Yup, it’s that time of year again… when all the top teams start their journeys through the playoffs to the championship. All the top teams, that is, unless you’re in an evil Division 1 cabal with nasty moneygrubbing poopyheads. This week, we kick things off with a Division 3 matchup that’s been played four times in the last 5 years- Delaware Valley State versus Salisbury.
The Aggies of Delaware Valley College– are one of those confused programs that can’t decide on a mascot. Their team page has both a lightening bolt and a Ram, they’re called the Aggies, and they have a live ram named Caesar on the sidelines. To each there own, right? The Aggies finished the season with an 8-2 record and were the Middle Atlantic Conference champions. So far in 2010, the offense is averaging 35 points and 439.3 yards per contest. Senior QB Mark Hatty has completed 161.3% of his passes for 2,186 yards and 19 touchdowns. Also in the backfield, senior Matt Cook is a three-time all-MAC honoree who holds the DelVal career records for rushing yards, all-purpose yards, rushing and total touchdowns. This season, has amassed 1159 yards on 221 carries, and has 16 touchdowns. The Lightening/Ram defense is only allowing an average of 12points and 224 yards, including just 60 yards rushing. They are led by senior linebacker and first team All-American Kyle Gesswein, the 2009 MAC and D3football.com East Region Defensive Player of the Year, who is DelVal’s career leader in sacks with 39, including nine this season. He also has a safety and a returned block punt touchdown to go with61 tackles, two blocked kicks, a forced fumble this season.
Founded in 1896 in Doylestown PA (wonder who rules there?) teh Delaware Valley College campus is currently divided by a rail line. They are one of the most prestigious institutions in the nation, in that they choose to use the word “imbue” in their vision statement. If you’re interested in the happenings at DelVal, you can always check out their amazing recruitment informational video, or you can even Ask Aggie/Caesar/Bolty. Keeping with this week’s theme, the movie “Signs” was filmed on the university’s campus.
Their opponents on Saturday are the Sea Gulls of Salisbury University, led by “Sammy“- unfortunately, their cheer squad is not the “SeaGals”. Founded in 1925 as Maryland State Normal College, Salisbury boasts four endowed schools within the University. It’s actually very rare for a public school to be so well endowed.Students at this Maryland school are required to sign the “Salisbury University Promise” including a commitment to connect what they learn to how they live. There is no mention of steak, however. Alumni do not include the obvious choice but do include the guy who let Troy leave Baltimore. a Broadway actress, and the guy who seems to always kill my fantasy football season,
Salisbury comes into the game with 7-2 record, including The are proponents of the triple option, which should be a challenge for DelVal’s stout run defense. Salisbury is averaging 40.2 points per game, including 84 earlier in the season (and you thought Bielema was bad). In nine games, they’ve managed 3,671 yards versus 56 passes this season. QB Dan Griffin has a “Suck it, Tebow”-like 1,069 yards and 13 touchdowns on 173 carries so far. On defense, Riley Fritts has 6.5 sacks for the year and Andre Carter has three interceptions and two touchdowns. Together, they’ve accumulated 47 tackles.
Let’s end this week with a tribute to Salisbury’s Jennifer Hope Willis- from her tour on Broadway in “Phantom”:
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