VOLUME 20 #3

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DEPARTMENTS

Football season begins with end of longtime rivalry

SPORTS |The Blue Hens opened their football season at home Aug. 30, defeating West Chester 41-21 in the final game of a longtime rivalry.

UD put up 487 total yards on offense and took advantage of four turnovers to down West Chester for the 19th straight time. The rivalry, which began in 1941 for these two schools just 25 miles apart, left Delaware with a 47-6-1 advantage in the series. It ended as both teams look to face opponents from their own divisions to help their post-season playoff chances in the future.

The Aug. 30 game also marked a coaching contest between two former Blue Hen players. Delaware is coached by former UD linebacker K.C. Keeler, HS81, and the Rams by former Delaware quarterback Bill Zwaan, BE79. Zwaan left his position as football coach at Widener in 2003 to join West Chester.

Delaware’s season continued with a 38-14 win over Delaware State University at home on Sept. 8, in a Route One Rivalry game that included a one-hour weather delay as thunderstorms moved in and forced the evacuation of Delaware Stadium. UD won again at home Sept. 15, in a 19-3 victory over Bucknell.

The Hens’ Colonial Athletic Association season opener at William & Mary ended with another win. After a wild evening at Zable Stadium that included a nearly 90-minute weather delay, an NCAA record 90-yard touchdown off a blocked kick and the first touchdown by a Blue Hen defensive lineman in more than 25 years, Delaware posted a 51-21 victory.

But the Hens went on to lose 14-34 at New Hampshire on Sept. 29 and 3-26 to Maine at home Oct. 6. With the next week off, the team headed for Homecoming ranked No. 25 and proceeded to turn things around. A solid offensive performance treated the Homecoming crowd to a 47-24 conference victory over Rhode Island.

For complete details of the 2012 football season, and other varsity athletics news, visit www.bluehens.com.

 

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