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Delmar, Smyrna win DIAA football championships

Seventh title for Wildcats, three straight for Eagles
December 4, 2017

A 12-yard touchdown pass from Jacob VonArx to Carson Phillips at the end of the first half set the Delmar Wildcats up to win their seventh football state championship.

Delmar hadn’t won a state championship since 2009, but the defense shut out a tough Milford team in the second half to garner the DIAA trophy.

The touchdown was the first pass for VonArx since he was injured in the Wildcats’ 28-21 win over Woodbridge Nov. 10. At the time, he was replaced by freshman Dante Trader, who helped lead the Wildcats to a 34-13 win over Delaware Military Academy and a 56-21 victory over A.I. DuPont in the Division II playoffs.

In the Division I championship, Smyrna’s William Knight ran for 231 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries to lead the Eagles to their third straght DIAA title. Knight also scored three two-point conversions and threw a 41-yard scoring pass to Stephen Whaley.

Middletown quarterback Drew Fry went 23-of-34 for 218 yards and threw his third touchdown pass of the day to Kenneth Edelin to pull the Cavs within three points, 30-27, with 1:12 still on the clock. But the Smyrna special teams came up big, recovering the ensuing onsides kick to seal the victory for the Eagles.

The Eagles had lost to the Cavs 35-28 in the season opener.

Eagles head coach Mike Judy said his team is “going to be able to tell their kids they won three straight DIAA championships.”

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