DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) – The nationally ranked Delaware Valley University football team defeated visiting Gallaudet University in a landslide, 59-0, as it held the Bison to less than 100 yards of offense to advance to the second round of the NCAA football playoffs.
The win improved the Aggies to 11-0 on the season and earned the program its 13th victory in the NCAA playoffs all-time. Gallaudet's season came to an end after a 7-3 season that saw the Bison claim the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Championship to earn its spot in the postseason.
DelVal football will face Randolph-Macon College in the second round next Saturday at noon. The Yellow Jackets, ranked 16th according to D3football.com, won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and defeated SUNY-Cortland at home, 35-28, today to advance to the second round. The teams will wait until tomorrow to find out the location of the game.
Under chilly but clear conditions in Doylestown this afternoon, the Aggies scored on each of their three first quarter possessions while racking up 161 yards on 15 plays. The defense held the Bison to just 16 yards on nine plays in the first quarter.
Quarterback Louie Barrios IV, tailback Jay White, and wide receiver Tahmir Barksdale all had short touchdown runs to get DelVal out to a 19-0 lead after one quarter. White racked up 99 yards on six carries, and linebacker Anthony Puntolillo had four tackles and two tackles for loss to pace the Aggies.
DelVal made it four touchdowns on four possessions early in the second quarter when White took a carry nine yards for his second score of the day to make it 25-0.
Gallaudet picked up its first first down of the game on its next possession after a 22 yard run by Brandon Washington. The Bison's drive stalled at the Aggies' 30-yard line and they attempted a 47-yard field goal that had the distance, but sailed wide right and no good.
After DelVal punted for the first time on their next possession, Gallaudet took over near mid field and moved the ball to the Aggies' two-yard line with a 44-yard completion and a pass interference penalty. DelVal stopped two run attempts at the goal line and on third down Tyler Fulmore came up with an interception to keep the Bison out of the end zone.
The Aggies maintained their 25-0 lead into the halftime break.
Gallaudet got the ball to start the second half, but the DelVal defense took it away on the first play. Yusuf Aladinov got into the backfield and forced a fumble that Anthony Nobile recovered at the Bison 23-yard line. Three plays later, Tim Weldon ran in a 10-yard touchdown for his first score of the day and a 32-0 Aggie lead.
DelVal scored once more in the third and three times in the fourth en route to the 59-point win. Barrios scored his second of the game on another short run, first-year Elijah Williams scored his first collegiate touchdown, and David Almodovar-Cora hauled in a 53-yard catch-and-run score from quarterback Nick Arcaroli to cap the scoring for the offense. The defense added the last touchdown when Notti Jones returned a fumble 26 yards with 2:11 left in regulation.
White finished the game as the leading rusher with 143 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Barrios followed with 44 yards and two scores and Ashon Wesley picked up 33 yards on eight carries. Through the air, Barrios was 8-for-15 for 129 yards and Barksdale led the team with four receptions for 53 yards.
Defensively, Anthony Nobile recorded seven tackles including four tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Anthony Puntolillo also had seven tackles including two TFL. Fulmore added two tackles with one interception and another pass breakup.
Gallaudet finished with 83 yards of offense including 45 passing yards and 38 rushing yards. Washington was the team's leading rusher with 34 yards gained, but he also lost 29 yards for a net of five. Jaylen Johnson hauled in the long 44-yard reception to lead the Bison receivers. Linebacker Jacob Hartman made a game-high 14 tackles including half a tackles for loss.
The Aggies will take on the Yellow Jackets next week at noon for a chance to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals.
