BINGHAMTON _ Once Jack Fletcher warmed up, Tioga didn't have much of a chance.
Fletcher rushed for a game-high 116 yards and two touchdowns Saturday to lead Delhi to a 20-3 victory over the Tigers in a Section Four Football Conference Class D semifinal at Binghamton Alumni Stadium.
Fletcher, a junior, had 105 of his yards in the second half.
"We came out ready, but we just couldn't really run anything on offense and we couldn't really block that great in the first half," said Fletcher, who has 1,075 rushing yards this season. "But the second half, we came out pumped up and the line was wanting to show something. They had good blocks and we ran well. ... Once we started getting yards, our line blocked really well and (Tioga's) defense started getting worn down. Then we just kept running and running."
The Bulldogs (9-0), ranked third in the state among Class D teams, meet Groton (8-1) in the Section Four final at 4 p.m. Saturday at Binghamton Alumni Stadium. The Indians, ranked 11th in the state, beat Bainbridge-Guilford, 28-14, in the other semifinal.
Delhi returns to a sectional final for the first time since beating Walton, 34-0, in the 2006 Class D title game. The Bulldogs fell, 28-0, to Section Three champion Onondaga in the state quarterfinals that season.
Delhi's spot in this year's final was hardly a lock, however, as Tioga (6-3) moved the ball early with a strong passing game. The Bulldogs' defense came through again, though.
Garrett Ellis had a key interception and J.J. Darling came up big in two spots for Delhi, which has allowed 49 points _ the second fewest in the section behind Chenango Forks (23).
"The defense has played great every game," Darling said. "Usually the defense is what wins our games. (Delhi coach Dave) Kelly scouts well and he has a good idea of what everyone is going to run, so he teaches where to go and we learn it well."
With Delhi trailing, 3-0, in the second quarter, Ellis set up his team's first touchdown.
Tioga had the ball at its 42 and Cody Bennett floated a screen pass to David Ulrich on the right. Ulrich juggled the ball three times before Ellis ran in and grabbed it. He then sprinted up the right sideline before getting shoved out of bounds by Ulrich at the Tigers' 4.
"It really changed the momentum of the game," Ellis said. "I just saw him there and I just broke on the ball. It was moving around so I grabbed it and tried to get the touchdown. I'm disappointed I didn't. ... Everything kind of slowed down there. It was nerve-racking. I saw the ball and it was instinct. I just went for the ball."
Two plays later, Rich Ennist pounded his way in from the 1 to make it 6-3 with 4 minutes, 45 seconds to go in the opening half.
"That was a tremendous lift," Kelly said. "We were stuffing them really well on the ground and when you do that, you're risking a lot in the secondary. It makes the defensive backs' job harder because there's so much room to defend. They did a great job."
The Bulldogs' second drive of the second half started at Tioga's 41 with 3:06 to go in the third quarter. Delhi then went to work on the clock with an eight-play scoring drive that ended 4 seconds into the fourth quarter. Fletcher capped it with a 7-yard TD run up the middle.
Anthony Salerno barely got the ball to Fletcher, who grabbed it as two blitzing Tioga defenders broke through the line and hit the quarterback. Fletcher eased through the holes in the line for the touchdown, and Rune Tybirk's extra point made it 13-3.
Tioga later faced a fourth-and-5 from Delhi's 33 when quarterback Cody Bennett avoided a rush and passed to Luke Dougherty, who had two lead blockers and no Delhi defenders in front of him on the left side. Darling slipped around the blockers and dived at Dougherty's feet, grabbing his right ankle to trip the receiver for a 4-yard loss.
"I heard the coaches say the play was coming, so I looked to the outside," Darling said. "I came up and I dove for his ankle and caught his heel and it's a good thing it was enough to take him down. I came up as fast as I could and luckily got a hand on him."
If Darling hadn't gotten to that spot on time, Kelly said, the play likely would have resulted in points.
"That trip was a touchdown," Kelly said. "That was big."
The Bulldogs took over at their 37 and responded with a 12-play scoring drive that took 6:17 off the clock. Fletcher scored on a 1-yard run and Tybirk's extra point made it 20-3.
Darling sealed it for Delhi when he intercepted a pass by Ulrich at Tioga's 21 with 2 minutes to play.
"I just watched the ball float up in the air," Darling said. "The defense blocked well and they got pressure on the quarterback. He had to throw a bad ball and it came down in my hands."
The Bulldogs held the Tigers to 181 yards, including 91 on the ground.
The Tigers points, however, came because of a short field. Delhi punted early in the second quarter from its 29, but long-snapper Shawn Neumann sent the ball over Fletcher's head toward the goal line. Fletcher tracked it down but was swarmed by a group of Tioga players at the 10.
The Tigers failed to get closer than the 9, setting up Patton Taylor for a 26-yard field goal.
"Turnovers were probably the difference," Tioga coach Jeremy Pichany said. "We had a lot of momentum and we were playing well on offense and defense. We had our opportunities to make plays. ... Delhi is a great program and had a great game. In the end, they kind of wore us down and were able to move the ball."
Delhi 20, Tioga 3
SECTION FOUR CLASS D
Semifinal at Binghamton Alumni Stadium
Tioga0 3 0 0 _ 3
Delhi0 6 0 14 _ 20
SECOND QUARTER
T _ Patton Taylor 26 field goal 8:25
D _ Rich Ennist 1 run (kick failed) 4:45
FOURTH QUARTER
D _ Jack Fletcher 7 run (Rune Tybirk kick) 11:56
D _ Jack Fletcher 1 run (Rune Tybirk kick) 2:54
Tioga rushing: Tyler Spires 7-11, David Ulrich 10-66, Cody Bennett 3-0, Josh Manuel 11-13, Mike Jump 1-1.
Delhi rushing: J.J. Darling 11-38, Anthony Salerno 7-(-22), Jack Fletcher 26-116, Rich Ennist 6-54, Team 1-(-19).
Tioga passing: Cody Bennett 8-for-19, 90 yards, 2 int.; David Ulrich 1-for-4, 0 yards, int.
Delhi passing: Anthony Salerno 0-for-2, int.
Tioga receiving: Matt Stahl 5-60, David Ulrich 2-34, Luke Dougherty 1-(-4), Cody Bennett 1-0.
Delhi receiving: None.
___
P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.
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