Monday, October 28, 2013

Delaware Valley Football vs Lebanon Valley Preview

DelVal Photo
DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Following a disappointing overtime loss to King’s College, the Delaware Valley College football team will look to keep its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) championship hopes alive when it hosts Lebanon Valley College on Saturday, November 2. Kickoff at Robert A. Lipinski Field at James Work Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
       
Last Saturday’s 21-14 overtime setback to King’s dropped the Aggies to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the MAC. They fell out of a four-way tie for first place and now trail the other three teams, all of whom won last week, by one game. One of those squads is Lebanon Valley, which is 6-1 overall and 5-1 in conference action. The remaining two are Lycoming College (5-2, 5-1) and defending champion Widener University (5-2 5-1). Delaware Valley hosts Widener for the season-finale on November 16 (it travels to Wilkes University in-between the Lebanon Valley and Widener contests).

       
Delaware Valley held 7-0 and 14-7 leads against King’s, but the Monarchs scored late in regulation to force overtime and then scored on their possession in the extra session (while stopping the Aggies on downs) for the win.
       
Delaware Valley’s offense is ranked second in the MAC in scoring (30.4 avg), rushing (209.0 avg) and total yardage (403.3 avg). Its average of 194.3 yards per game in the air is sixth-best in the conference.
       
Preseason All-American Kyle Schuberth (Darby, PA/Monsignor Bonner) continues to shine for the Aggies and, despite missing the first two games of the year with an injury, the senior is closing in on becoming just the second running back in program history (Matt Cook) to reach the 1,000-yard plateau in three consecutive seasons. Schuberth has 804 yards and 10 touchdowns on 141 carries this season, and his career totals currently stand at 3,232 rushing yards (third in school history) and 39 rushing touchdowns (second all-time). Schuberth is coming off a 32-carry, 188-yard effort against King’s that also saw him find the end zone one time. It marked the fourth time in the five games that he has played in that he went over the 140-yard mark.
       
Two-time all-conference quarterback Aaron Wilmer (Philadelphia, PA/George Washington) missed his second straight game. For the year, he has completed 82 of 140 passes for 1,072 yards and eight touchdowns while also adding 168 yards and two scores on the ground.
       
Junior Charlie Marterella (Levittown, PA/Neshaminy) has started twice in Wilmer’s absence. He is 23-for-42 for 250 yards and two touchdowns, including one scoring toss against King’s. Marterella’s touchdown last week went to his younger brother Bobby (Levittown, PA)/Neshaminy) and the two also teamed up for a two-point conversion a week earlier at FDU-Florham. Bobby Marterella, a sophomore, has caught five passes for 35 yards and two scores this season.
       
Junior Rasheed Bailey (Philadelphia, PA/Roxborough) and senior Lewis Vincent (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) have combined to catch 55 of the team’s 106 receptions. Bailey has hauled in 28 passes for 554 yards and three touchdowns while Vincent has 27 grabs for 357 yards and three scores. They each had three receptions last week.
       
Defensively, the Aggies held King’s to just 239 total yards and forced three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions. For the year, the unit is number one in the MAC in passing (179.6 avg), fourth in total yardage (331.1 avg), fifth in scoring (22.0 avg) and sixth in rushing (151.6 avg).
       
Sophomore safety Danny Wynne (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) leads the team and ranks second in the conference in tackles with 72 (43 solo). He had seven stops, a forced fumble and his first interception of the year against King’s. Sophomore linebacker Ken Kenner-English (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic) tied for team-high honors as he had nine tackles and a sack against King’s. For the year, he is fourth on the team with 44 stops while his six pass breakups leads the squad.
       
Freshman Frank Law (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) made his first collegiate start at linebacker a productive one as he finished the afternoon with nine tackles (2.5 for losses of six yards), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He has 17 tackles on the season.
       
Senior Chris Vega (Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood) intercepted his team-best third pass of the year last week. He also added six tackles to up his total to 37.
LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE
       
The Flying Dutchmen lost their conference opener at Widener, 35-28, in week two, but they have run off five straight wins since then. Back on October 12, they posted their biggest win of the year with a 14-7 triumph over Lycoming. That put them in a tie for first and, after the bye, they stayed atop the standings with last Saturday’s 31-14 victory over Misericordia University.           The Misericordia contest saw Lebanon Valley rush the ball 62 times for 441 yards while it attempted just five passes (one completion for 12 yards). Its offense is third in MAC in rushing (204.0 avg), fourth in total yardage (380.4 avg), fifth in scoring (29.7 avg) and seventh in passing (176.4 avg).
       
Sophomore tailback Austin Hartman was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Misericordia as he carried the ball 31 times for 228 yards and four touchdowns. For the year, he has 702 yards and 10 scores on 125 attempts. Freshman tailback Brendan Irving also had a big showing last week as he netted 154 yards on 20 carries. It upped his season totals to 358 yards on 58 carries and he has also reached the end zone four times.
       
Junior quarterback Brian Murphy was just 1-for-5 for 12 yards and two interceptions at Misericordia. He has completed 72 of 131 passes for 1,140 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season. Senior Jake Ziegler had the lone reception last week. He has 21 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns this year.
       
Defensively, Lebanon Valley is tops in the MAC in scoring (16.3 avg), rushing (98.3 avg), and total yardage (290.6 avg) while their pass defense is second (192.3 avg). The unit has also notched a conference-best 28 sacks. Last week, it held Misericordia to 278 total yards.
       
Junior linebacker Frank Gaffney is a conference player of the year and All-American candidate as he is among the nation’s leaders with 13 sacks and 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also leads the Flying Dutchmen with 56 total tackles, including five at Misericordia last week.
       
Senior end Zach Halpin follows with 6.5 sacks and he also has 28 tackles and four pass breakups to his credit. He had five stops a week ago. Fellow seniors Brian Kasper and Andrew Burkholder have two interceptions apiece to lead Lebanon Valley. Kasper, a safety, also has 36 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery while Burkholder, a linebacker, has 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks. They combined for nine stops at Misericordia.