Blue Hens roll over Saint Francis College, 56-17, in first spherical of playoffs

BY LUCIANO CIARANCA
Workers Reporter

Saturday was Delaware’s fifth playoff recreation since 2010, and the workforce didn’t disappoint at Delaware Stadium. By breaking each workforce and particular person information, the Hens actually made essentially the most of their alternative – one they weren’t anticipating after two losses to shut the common season. 

In a 56-17 blowout of Saint Francis, the Blue Hens tied a faculty file for many factors in a single Soccer Championship Subdivision (FCS) recreation, a mark first attained in 1992.

The Hens received this recreation resulting from nice performances by Nolan Henderson going 16-of-23 with 266 yards and 4 touchdowns, Chandler Harvin with 128 yards and three touchdowns, the dashing assault as an entire with 283 yards and three touchdowns and Johnny Buchanan with 15 whole tackles.

“I feel the seniors and the leaders have accomplished such an amazing job,” Delaware head coach Ryan Carty mentioned, with Henderson and Buchanan sitting subsequent to him within the postgame press convention. “They’re simply going again to work and placing their head down and understanding that it’s not acceptable to lose soccer video games in the best way that we misplaced them.”

The Hens had heartbreaking losses within the ultimate minutes towards Richmond and Villanova, blowing the lead each occasions, whereas not having the ability to convert on late fourth downs. This helped gasoline them towards an amazing week of follow, per Carty.

“I feel we did an unbelievable job this week,” Carty mentioned. “And you realize, the leaders did an amazing job. Our teaching employees did an amazing job and it’s actually simply attempting to get into a brand new season right here and simply … wipe what occurred earlier than.”

This led to Delaware wiping the slate clear and leaping throughout St. Francis early.

“Clearly we all know enjoying them from final 12 months, they’re a bodily workforce,” St. Francis head coach Chris Villarrial mentioned of the Hens.

“I feel one of many issues that basically acquired us … was the pace of the sport,” Villarreal mentioned. “It modified somewhat bit, it took us somewhat bit to get caught up and we missed some early balls that would have actually modified issues.”

Delaware’s fast-paced offense that caught the Purple Flash off guard was led by Henderson who set the Delaware single season file with 32 passing touchdowns, breaking a file beforehand held by Matt Nagy. 

This places him solely three touchdowns away from breaking the varsity’s profession file which was held by Nagy as properly with 58 touchdowns.

Thyrick Pitts tied a file held by Nihja White (2009-2012) for essentially the most video games in a row with no less than one catch. Pitts’s streak of 42 straight video games with no less than a reception dates again to 2019.

Then Buchanan, Delaware’s star linebacker, reached over 300 profession tackles.

The Hens started the competition on offense driving down the sphere with a 33-yard Henderson-to-Harvin connection and 13-yard Henderson scramble for a landing.

After forcing an early 3-and-out on protection, Delaware’s offense struck once more with a 30-yard landing cross from Henderson to Harvin making it 14-0 with 7:19 left within the first.

Delaware then blocked a punt however did not capitalize, turning it over on the one-yard line with a Henderson fumble that become a touchback.

The offense lastly began clicking once more when Marcus Yarns galloped for a 51-yard rush into the St. Francis purple zone. This led to a landing from Henderson to Pitts, and 5 minutes later the Henderson-to-Harvin connection struck once more for a 28-3 halftime lead.

Because the second half started it was extra of the identical as Delaware continued to stifle the Purple Flash offense, a unit that gained simply 258 yards on the day.

Delaware took a 35-3 lead when Harvin hauled in his third rating of the afternoon. The Purple Flash tried to ignite their offense with backup quarterback Justin Silwoski, after starter Cole Doyle, the Northeast Convention Offensive Participant of the Yr, went simply 7-for-20.

However even the quarterback change couldn’t convey St. Francis a slimmer of hope in making the competition aggressive.

St. Francis finally discovered a strategy to get ultimately zone although, making it 35-10. This was one of many slim vivid spots on the day for the Purple Flash, as Delaware received in dominant vogue 56-17.

The Blue Hens will want everybody to step up but once more subsequent week as they give the impression of being to steal one on the street towards No. 1 South Dakota State and get revenge for 2020, once they misplaced 33-3 within the FCS semifinals.

“No person believes in us besides the blokes in that locker room and that excites me,” Henderson mentioned when requested about this Saturday’s matchup at South Dakota State.