DVHS defeats LI Lutheran at home

Football kicked off at Delaware Valley Stadium on Friday, Oct. 3, with an unfamiliar opponent on the schedule: Long Island Lutheran.

Despite their record of one win and three losses, reports indicated that Lutheran’s defense struggled, allowing a significant number of points. But as Long Island Lutheran took the field for warm-ups, crowd confidence began to waver. The players were tall, incredibly fast, and threw the football with precision.

The Delaware Valley Warriors kicked off and Lutheran swiftly returned the ball for a 97-yard touchdown, showcasing their speed and agility. It became clear that D.V. needed to shift gears and play a hard-nosed, grind-it-out style of football to wear down their opponents. After several minutes of tough play, D.V. finally scored, tying the game at 7-7. However, the relief was short-lived as Lutheran quickly responded with another touchdown, bringing the score to 13-7 after a failed two-point conversion attempt. This miss gave the D.V. faithful a glimmer of hope, suggesting that if the game turned into a battle of attrition, Delaware Valley might prevail.

The grind continued, and a combination of hard running and a well-executed pass play put D.V. ahead 14-13. The D.V. kicker consistently delivered powerful kickoffs, sending the ball 70-yards deep into the end zone, which limited Lutheran’s speed and forced them to play from the line of scrimmage rather than sprinting out from their own 3-yard line. Despite this, Lutheran managed to exploit their passing game and speed once again, scoring to take a 20-14 lead. D.V. responded with a beautiful pass/run touchdown play, but it was called back by the officials. Lutheran then attempted three pass plays, all of which were well defended by D.V., leading to a punt.

The Warriors settled for a field goal and then scored another touchdown, bringing the score to 24-20. On Lutheran’s next possession, the D.V. defense asserted itself with two quarterback sacks, regaining possession. A mix of smart passing and crisp running led to another D.V. touchdown, and by halftime, they were up 31-20.

D.V. had successfully transformed the game from a track meet into a true football contest. Although Lutheran displayed talent, they struggled to compete with Delaware Valley’s style of play. D.V. continued to rely on their running game, scoring again, while Lutheran executed a trick play that resulted in a touchdown, though their two-point conversion attempt failed once more. The pace of the game quickened, making it challenging to keep track of all the action. D.V. scored two more touchdowns, and after a fumble recovery and a play called back by officials, they added a field goal, extending their lead to 48-26.

In the final period, both teams found the end zone, resulting in a final score of 55-34 in favor of Delaware Valley. Notable performances included Mike Luzzolino, who delivered his usual dependable game with significant gains and powerful runs.

Devin Estevez and Justin Estevez also had standout performances, while Colin McGarvey excelled at quarterback. The offensive and defensive lines held strong, keeping Lutheran off balance. The D.V. kicker, Reagan Decker, was nothing short of amazing, consistently kicking off over 70-yards and never missing a field goal, making him a Division 1 prospect.