This will be Delaware Valley’s first trip to Misericordia, which is in just its second year of collegiate football. The Aggies hosted the Cougars last season and posted several school records, en route to a 70-0 shutout.
Delaware Valley, which has won four of the last five MAC championships (2008-11), found itself trailing Rowan at home, 20-0 at halftime and 27-7 after three quarters of play, last Saturday. The Aggies then erupted in the fourth quarter as the offense scored 28 unanswered points while the defense allowed just 20 yards for the improbable 35-27 victory.
Delaware Valley finished the day with 436 yards of total offense (138 rushing, 298 passing), including 182 yards in the fourth quarter alone. They did so without the services of all-region tailback Kyle Schuberth (Darby, PA/Monsignor Bonner), who missed the game with an injury. His availability this week will be a game-time decision.
Junior quarterback Aaron Wilmer (Philadelphia, PA/George Washington) was named the MAC co-Offensive Player of the Week as he completed 19 of 30 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 44 yards and a score, and even caught a 38-yard pass. All three scores Wilmer was part of came in the final 8:13 of the game and he also became just the fourth signal-caller in school history to surpass the 5,000-yard passing mark (5,076) for a career. Last season, Wilmer completed 165 of 290 passes (56.7%) for 2,087 yards and 16 touchdowns last season and rushed 124 times for 639 yards and nine trips to the end zone.
The receiving tandem of junior Rasheed Bailey (Philadelphia, PA/Roxborough) and senior Lewis Vincent (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) combined for 10 catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns against Rowan. Bailey, who had 29 receptions for 365 yards and two touchdowns a season ago, had a career afternoon last week as he hauled in seven passes for 138 yards and one score. His touchdown came with 8:13 remaining and pulled the Aggies to within six at 27-21.
Vincent, a 2012 all-MAC second-team honoree, had three catches for 53 yards including an eight-yard grab with 4:02 left that, with the ensuing extra-point, put Delaware Valley ahead to stay. It was Vincent’s 14th career touchdown reception, moving him into a tie for sixth place on the school’s all-time list. He caught 33 passes for 682 yards (20.7 avg) and four touchdowns last year.
With Schuberth’s absence, senior Darren Parrott (East Orange, NJ/West Windsor Plainsboro North) stepped into the starting role and finished the game with 59 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries.
Defensively, the unit permitted 305 total yards (99 rushing, 206 passing) and came up with its lone sack and interception in the fourth-quarter rally. Junior linebacker Bernard Avery (Philadelphia, PA/Roxborough), who had 35 tackles in a limited role last year, paced Delaware Valley against Rowan with 11 stops (six solo).
Fellow linebacker and 2012 all-conference honoree John Marcelline (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) followed with eight tackles (three solo). Marcelline, who is in his senior season, had 56 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2012
Senior safety Pete O’Hara (New Hope, PA/Council Rock North), who suffered a season-ending injury early in last year’s battle with Rowan, had, perhaps, the biggest defensive play of the day as he intercepted a fourth-quarter pass and returned it 41 yards to the Profs’ 15-yard line. It came with the Aggies up just one and led to a touchdown that made it a 35-27 game. O’Hara also had five tackles on the day.
Sophomore Rashaad Lighty (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) moved from linebacker to defensive end and he recorded a sack on a fourth down play with 1:44 remaining that sealed the game for Delaware Valley. He also had five tackles after making just 18 stops last season.
MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY
The Cougars struggled through an 0-10 inaugural season, but the signs are already there for improvement in 2013. Last year, they managed to score just 54 points all season and were blanked 70-0 in their opener against Gettysburg College.
The two teams met again this past Saturday and Misericordia scored 40 points in a 62-40 loss. The Cougars trailed by just three, 29-26, at halftime and were within two, 42-40 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. They finished the game with 640 yards of total offense, including 587 yards on the ground.
Leading the offensive attack was sophomore quarterback Jeff Puckett, who joined Wilmer as the MAC co-Offensive Player of the Week. Puckett ran the ball 36 times for 301 yards and five touchdowns and was also 4-for-7 for 53 yards and one score in the air.
In addition to Puckett’s rushing numbers, freshman Ryan Kurtz, who is listed as the team’s backup quarterback, carried the ball seven times for 75 yards. Four different receivers caught one pass apiece against Gettysburg with freshman Chris Kirkland hauling in the 43-yard scoring strike.
On the defensive side of the ball, Misericordia permitted 324 yards on both the ground and in the air for 648 total yards. The Cougars did notch one turnover on an interception by sophomore safety Ben Camacho. Camacho also led the team in tackles with 13.
Sophomore linebackers Hunter Pates and Sean Weg also hit double digits in tackles against Gettysburg with 12 and 10 respectively.
