WILMINGTON – After a first half in which they could get little going on offense, the Archmere football team decided it needed a spark to open the second half. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Chris Albero fired a strike to a wide-open Conor Udovich for a 72-yard touchdown. That play brought the Auks to within three points, and Archmere went on to a thrilling 20-16 win over Delaware Military Academy on Dec. 4 at Abessinio Stadium.
The win propels the top-seeded Auks into the initial DIAA Class 2A championship next Saturday against Woodbridge. The game — the first of four title contests scheduled for that day — will take place at 11 a.m. at Delaware Stadium.
“That was a huge momentum shift,” Albero said. “I really feel that was the most pivotal play of the game. We had nothing really going in the first half, and then first play in the second half, we just get a bomb going, and it just lit a fire for the rest of the second half.”
Archmere battled the No. 5 Seahawks’ ground game and turnovers in the first half as Delaware Military opened up a 10-0 lead. It was a marked contrast from the first time these teams met on Nov. 12, when the Auks took advantage of several DMA miscues en route to a convincing 27-7 win.
The Auks took possession of the ball with six minutes left in the first quarter at their own 29. Over the course of six plays, they advanced to the DMA 42. Facing a third down and five, however, Albero was intercepted by Jordan Green, who returned the ball to the Auks’ 42.
Staying primarily on the ground, the Seahawks moved toward the end zone. Quarterback B.J. Alleyne converted a third and 7 from the 26, picking up eight yards. Alleyne then ran for seven, and running back Devon Green took the next carry 10 yards to the Auks’ one. After no gain on first down, the Seahawks scored on the first play of the second on an Alleyne rush.
Neither team could get anything going on offense after that until just before halftime. The Auks fumbled the ball away with 2:14 to go, and DMA got it at the Auks’ 21. Delaware Military moved the ball eight yards on three carries, and Joseph Eyiolowope kicked a 31-yard field goal in the final seconds of the half.
The Auks opened the second half on offense, and Albero and Udovich connected for the long score down the middle. Udovich got behind the Seahawks’ secondary, and he was all alone to catch Albero’s offering and run it into the end zone just 13 seconds into the quarter.
Albero said the team returned to its pregame message before the second half started.
“It was really our pregame speech that got us going. We brought back what we said in the locker room, which was love. We just all love each other and the brotherhood that was in that locker room. And then we just put it on the field in the second half. Things started clicking,” he said.
Archmere was forced to punt on each of its next two possessions, but the second one, with time running down in the quarter, was a momentum-changer. Cole Fenice got a hold of one, and it was fair caught on the Seahawls’ three. Dha-Feir Watts-Henry narrowly avoided being tackled in the end zone for a safety on first down. The teams traded ends as the fourth quarter began, and on the next play, Kevin DiGregorio and Scott Luccarelli smothered Watts-Henry three yards deep in the end zone. The safety made it 10-9 Seahawks, and the Archmere fans were in full voice.
The Auks took the ball at their own 33 after the free kick, and they began the 67-yard scoring drive that would give them the lead. On second and three, Albero found Johnny Kim down the right sideline for a 34-yard gain. On second and 15 from the 35, Albero threw high to Max Ewing over the middle. Ewing went up to get the ball, and with two hands and fully extended, he fliiped the ball backward to DiGregorio on a designed play that got the Auks to the Seahawks’ 11. Albero kept it on the ground the next play, and he gave the Auks a 15-10 lead on an 11-yard scamper. He threw to Udovich for the two-point conversion, and Udovich made a leaping one-handed grab to extend the lead to seven.
DiGregorio had been itching to handle the ball. “I was a fullback in eighth-grade. I was always a running back, and I was begging coach to give me the ball.”
But the game was far from over. Lucarelli made a big play on DMA’s second play of the ensuing drive, picking up a fumbled pass reception along the sideline and taking it back to the 10. After three rushing plays and a penalty on each team, the Auks found themselves still at the 10. Albero did the rest with his leg, making a 23-yard field goal that extended the lead to 10.
And those points proved necessary. Delaware Military took over with a little north of seven minutes remaining at their own 39. Alleyne and Jordan Green connected on a 35-yard pass on third and 10, taking the ball to the Auks’ 26. Alleyne ran off right tackle on the next play, broke a few tackles and scored. But the extra point would never come after a high snap.
Needing some first downs to seal the game, the Auks instead gave it right back to DMA on a fumbled halfback pass. The Seahawks got to within second and goal at the seven, but the Auks’ defense held on third down, and a fourth-down pass attempt was incomplete after Archmere forced Alleyne to bail from the pocket.
The Auks took over at their own 8 with 1:57 to go, and still the game wasn’t decided. They tried to run the ball for a first down, but the Seahawks stopped them four yards short. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Seahawks, however, meant an automatic first down for Archmere, and Albero was able to kneel the remainder of the time away.
Albero was 8 for 14 passing for 162 yards and the touchdown to Udovich. He rushed for 52 yards and a score. Udovich finished with 78 yards receiving on two catches, along with the spectacular two-point conversion. Defensively, DiGregorio had 11 tackles and an interception. Lucarelli and Cole Fenice each had 10 tackles and the fumble recovery.
The Auks improved to 12-0 and will battle Woodbridge, also 12-0, next week. The teams met in the 2020 DIAA tournament in Claymont, with the Auks coming away with the win. DiGregorio said the Auks have nothing but respect for the Blue Raiders.
“I know their offense. They like to run the ball a lot. They’re a great team, and we’re just going to have to come ready,” he said.
DMA finished with a record of 10-2.
All photos by Mike Lang.
