added a pick with 1:27 left to seal the come-from-behind win.
DelVal racked up 278 yards of total offense while the defense limited the Mustangs to 238 yards and forced four turnovers. Darden was 11-for-18 for 125 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a score. Simmons netted 94 yards on 14 carries. Defensively, Tedesco finished with nine tackles, one sack and the key fumble recovery. Nobile had eight tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Adams averaged 46.8 yards on six punts.
For Stevenson, Crabb came in at quarterback midway through the second quarter when all-conference starter Dan Williams (9-for-12, 75 yards, 1 TD) was injured. Crabb completed seven of 12 passes for 112 yards, but was intercepted twice and sacked three times. Titus Johnson ran for 62 yards and added another 31 in receiving yards. Izaiha Pitts had seven tackles and two sacks in the loss.