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Second-half charge ignites Delone to win over Littlestown


Littlestown's offense had two long drives that ended without the Thunderbolts scoring in the first half and a 65-yard touchdown run by Delone Catholic's Tavian Dorsey was almost the only bright spot offensively for the Squires in the opening 24 minutes.

But Delone took a lead into the locker room and then took charge in the second half, pulling away for a 26-7 victory in YAIAA Division III football action on a windy, rain and downright chilly Friday night at J.T. Flaherty Field in McSherrystown, where the game time temperature was 48 degrees.

The Bolts (1-4, 1-1 YAIAA III) forced a Delone punt to start the game, then marched to the Squires' 19-yard line before being stopped on downs on their initial possession of the contest.

Delone (2-3, 1-1) faced a 3rd-and-5 at their own 35 when Dorsey took a handoff on a counter play. He made one cut and exploded to daylight, going 65 yards to paydirt to put the hosts in front, 7-0, with 3:52 left in the opening frame.

"They were sitting on our straight ahead stuff and its hard to do some of the things we usually like to do in weather like this," Delone head coach Corey Zortman said. "We went misdirection there and Tavian broke one."

Littlestown's other quality drive came late in the second quarter when the Bolts took over on their own 8-yard line following Brian Shermeyer's 60-yard punt. The Bolts slapped together a 16-play drive, earning five first downs along the way, but the drive stalled out at Delone's 37-yard line when Littlestown couldn't convert a fourth down play.

For the opening half, Littlestown outgained Delone, 167-109 and had nine first downs to Delone's three.

The third quarter started promisingly for the visitors, too, as they picked up two first downs before having to punt.

Zach Hart cashed in a 1-yard touchdown run on the ensuing Delone drive. Then facing a 13-0 deficit, the Bolts tried to take to the air, and Dorsey picked off a pass that deflected off a Littlestown receiver and returned it to the Bolts' 18.

The speedy senior raced to the end zone on the next play and the Squires led 20-0 going into the final frame.

"I thought we controlled most of the first half, but couldn't finish a drive," Littlestown head coach Mike Lippy said. "Then in the second half, we couldn't get out of our own end of the field. We got behind 13-0 and then had to try to throw the ball."

Littlestown avoided the shutout when Cody Boyd found Ben Snouffer for a 12-yard touchdown pass on a slant route with 8:33 to go that cut the deficit to 20-7.

But Delone had the answer, as the Squires drove 80 yards in eight plays, all runs, for a touchdown when Hart scored from 17 yards out with 4:21 left to salt the game away.

Delone gained 279 yards on 45 rushes and threw the ball just two times, completing one of them. Dorsey led the way for the Squires with 166 yards rushing on 17 carries.

"It was nice to get a lead and not to have to try to throw the ball," Zortman said. "With the wind and rain like it was tonight, that makes it really hard."

Delone Catholic 26, Littlestown 7

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First Quarter

DC — Tavian Dorsey 65 run (Brandon Hall kick) 3:52

Third Quarter

DC — Zach Hart 1 run (kick blocked) 6:12

DC — Dorsey 18 run (Hall kick) 1:13

Fourth Quarter

Lit — Ben Snouffer 12 pass from Cody Boyd (Alex Potts kick) 8:33

DC — Hart 17 run (run failed) 4:21

LitDCFirst Downs 13 12Rushes-Yards 42-124 45-279Passing 5-16-1 1-2-0Passing Yards 70 13Total Yards 194 292Fumbles-Lost 1-0 3-0Punts 5-30.6 5-31.6Penalties 5-36 1-11
Individual statistics

Rushing — Littlestown, Boyd 9-50, Wes Storey 13-41, Dylan Morey 10-28, Austin Watters 4-14, Andrew Matthews 1-(-1), Dylan Sizemore 3-(-2), Potts 2-(-6). Delone Catholic, Dorsey 17-166, Sean Sneeringer 13-61, Hart 11-54, Brian Shermeyer 4-(-2).

Passing — Littlestown, Boyd 5-16-70-1. Delone Catholic, Shermeyer 1-2-13-0.

Receiving — Littlestown, Storey 2-20, Tyler Runkles 1-20, Colin McNeal 1-18, Snouffer 1-12. Delone Catholic, Sneeringer 1-13.