The Delmar varsity football team moved to 3-1 with a 55-29 homecoming win over previously unbeaten Indian River last Saturday. The Wildcats scored points on offense, defense and special teams, taking the lead for good early in the third quarter after the Indians knotted the score at 14-14 on the first possession of the second half.
“It just feels good to win,” said senior Khalid Schoolfield, who ran for two touchdowns, had a kickoff return for touchdown, and intercepted a pass. “I feel like this opened a lot of people’s eyes up to see what we can do.”
Delmar opened the game with the ball on the 40-yard line. Schoolfield had a 35-yard run to the Indian River 25, but the Indians recovered a Delmar fumble at the 18. The Wildcats’ defense held Indian River to three plays and out and the offense took over at the IR 39 following a punt.
The Wildcats’ Clayton Cramer plunges into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown run and the final score in last weekend’s homecoming contest against Indian River. Photo by Mike McClure
Schoolfield scored on a 39-yard run on the first play of the possession and Liam Cromer added the PAT for a 7-0 Delmar lead with 9:21 left.
Indian River’s Jayvion Chandler scampered 23 yards to Delmar 47 and a Delmar penalty moved the ball to Wildcat 32 before Delmar’s Ryder Keidel intercepted an Indian River pass. Quarterback Ayden McCauley was dropped for a two-yard loss on a keeper on fourth and nine from the 24, giving the ball back to the Indians.
Delmar forced an Indian River punt and threatened again early in the second quarter. The Wildcats’ Clayton Cramer ran for 20 yards on third and eight from the 33. McCauley completed a 39-yard pass to Keidel to set up first and goal from the eight, but a holding penalty called back a touchdown and an Indian River sack pushed the ball back to the 26. McCauley called his own number on fourth and goal from the 13 and was tackled at the two to turn the ball over on downs.
Delmar’s defense kept IR pinned back near the end zone, forcing a punt from the three. The Wildcats started with the ball on the Indians’ 30 and a run by Lionel Hickman and a penalty on IR set up first and goal from the seven. Cramer ran it in on third and goal from the four and Cromer booted the extra point for a 14-0 lead with 1:43 left in the half.
Indian River’s offense didn’t have far to go following a short kick fielded by Indian River, a reverse, and a horse collar penalty on the Wildcats. The Indians started with the ball on the Delmar 21 and Indian River quarterback Dylan Grise completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to Michael Peraunteau. Nolan Staniszewski added the PAT for a 14-7 score with 45 seconds remaining in the first half.
Indian River came out running in the second half, starting with the ball on its own 40. Chandler had two carries for 20 yards and Davon Handy ran up the middle for a 40-yard touchdown. Staniszewski’s extra point knotted the score at 14-14 (11:03).
Delmar answered on the next play as Schoolfield returned the kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. Cromer’s PAT made the score 21-14 with 10:48 left in the third quarter.
“I bobbled it and I just wanted to pick it and get what I could get,” Schoolfield said. “My kick return team did a good job and gave me a seam.”
Indian River started its next offensive series at midfield. On third and six from the Delmar 46 Baine stripped the ball, taking it out of the arms of the quarterback and running it back 45 yards for a touchdown. With the extra point the Wildcats took a 28-14 advantage (9:12).
The Indians’ offense started with the ball on the Delmar 47, but Keidel stopped Chandler for no gain on second and 11 then Schoolfield caught a ball off an IR receiver’s hands for another Wildcat interception.
Schoolfield found the end zone for the third time with a 38-yard touchdown run and Cromer kicked another extra point to make it 35-14 with 6:25 left.
Indian River found the end zone on a 49-yard touchdown run by Darnell Stokes. Staniszewski added the PAT with 5:59 left in the quarter (35-21).
Delmar’s offense moved the ball downfield again on its next possession as Isaiah Holbrook and Schoolfield each had an 11-yard run and Baine rumbled 17 yards for a first down at the IR 17. Schoolfield picked up 10 yards on third and two from the 11 and Holbrook pushed his way into the end zone from a yard out. Cromer made extra point number seven to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 42-21 (1:57),
Delmar’s Orian Church recovered a fumble and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown and Cromer’s extra point upped Delmar’s lead to 49-21 with 1:32 to go in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Indian River’s Kyree Knight capped a 41-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run and Grise scored a two-point conversion on a keeper with 11:25 left in the fourth (49-29). Schoolfield had a 21-yard run on third and 12 from the 38 and Cramer scored on a two-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring at 55-29 (1:45).
Delmar’s offense had five rushing touchdowns to go along with a pair of defensive scores and one on special teams. Schoolfield credited his offensive line for the team’s success on the offensive side of the ball.
“They’re just amazing at what they do. They’re the real MVPs,” said Schoolfield.
Delmar is off this week and will return to action on Oct. 11 to host Lake Forest in the district opener. Indian River, now 3-1, hosts Seaford this Friday.
