DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley University sophomore quarterback Dashawn Darden threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 79 yards and two scores, all in just three quarters of action, as the Aggies rolled past Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) foe Wilkes University, 52-10.
DelVal, which avenged last year's 12-7 road loss to the Colonels, improved to 5-1 overall and 4-1 in MAC play. The Aggies will now get set for a trip to Maryland and a big showdown with undefeated and nationally-ranked Stevenson University next Saturday, October 22 (12 p.m.). Saturday's loss dropped Wilkes to 1-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
It was a Happy Homecoming for DelVal and Darden was a big reason why. He completed 14 of his 23 passes on the day while his rushing yardage total came on just 11 carries. Darden led an offensive attack that racked up 435 total yards on just 70 plays (6.2 avg) and controlled the ball for more than 33 minutes (33:27).
The Aggies forced the Colonels to turn the ball over on downs at the DelVal 22 and they proceeded to drive 78 yards on 10 plays for the first score of the day. Robert Cleveland had a big 23-yard run to put the ball at the Wilkes 3 and Devauntay Ellis took care of the rest. Nick Restaino added the first of his seven extra-points on the afternoon for a 7-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.
DelVal's defense then notched a turnover as Christian Snowden popped the ball out of a runner's hands and TJ Waters recovered it at the Colonel 33-yard line. Three plays later, Darden ran it into the end zone from 13 yards out for a 14-0 advantage.
Wilkes went three-and-out on its next possession and a short punt had the Aggies taking over at their opponent's 47-yard line. They moved the ball to the 36 when Darden hit a wide-open Eric Shorter for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead with 1:37 to go in the opening quarter.
The Colonels used a big passing play of their own to get on the board. On the first play of the second quarter, quarterback Ryan Dailey found an open Zach Bogoly for a 34-yard scoring toss. DelVal responded with a 14-play drive that ended with a Restaino 31-yard field goal and a 24-7 score halfway through the second quarter.
Mike Hauck matched Restaino's boot by connecting from 26 yards out to pull Wilkes to within two scores at 24-10 with 4:23 to go before the intermission. On the Aggies' next drive, they had two touchdowns called back because of penalties, including a 67-yard screen pass from Darden to Ellis. DelVal kept marching down the field despite miscues and the possession eventually ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from Darden to Marquis Ellis with 16 seconds left to give the Aggies a 31-10 advantage.
DelVal opened the second stanza with two touchdowns in a two-minute span apart to boost the score to 45-10. First Darden, scrambled out of the pocket and went untouched for a 16-yard touchdown. Then cornerback Sammy Mohr intercepted a pass and returned it 60 yards to paydirt, the second straight game that he scored on a pick. The Aggies added their last touchdown with 2:47 remaining in the third quarter as Darden's last play of the game was a three-yard scoring toss to senior tight end Kyle Bigam.
Cleveland and Devauntay Ellis combined for 102 yards and one score on the ground. Shorter hauled in four passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Nicholas DiGati led the way with eight tackles and a sack while Vincent DiLeo finished with six stops.
For Wilkes, Dailey and Jose Tabora were a combined 24-for-43 for 253 yards and one touchdown, but only 73 yards came in the second half. Tabora led the ground attack with 27 yards on 10 carries. Garrett Armstrong caught seven passes for 61 yards. Tanner Stengel led the defensive effort with 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.