SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 18 Salisbury
University football team scored 19 fourth quarter points to put
away Delaware Valley College 36-16 Saturday afternoon in front of
1,548 at Sea Gull Stadium.
The Sea Gulls (4-0) had their backs to the wall in the third
quarter as DVC led 14-10 and were set to add more. DVC's Jake
Sheffield was 1-yard from giving the Aggies (0-3) a two-score
cushion but senior nose guard Joe Galloway caused
Sheffield to fumble as he went air born and lost the ball, which
was recovered by junior Justin Acker in the end
zone.
Salisbury capitalized on the turnover as the Sea Gulls needed two
plays to go 80 yards and swing the game in favor of the maroon and
gold. Senior Jamar Garner was the ball carrier on
both plays. Garner's second rush saw him break a tackle and sprint
59 yards into the end zone and give SU a 17-14 lead.
Garner finished the afternoon with a game-high 127 yards on nine
carries for a 14.1 yard per rush attempt and two touchdowns.
The Salisbury defense forced four Aggies turnovers which included
three interceptions. Juniors Ryan Hesnan,
Greg Miletic and Paul Cynewski
all picked off DVC quarterback Mike Isgro. Cynewski returned his
pick for a team-long 34 yards in the fourth quarter.
Delaware Valley scored the game's first touchdown early in the
second quarter as Isgro connected with Joel Foreman on a 24-yard
pass. The Sea Gulls quickly answered as junior Shelby
Fisher (11 carries, 58 yards) scored his first of two
touchdowns on the afternoon to tie the score at seven.
Senior Brendan Kincaid booted a career-high
46-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to send
the Gulls into intermission up 10-7. Quarterback Bobby
Sheahin orchestrated the two-minute drill as he went
3-for-4 for 37 yards to set up the long distance Kincaid kick.
The Aggies dominated the time of possession in the third quarter
with a 16 play, 82-yard drive capped off by an Isgro to Jimmy Smith
touchdown pass to open the quarter. Isgro finished the day
21-of-38, 181 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
DVC recovered the following kickoff as Steve Giovacchini's attempt
at a squib kick bounced off an SU player and was recovered by the
Aggies around midfield. Delaware Valley marched down to the SU
1-yard line but Galloway jarred the ball loose to halt the DVC
drive. The Aggies held the ball for the first 10:33 of the third
quarter.
Fisher and Ronnie Shockley scored on back-to-back
possessions for the Gulls in the fourth quarter as both superbacks
scored from seven yards out. DVC tacked on two-points when DVC
linebacker Zach McCainn blocked Kincaid's point after attempt at
the 10:11 mark. Aggie Charles Squitiere grabbed the ball and
returned it the distance for two-points.
Garner scored the final touchdown of the afternoon on a 12-yard run
with less than one minute to play to give SU the 36-16 win. The
point after attempt by Andrew Geisert was blocked by McCainn as
well.
Junior Matthew Bookard led Salisbury with 12
tackles and Hesnan finished with nine tackles, two for loss and one
pass breakup.
Shockley had 83 yards rushing on 17 attempts as the team finished
with 277 yards on the ground.
The Sea Gulls return to action on Saturday, September 29, as they
host the Apprentice School on Family Weekend at SU. The Atlantic
Central Football Conference game will begin at 1 p.m. at Sea Gull
Stadium.