Skip To Main Content

Widener University Athletics

Scoreboard

Official Website of

Widener University Logo

Football

Football Set to Clash Saturday at No. 8 Delaware Valley With NCAA Tournament Berth At Stake

An automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament and the Keystone Cup are on the line Saturday when Widener travels to eighth-ranked Delaware Valley for a Middle Atlantic Conference showdown in Doylestown, PA.
 
Fans who bring a brand-new or gently used children's book to the stadium will get free admission into the game as part of a book drive with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.  Unwrapped toys also will be accepted at the gates that will be donated to Toys for Tots.
 
The Pride (8-1, 6-1 MAC) are seeking their 18th Middle Atlantic Conference title, which would extend their own league record, and first since 2007.  Widener has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 12 times with national championships in 1977 and 1981.  The Pride are riding a five-game winning streak, their longest since a seven-game run in 2007, and are 8-1 for the first time since 2002.  Widener also has scored 442 points this season, the fourth-highest mark in school history.  Third place is 500 points scored in 1980 and first is 592 points amassed in 2001.
 
Widener is fifth in the NCAA East Regional Rankings and Delaware Valley (9-0, 7-0) is first.  The Pride earlier this season received votes in the AFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll and the D3Football.com Top 25 Poll.
 
The Pride are second in the country with 49.11 points per game, 19th in total offense at 460 yards per contest and 46th in total defense.
 
One of the main reasons for this run is junior quarterback Chris Haupt (Bloomsburg, PA), who has taken a firm control of the offense.  He is 38th in the country with 262.7 yards of total offense per game, first in the league with 254.2 yards per contest and has thrown for at least 200 yards in seven games this year.
 
Senior wide receiver Cedrick Clayton (Cinnaminson, NJ) has had another exceptional season, one year after being picked first team All-MAC.  He sits fourth in the MAC with 5.2 receptions per game, fourth with 81.0 receiving yards per contest and tied for third with nine touchdowns.

Sophomore outside linebacker Dylan Ditmer (Exton, PA) has enjoyed a strong year.  He is sixth in the league with 7.3 tackles per game, tied for 17th with 6.5 tackles for a loss and tied for first with four forced fumbles.
 
Junior Joe Wojceichowski (Riverside, NJ) has made a strong transition to middle linebacker, one year after being named second team all-league at outside linebacker.  This season, he is 20th in the league with 6.0 tackles per game, second on the team with 38 solo tackles and tied for first with two interceptions.
 
On special teams, sophomore All-American Laquan Robinson (Chester, PA) has two kickoff returns for touchdowns and one punt return for a score.  Freshman Anthony Davis (Upland, PA) is first in the country with 29.6 punt return yards per game and has taken back three for touchdowns.
 
Widener is 26-7 all-time in the series, 23-7 since the Keystone Cup was first contested in 1981 and 13-4 in Doylestown.  It is the team's first meeting since Widener's thrilling 28-27 victory last year at then No. 8 Delaware Valley in which the visitors scored the last 15 points over 7 1/2 minutes.  The since graduated Michael Penna caught an 11-yard touchdown with no time left and Haupt threw the winning two-point conversion to Clayton.
 
At halftime, former Widener head coach and present Delaware Valley assistant coach Bill Manlove will be honored for his induction this summer into the College Football Hall of Fame.  One of the true gentlemen in all of athletics, Manlove coached 23 seasons at Widener (1969-91) and guided the team to NCAA Division III championships in 1977 and 1981.  He also was a part of 10 Middle Atlantic Conference championships, seven NCAA Tournament appearances and four undefeated regular seasons during his tenure.
Print Friendly Version