CLAYMONT — Archmere gave up an early touchdown to Newark, then scored 36 unanswered points on the way to a 43-13 win in the team’s football home opener on Sept. 20 at Coaches Field. The Auks moved to 3-0 with the win.
The Yellow Jackets returned the opening kickoff to the 50, and on third and 8, quarterback Keyon Black hit Robert Daniels with a pass that gained 47 yards and set Newark up at the Archmere 1. Sa’Mier Coleman scored on second down.
The Auks tied the game on their first play from scrimmage. Ryan Hagenberg (St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Glen Mills, Pa.) took a handoff from John Orsini (St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Glen Mills, Pa.) and went around right end for 69 yards. The Auks would add one more score in the first quarter, and Orsini hit Mike Donovan (St. Mary Magdalen Parish) with a 22-yard pass with 8:05 left in the half.
Archmere received the second-half kickoff and started from their own 34. Hagenberg ran for 16 yards on first down, and Christian Wittmeyer (Holy Family Parish) took care of the other 50 on second down, dragging a defender over the goal line. Donovan, playing quarterback, added a throwing touchdown later in the third when he found Hagenberg for a 44-yard strike.
Hagenberg finished with 102 yards rushing and 61 yards receiving with two touchdowns. Donovan had 28 yards on the ground, caught two passes for 36 yards with two touchdowns, and threw the 44-yard score. Defensively, Wittmeyer led the way with 8 tackles and two fumble recoveries. The Auks host Caravel on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. in a rematch of last year’s DIAA Class 2A championship game.
Newark (0-3) hosts Mount Pleasant on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
