Above: Freshman running back Matthias McKinnon turns turns the corner vs. Delaware/Photo by Mark Campbell, UD Media Relations

FINAL STATS

Newark, DE – Quarterback Trent Hurley completed 10-of-12 passes for 226 yards, and four touchdowns, three of which went to wide receiver Michael Johnson, as Delaware posted a 49-9 victory over Wagner under the lights at rain-soaked Delaware Stadium.


With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 1-3 on the season while the Blue Hens improve to 3-1. The Seahawks open Northeast Conference play with a Homecoming tilt vs. Bryant on Saturday, September 28 at 1:00 pm.

In the past two weeks, Wagner has played in front of two of its three largest crowds ever. On September 14, 2013, the 33,299 fans at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse were the most to ever witness a Seahawk football game. Tonight's crowd of 15,723 is the third-largest crowd to attend a football game involving Wagner.

Fifth-year senior All-American running back Dominique Williams (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton/Milford Academy) picked up 80 first-half rushing yards on 17 carries en route to a 25-carry, 120-yard evening. This marks the 23rd time in his 36-game Wagner career that Williams has eclipsed the century mark. The 5-9, 205-pound Williams entered the game ranked fifth among active FCS rushers with 3,614 yards on 724 carries (5.0 average).

Through the air, redshirt junior quarterback Matt Misley (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) was 14-of-28 for 138 yards. His favorite target was senior wide receiver Tyree Watkins (Camden, NJ/Camden/Duke), who had five receptions for 66 yards, all in the first half. Redshirt junior safety Blake Bascom (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe) recorded a career and game-high 12 tackles for the Seahawks

Quarterback Brian Gehring, a transfer from Laney Junior College (CA) by way of Tigard, OR, led Wagner on a late drive that he capped with a one-yard touchdown

The Seahawks, who will be looking to defend their 2012 NEC title, were picked No. 1 in the league's preseason poll while the Bulldogs were picked third.

Delaware marched 78 yards in six plays on the game's opening drive as Hurley hit tight end Nick Boyle on a 19-yard score to make it 7-0. Wagner answered with an 11-play, 51-yard drive that was capped by a 41-yard field goal by fifth-year senior kicker David Lopez (Plantation, FL/ American Heritage). On its first play following the ensuing kickoff, Hurley connected with Johnson on a 77-yard hook-up to make it 14-3.

That's the way the score remained until Johnson hauled in a 21-yard score to cap a four-play, 52-yard drive that made it a 21-3 game with 52 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Blue Hen running back Jalen Randolph then ripped off a 14-yard TD run to open the second-half scoring at the 12:26 mark to widen the lead to 28-3. Johnson got behind the Seahawk secondary for a 31-yard TD reception with 5:34 to go in the quarter. Running back Andrew Pierce capped the first-half scoring with a seven-yard TD jaunt with 3:48 left in the half to give Delaware a 42-3 halftime lead.

Hurley did not play in the second half as his 10-of-12 passing for 226 yards and four scores all came in the opening half. Pierce was the Blue Hens' leading ground-gainer on the evening with 63 yards on 12 carries.

Notes - In the past two weeks, Wagner has played in front of two of its three largest crowds ever. On September 14, 2013, the 33,299 fans at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse were the most to ever witness a Seahawk football game. Tonight's crowd of 15,723 is the third-largest crowd to attend a football game involving Wagner.
 
Largest Crowds Involving Wagner
1. 33,299 – at Syracuse, 9/14/13
2. 18,102 – at North Dakota St., 9/19/09
3. 15,723 – at Delaware, 9/21/13

Misley Career Long
Redshirt junior Matt Misley (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge), the only FCS player who serves as his team's starting quarterback and punter, launched a career-long 54-yard boot in the third quarter.