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| Kyle McGrath's overtime touchdown proved to be the difference as King's upset Delaware Valley 21-14 on Saturday (King's football photo) |
DOYLESTOWN -- Kyle McGrath scored on a nine-yard touchdown run in the first session over overtime and freshman linebacker James Burke batted down a fourth-and-eight play at the line of scrimmage as the King's College football team stunned perennial Middle Atlantic Conference power Delaware Valley College 21-14 at James Work Memorial Field Saturday in Doylestown.
The Monarchs trailed 14-7 when King's strung together an eight-play, 80-yard drive to tie the score on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Hartranft to Dan Kempa with 2:06 left in the contest, eventually sending the game to overtime.
King's, which won a 41-40 overtime game against Misericordia earlier in the season, had the first possession of overtime at the 25-yard line and capitalized immediately. McGrath posted back-to-back carries for eight yards to set up a third-and-two from the 18. McGrath then carried for four more yards for a first down at the Aggie 14. Back-up quarterback Tom Hehre then ran for nine yards on an option keeper to the nine. On the next play McGrath broke two tackles and found the end zone to put the Monarchs on top. Mulvihill's point-after would give King's a 21-14 lead.
On the Aggies possession, Schuberth carried for two yards on first-down, but on the next play a bobbled snap on the center-to-quarterback exchange resulted in no gain for the Aggie tailback. On third-and-eight, Marterella tossed a perfect pass to Bailey at the seven-yard line but the Aggie receiver dropped the ball to set up a fourth-and-eight play for the Aggies. From there Marterella was flushed from the pocket by Monarch defensive end Ron Garrett and Burke batted down the pass at the line of scrimmage as the Monarchs pulled off an improbable victory a team that has won or shared four of the last five MAC championships.
The win enabled King's to snap a nine-year losing streak to Delaware Valley. King's last win over Delaware Valley was a 35-23 triumph on October 11, 2003 in Doylestown.
The Aggies missed out on a scoring of their own midway through the second quarter when Delaware Valley took over at its own 44 following a Monarch punt. The Aggies marched to the King's 12 where the Monarch defense stiffened. King's managed to come away unscathed when the Aggies missed a 22-yard field goal to keep the score at 7-0 with 7:16 left in the half.
The remainder of the half became of turnovers with each team giving up possession on four straight possessions.
The Aggies missed out on a scoring of their own midway through the second quarter when Delaware Valley took over at its own 44 following a Monarch punt. The Aggies marched to the King's 12 where the Monarch defense stiffened. King's managed to come away unscathed when the Aggies missed a 22-yard field goal to keep the score at 7-0 with 7:16 left in the half.
The remainder of the half became of turnovers with each team giving up possession on four straight possessions.
The remainder of the half became of turnovers with each team giving up possession on four straight possessions.
The fourth coming when Monarch linebacker Nick Kaijala picked off Marterella at the King's 45 with 1:26 left in the opening half. King's drove to the Aggie 19. But on the next play Delaware Valley cornerback Chris Vega forced the fifth straight turnover of the game when he picked off Hartranft at the 10-yard line with 0:17 on the clock to end King's best scoring chance of the first half.
In the third quarter the King's defense came up big when Justin Burke picked off Marterella at the Aggie 29 and raced toward the end zone for an apparent touchdown. But while running toward the end zone carrying the ball Burke momentarily raised the ball into the air to celebrate the return at the 15-yard line and was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, negating the touchdown. The Monarchs were then awarded possession at the Aggie 15.
In the third quarter the King's defense came up big when Justin Burke picked off Marterella at the Aggie 29 and raced toward the end zone for an apparent touchdown. But while running toward the end zone carrying the ball Burke momentarily raised the ball into the air to celebrate the return at the 15-yard line and was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, negating the touchdown. The Monarchs were then awarded possession at the Aggie 15.
The Aggies would march to the Monarch 15-yard line were the drive would stall. King's freshman linebacker Bobby Russell came up big for King's when he blocked a 32-yard field goal to keep the score at 14-7 with 5:56 left, setting Kempa's game-tying touchdown.
The Aggies would march to the Monarch 15-yard line were the drive would stall. King's freshman linebacker Bobby Russell came up big for King's when he blocked a 32-yard field goal to keep the score at 14-7 with 5:56 left, setting Kempa's game-tying touchdown.
On the next play Hartranft threaded the needle to Kempa between two Aggie defenders at the 25 and the Monarch junior split end raced untouched into end zone. Mulvihill's extra-point knotted the score at 14-14 with 2:06 left in the contest eventually sending the game to overtime and setting up McGrath and Burke's heroics.
