DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – Dominant defense was on display during Westminster College football team's Saturday season-opener at Delaware Valley University.
The host Aggies were just a little bit stingier.
Del-Val, ranked 15th in NCAA Division III in at least one poll, outgained the Titans, 267-157 in total yards and by a 36-15 to 21:54 time-of-possession margin, en route to a 22-8 win at Robert A. Lipinski Field at James Work Memorial Stadium.
An outstanding defensive front, led by 2-time All-American Michael Nobile, limited Westminster to 32 net yards rushing and coerced a quartet of Titans' turnovers.
Westminster assumed the first half's lone points on a safety before Del-Val vindicated itself on a pair of third-period scores – Louie Barrios IV's 11-yard TD toss to Nahsir Morgan and Tahmir Barksdale's 2 yard run.
Those scores sandwiched the Titans' TD – an 11-yard Cole Konieczka (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon Area High) pass to Jalen Washington (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips). That culminated a 7-play, 44-yard drive with 2:39 remaining in the quarter.
But just three minutes into the final frame Del-Val's Nick Choi connected on a 22-yard field goal. And with approximately five minutes remaining Barrios' 4-yard run annexed the Aggies' win.
Konieczka connected on 19 of 35 pass attempts for 125 yards for Westminster (0-1), while Ryan Gomes (Tampa, Fla./Walter L. Sickles High) garnered 49 yards rushing on 15 totes and Washington went for a handful of receptions for 59 yards. Ty Eilam (Sharon, Pa./Sharon High) caught a pair of passes for 16 yards.
Brayden Thimons was dominant on defense for Westminster, registering 9 tackles (7 solos), while Kevin Wright (West Palm Beach, Fla./Seminole Ridge High) contributed 7 stops and Carter Chinn (Grove City, Pa./Grove City High) and Jarred Kohl (York, Pa./York Catholic) evenly divided an additional dozen tackles.
Del-Val (1-0) was led by the ground game of Jay White, who went for a game-high 21 carries and 83 yards and a TD, and Barksdale (6 for 55, plus a team-leading 6 receptions for 19 yards), and Morgan (2 catches, 36 yards). Barrios IV completed half of his 18 pass attempts for 73 yards.
Nobile, Ahmad Jones, Cole Kitchen and Nick Chapman checked in with 5 tackles apiece – 2 of Nobile's were quarterback sacks and Anthony Pontolillo and Rafael Torres logged interceptions for the Aggies..
Head Coach Scott Benzel and Westminster welcome Bethany to Harold Burry Stadium Saturday, Sept. 10, in a 1 p.m. Presidents' Athletic Conference contest.
