CHESTER (PA) – Delaware Valley College finished off a perfect season in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) and retained the Keystone Cup as the 17th-ranked Aggies posted a 28-16 victory at Widener University.

Last week, Delaware Valley earned a share of its fourth conference crown and as well as the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Saturday's result gave the team the outright title as the Aggies improved to 9-1 overall and 7-0 in the MAC. They will find out on Sunday afternoon who their first-round opponent will be as the entire 32-team field will be announced on ESPNews between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m. The Aggies are expected to host that opening contest on Saturday, November 21 with a starting time.

Delaware Valley also won the Keystone Cup – handed out annually to the winner of the Delaware Valley/Widener contest to symbolize small college football excellence in the Philadelphia area – for the second straight season and the sixth in the last seven campaigns. The Pride saw their season end with a 3-7 overall record and 1-6 mark in the MAC.

Delaware Valley was stopped on its first drive and a high snap went over punter Corey Heard's head. Heard kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone to avoid any trouble, giving Widener the safety and a 2-0 advantage just 78 seconds into the contest.

The Aggies stopped the Pride on the ensuing possession and then went on 15-play, 91-yard scoring drive that ate up more than seven minutes (7:19) off the clock. Matt Cook, who notched 41 yards on the drive, capped it with a one-yard plunge into the end zone. Jake Sobhcak added the extra-point for a 7-2 lead with 4:01 left in the opening quarter.

Delaware Valley then forced a turnover on Widener's next possession as Troy Green intercepted a pass and returned it 19 yards to the Pride 32-yard line. However, the Aggies could not take advantage of the opportunity and a Heard punt was downed at the Widener 15.

The Pride then faced a third-and-13 from their 12 when quarterback Chris Haupt was picked off by Charles Squitiere and the senior cornerback returned it 26 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. It was also Squitiere's fourth score of the year on returns (two interceptions, one kickoff, one missed field goal) as well his third career interception return for a touchdown, giving him the school's all-time record in the category. Sobchak made it 14-2 with the point-after just 56 seconds into the second quarter.

Widener responded with a 12-play, 52-yard scoring drive to make it a 14-9 ballgame midway through the quarter. Adam Smith did most of the damage on the ground and ended it with a three-yard run into the end zone. Widener was on the move again when Aggie linebacker Kyle Gesswein stripped the ball from a runner and Ken Fowlkes recovered it to give Delaware Valley the ball at its own 42-yard line.

The Aggies took the ball into Widener territory and faced a third-and-two from the 20-yard line. Isgro hit Dan Heiland for the first down and Widener was also called for roughing the passer, placing the ball at the three-yard line. An incomplete pass and a two-yard push by Cook moved the ball a yard away from paydirt for third down. Fullback Butch Whiteside got the call and he leaped into the end zone for the score. Sobchak's extra point gave Delaware Valley a 21-9 advantage with 17.6 seconds remaining in the half.

Delaware Valley padded the lead to 28-9 as it used two big third-down conversions as part of a nine-play, 73-yard drive on its first possession of the second stanza. Isgro completed a 32-yard pass to Heiland on a third-and-10 play and then, on a third-and-11, hit an open Chad Peterman for a 14-yard touchdown with 9:02 left in the third.

Smith's second touchdown of the day – a 10-yard run - came in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to make it a 28-16 ballgame. It was set-up by a 56-yard pass play from Haupt to Rick Ritter.
Widener had two opportunities to make it a one-score game, but the Aggie defense came up big each time. The first saw Gesswein break through and sack Haupt on a fourth down play. The sack was the 27th in 31 career games for the junior as he broke the school's all-time mark held by Anthony Silver (26 sacks in 48 games from 2002 to 2005).

The second saw the Pride move the ball to the Aggie 13-yard line, but safety Ryan McCullough broke up a fourth down pass in the end zone with 20.5 seconds left to wrap it up.

Delaware Valley racked up 334 yards of total offense, converted 13 of 18 third-down chances and held the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Isgro completed 21 of 31 passes for 212 yards and one score while Heiland was the leading receiver with six catches for 85 yards. Cook lugged the ball 32 times for 113 yards and one touchdown and the junior became just the second runner in Aggie history (Steve Cook – no relation – in 2004 and 2005) to notch multiple 1,000-yard seasons on the ground.

Linebacker Mike Jaskowski paced a Delaware Valley defense that notched three sacks and three turnovers with 11 tackles and one sack. Gesswein finished with eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble while Fowkles and Chris James added eight stops apiece.

Haupt was 8-for-25 for 144 yards and two picks. Smith netted 98 yards and the two Widener touchdowns on 23 carries. Brian Pastor led all players with 13 tackles.