On the next play Hartranft threaded the needle to Kempa between two Aggie defenders at the 25 and the Monarch junior split end raced untouched into end zone. Mulvihill's extra-point knotted the score at 14-14 with 2:06 left in the contest eventually sending the game to overtime and setting up McGrath and Burke's heroics.
Hartranft completed 18-of-31 for 162 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Hehre led King's rushers with 34 yards on seven attempts while McGrath was held to 23 yards on 15 carries. Kempa hauled in 10 passes for 114 yards and one score.
Defensively for King's, Kris Matthews made 14 tackles while Ron Garrett added 12 tackles. Nick Kaijala posted nine tackles, including two for loss, with an interception and forced fumble Anthony Martuccio and Burke added interceptions
For Delaware Valley, Schuberth was outstanding, rushing for 188 yards on 32 carries with one touchdown. Marterella completed 8-of-21 passes for 88 yards and threw three interceptions.
King's returns home Saturday when the Monarchs host Lycoming College at 1:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium.
Hartranft completed 18-of-31 for 162 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Hehre led King's rushers with 34 yards on seven attempts while McGrath was held to 23 yards on 15 carries. Kempa hauled in 10 passes for 114 yards and one score.
Defensively for King's, Kris Matthews made 14 tackles while Ron Garrett added 12 tackles. Nick Kaijala posted nine tackles, including two for loss, with an interception and forced fumble Anthony Martuccio and Burke added interceptions
For Delaware Valley, Schuberth was outstanding, rushing for 188 yards on 32 carries with one touchdown. Marterella completed 8-of-21 passes for 88 yards and threw three interceptions.
King's returns home Saturday when the Monarchs host Lycoming College at 1:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium.
Defensively for King's, Kris Matthews made 14 tackles while Ron Garrett added 12 tackles. Nick Kaijala posted nine tackles, including two for loss, with an interception and forced fumble Anthony Martuccio and Burke added interceptions
For Delaware Valley, Schuberth was outstanding, rushing for 188 yards on 32 carries with one touchdown. Marterella completed 8-of-21 passes for 88 yards and threw three interceptions.
King's returns home Saturday when the Monarchs host Lycoming College at 1:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium.
For Delaware Valley, Schuberth was outstanding, rushing for 188 yards on 32 carries with one touchdown. Marterella completed 8-of-21 passes for 88 yards and threw three interceptions.
King's returns home Saturday when the Monarchs host Lycoming College at 1:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium.
King's returns home Saturday when the Monarchs host Lycoming College at 1:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium.
Delaware Valley took a 7-0 lead on its first possession of the game with a 12-play, 75-yard drive capped by a three-yard pass from Marterella to younger brother Bobby Marterella with 9:33 left in the first quarter.
King's missed out on scoring chance late in the first quarter when the Monarchs took over at the Aggie 44 following a punt. King's moved to the Aggie 32 but two plays losing a combined five yards forced a third-and-15 play form the Aggie 37. But a Hartranft pass to Josh Sanders fell incomplete as the Monarchs elected to punt. It was the Monarchs best scoring opportunity of the first half.
Fortunately for King's the penalty did not come back to haunt the squad. Aided by a back-to back penalties against the Aggies for roughing the passer and offsides, the Monarchs were awarded a first-and-goal at the five. On the next play Hehre then finished off the drive with a five-yard scoring run. Kevin Mulvihill made good on the extra-point play to tie the score at 7-7 with 10:40left in the third quarter.
The Aggies answered two possessions later with an eight-play, 61-yard drive, capped by a 13-yard run by Kyle Schuberth to take a 14-7 lead with 1:52 left in the third quarter.
The Aggies squandered another scoring chance after assuming possession at their own 44 following a short King's punt with 10:42 to play.
Assuming possession at its own 20 following the block, King's got a lift when the Aggies were called for pass interference and tailback Patrick Robinson carried for 16 yards tot the King's 43. Hehre then ran for eight yards to the Aggie 49 before McGrath picked up the first-down with a three-yard carry to the 46. After a run for no gain, Hartranft was sacked for a five-yard loss to force the Monarchs into a third-and-15 situation. From there Hartranft hooked up with Kempa for 12 yards to force a fourth-and-three play from the Aggie 39 with 2:15 to play.
Statistically, Delaware Valley outgained King's 315-to-239 in total yards. The Aggies outrushed King's 227-to-77 but King's held a 162-to-88 edge through the air. Delaware Valley was flagged for nine penalties totaling 78 yards while King's committed five penalties for 40 yards.
