(box score)
An early break was not enough to jumpstart Widener, which suffered a 28-16 Middle Atlantic Conference loss to No. 17 Delaware Valley at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium.
Things looked real good for Widener (3-7, 1-6 MAC) on the visitors’ first drive. Delaware Valley had to punt from its own 27, but the snap went over the head of Corey Heard for a safety and a 2-0 margin.
The Aggies (9-1, 7-0 MAC) bounced back on their next drive, going 91 yards in 15 plays that chewed over seven minutes. Matt Cook, who had 41 yards rushing on that drive, ended with a one-yard touchdown run with 4:01 left in the first quarter for a 7-2 lead.
Del. Val. increased the margin to 14-2 early in the second quarter as Charles Squitiere intercepted a pass from freshman Jimmy Lahue (Whitehall, PA) and scampered 26 yards for the score.
But the Pride would not be down for long especially junior Adam Smith (Littlestown, PA), one week after rushing for 201 yards at Wilkes. On this drive, he had 42 rushing yards that included a three-yard burst with 7:57 left in the first half for a 14-9 game.
The Aggies got the ball near the end of the half and scored as Butch Whiteside ran it in from one yard with 18 seconds remaining in the half. Jake Sobchak hit the third of his four extra points for a 21-9 game.
Isgro completed a 14-yard pass to Chad Peterman early in the third quarter for a 28-9 Aggie lead. Smith scored on a 10-yard run in the first minute of the fourth quarter for his team-leading seventh touchdown of the year and the final margin.
Smith amassed 98 yards on 23 carries for the Pride. Senior Brian Pastor (Chambersburg, PA) had 13 tackles and junior Shane Szumski (Moorestown, NJ) posted 12.
Cook ended with 32 carries for 113 yards and Isgro completed 21-of-31 passes for 212 yards for the Aggies, who closed with a 334-246 edge in total offense. The squad also posted a 23-14 advantage in first downs and converted 13-of-18 third downs.