DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Freshman quarterback Aaron Wilmer threw four touchdown passes in the first half and linebacker Jim DiLisio returned a pair of interceptions for scores as ninth-ranked Delaware Valley College remained unbeaten with a 54-13 victory over King's College in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game.
The victory improved Delaware Valley to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference as the team heads into their bye week. The Aggies will then end the regular season with crucial MAC games against one-loss teams Lycoming College (on the road on November 5) and Widener University (at home on November 12) as they look to become just the fifth team in conference history to win four or more consecutive championships.
Wilmer tossed two touchdowns in both the first and second quarters as he finished the day 15-for-25 for 190 yards. His first scoring pass was a four-yard swing pass to tailback Tyler Neal that capped a six-play, 67-yard drive. Jake Sobchak added the extra-point for a 7-0 lead with 9:05 remaining in the opening quarter.
After a three-and-out by King's (1-5, 1-4 MAC), the Aggies got the ball back at their own 38-yard line. They picked up 14 yards on the first play and followed with a Wilmer pass near the line of scrimmage to Isaiah Hall. Hall was trapped on the right side, but reversed his field and raced untouched 48 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. Sobchak's kick made it 14-0 with 4:01 on the clock.
On King's next drive, Jim DiLisio stepped in front of a Joe Kirchon pass and went 48 yards for a score. It was the junior's first career interception and score. Sobchak missed the extra-point attempt, but Delaware Valley still had a 20-0 lead late in the first.
The Monarchs hit the scoreboard as it took advantage of an Aggie miscue. A low snap on a punt was mishandled and punter Brandon Snyder fell on the ball at his own one-yard line. After King's lost a yard on the first play, Kirchon kept the ball and found the end zone from two yards out. Mike Lloyd booted the extra-point to make it a 20-7 ballgame with 11:25 remaining in the opening half.
However, the rest of the half belonged to Delaware Valley as it registered 21 points, including a pair of touchdowns in an 11-second span. The Aggies responded right after the Monarchs' touchdown with a nine-play, 66-yard drive. Wilmer capped the drive with a 14-yard bullet to Lewis Vincent in the end zone with 7:31 remaining.
Later in the half, a short King's punt gave Delaware Valley the ball at the Monarch 26-yard line. Three plays later, Wilmer hit tight end Mike McHugh for a seven-yard touchdown and a 34-7 lead with 1:16 remaining.
King's began its next drive on its own 14-yard line and, on the first play, Kirchon threw a pass right to DiLisio and he returned the pick 13 yards for a score and Aggie history as DiLisio became the first player to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game. Sobchak's extra-point made it 41-7 with 1:05 on the clock.
Delaware Valley's starters on offense took the field for just one drive in the second half and the unit put the ball in the end zone with a nine-play, 56-yard drive. Kyle Schuberth capped it with a two-yard touchdown run with 7:51 remaining.
Later in the third, an Aggie fumble on a quarterback exchange was recovered by King's Kris Matthews at the Delaware Valley eight-yard line. Backup quarterback Mike Daly then hit Jay Torres for a touchdown pass and a 48-13 score with 3:05 left on the clock.
Delaware Valley ended the scoring with 1:41 remaining in the game as Darren Parrot's one-yard scamper finished off a 15-play, 76-yard drive.
The Aggies notched 396 yards of total offense while their defense was dominant again as they held King's to just 147 yards and forced three turnovers. Schuberth had a string of five straight, 100-yard rushing performances snapped as he netted 84 yards and a score on 13 carries. Hall had five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, DiLisio added three tackles to his two-interception performance. Mike Jaskowski had seven tackles and a sack.
Kirchon and Daly combined to go 16-for-41 for 106 yards and one touchdown for the Monarchs. Torrez hauled in four passes for 37 yards and the score. Evan Crisman and Ryan Kelly had nine tackles apiece.