Box Score

WILKES-BARRE – The Colonels defense forced eight turnovers but were unable to capitalize with touchdowns and Delaware Valley College's Matt Cook ran for a school record 324 yards and four scores as the 12th-ranked Aggies defeated Wilkes University 30-18 in Middle Atlantic Conference football action on Saturday afternoon at the Ralston Athletic Complex.

Wilkes (3-3, 2-1) took advantage of an Aggies muffed punt in the first quarter, pulling a double-pass out of its bag of tricks as tight end Anthony Dorunda (New Milford, Susqehanna) connected on a 28-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jordan D'Emilio (Stowe, Saint Pius X). Dorunda, lined up in the slot on the right side, took a backwards pass from quarterback Alex George (York, West York) before finding the wide open D'Emilio in the end zone. The ensuing extra point was blocked as the Colonels took the 6-0 lead.

The next Delaware Valley (5-1, 3-0) drive resulted in another turnover as receiver Isaiah Hall, who was lined up as the quarterback, took the snap and retreated backwards, away from a charging Colonels' defense, and lost the ball, as Aashon Blackwell (Scranton, Scranton) recovered at the Aggies' 29-yard line. A penalty on Delaware Valley at the end of the play gave Wilkes the ball at the 14-yard line, but the Colonels were unable to move the ball, instead getting a 29-yard field goal from Chris Horn (New Tripoli, Northwestern Lehigh), going up 9-0 less than eight minutes into the game.

The Aggies offense hung onto the ball on their next drive, going 66 yards in 10 plays, getting a one-yard touchdown run from Cook to cut their deficit to 9-7. Cook ran seven times on the drive, going for 50 yards.

The next Wilkes possession resulted in more points for the Aggies, as quarterback Tyler Berntsen (Long Valley, NJ, West Morris Central) was sacked in the end zone, knotting the score at 9-9.

The Colonels got the best of Cook on the Aggies next possession, when, after a 24-yard run, Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, Cedar Cliff) stripped Cook from behind, recovering the fumble and giving the ball back to Wilkes. Horn kicked another field goal, this one from 49 yard out, as Wilkes went back up on top 12-9.

Delaware Valley responded, getting a 39-yard touchdown run from Cook, taking a 16-12 lead, its first of the game.

The Colonels would force another turnover a couple of possessions later as Kevin Gerhart (Hummelstown, Lower Dauphin) picked off a Mark Hatty pass, giving Wilkes the ball at its own 43-yard line. The turnover resulted in a 40-yard field goal from Horn, putting the Colonels within one at 16-15 with 1:41 left in the half.

The Aggies didn't keep the ball very long on their next possession as Wilkes forced its seventh turnover of the first half, this time forcing a fumble of Hatty, getting the ball back at its own 41 with 1:26 left on the clock. The Colonels, with George at the helm, drove down to the Delaware Valley 14-yard line, getting a last second 30-yard field goal from Horn to take an 18-16 lead into halftime.

The second half was all Delaware Valley and Cook as he scored two more touchdowns and rushed for 168 yards, as the Aggies owned the ball and gained the 12-point win.

The yardage for Cook also took him past the school's career rushing mark, as he carried the ball 42 times.

Gerhart led the Colonels defensive effort with 16 tackles, forcing fumble and picking off a pass. Moore-Jacobs, the nation's fourth-leading tacklers, finished with 11 stops.

D'Emilio finished with seven receptions for 50 yards and the first quarter score while George went 10-of-18 for 64 yards through the air and added 22 rushing yards on three carries. Zach Tivald (Edison, NJ, Edison) ran 18 times for 79 yards and added 47 yards on three receptions.

The Colonels go back on the road next weekend when they travel to Madison, New Jersey to face FDU-Florham on Saturday. The Devils fell to Lebanon Valley College today 33-21 after holding a 21-7 halftime lead.