By Rob Centorani
Staff Writer

DELHI — Aside from the first nine minutes, it was not vintage Delhi football.

It did move the Bulldogs closer to their ultimate goal, however.

Second-seeded Delhi (7-1) forced six turnovers and scored three quick touchdowns to defeat the visiting Greene, 42-14, Saturday in a Section Four Class C quarterfinal played under snowy, blustery conditions.

"Last week against Walton (an 8-6 loss), we played our hearts out," said Delhi receiver Mike Barnes, who caught five passes for 82 yards against Greene. "We left everything on the field and it was devastating. We just have to hope we get a rematch against them."

Before the game was a minute old, it became apparent that Delhi was well on its way toward advancing to the Class C semifinal against third-seeded Lansing (7-1), which defeated Trumansburg, 28-14, Friday.

Delhi's Tim Vredenburgh scooped a fumble by Sam Whitney on Greene's first play from scrimmage and took it in for a 20-yard touchdown.

Trojans quarterback Ben Andrus mishandled a snap on Greene's next play and Delhi's David Daye recovered. On first down, Brett Sohns scored on a 29-yard run, and it was 14-0 31 seconds into the game.

"It definitely takes the pressure off to some degree," said Delhi coach Dave Kelly, whose team will play Lansing on Saturday at either Binghamton Alumni Stadium or Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium at a time to be announced. "It would have been awfully interesting without (the turnovers). We probably would have held a one-touchdown lead until that last one without (the quick start)."

When Delhi beat Greene three weeks ago, 34-7, the Bulldogs scored three touchdowns in the first 13 minutes. This time it was 21-0 with 3:27 left in the first quarter.

"We really didn't think it would start like that," said Sohns, whose hit on Whitney forced the game's first fumble. "The fumbles and stuff ... gifts. It got us off to a good start and gave us some momentum."

Sohns added: "We had a lot built up in us (after last week) and we needed a 'W.' We needed to be firm about it, too."

However, after Delhi's Kyle Hauptfleisch capped a six-play, 53-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, the Bulldogs looked pedestrian the remainder of the first half and most of the second half.

Greene's Sherwood Fendryk was barely touched on a 41-yard scoring run around right end on the final play of the first quarter.

"I heard their kids congratulating our kids after the game and they were very sincere," said Greene coach Lynne Simmons, whose team rushed for 209 yards. "I think they knew they were in a hard-fought game despite those early turnovers."

Ben Andrus' two-point pass was one-handed by Bill Barth in the back of the end zone to make it 21-8.

"We were not as consistent offensively or defensively as we've been in the past," Kelly said. "They made a couple of adjustments, showed a couple new sets and we really didn't handle it. They fumbled on a counter play that was a touchdown. There were times when I thought we played pretty tough and times I thought we were pretty easy."

Delhi quarterback Chris Clark went 3-for-3 on Delhi's next drive for 56 yards. He hit David Daye on an out pattern for 10 yards and a first down, then connected with Matt Outsen for 23 yards a few plays later.

On first down from Greene's 23, Clark hit Daye on an out pattern. The tight end ran through a tackle along the right sideline at the 8 and then bowled over a Trojans defender at the goal line for a touchdown. Keith Dolezel's PAT made it 28-8 early in the second period.

But the Trojans weren't ready to concede just yet. Whitney broke free on a 69-yard touchdown run. He got around the left end before cutting back to the center of the field and outrunning the pursuit.

"Their counter started to work," Sohns said. "Our ends weren't blowing up the counter like they should been. They kind of started to whittle away and then we started to stop it again at the end."

Whitney's touchdown made it 28-14 and Greene stopped Delhi three-and-out on its next possession.

And the play Kelly referred to earlier, a touchdown run that instead resulted in a Greene fumble, came on the next play. From Greene's 25, Whitney took a handoff through a huge hole up the gut.

He needed to beat one player, but Tom Tuthill came from the backside and swiped at the ball, forcing a fumble that Delhi recovered, with 1:39 left in the half.

Tuthill, who had three interceptions in the teams' earlier meeting, also recovered a fumble and had an interception.

The Bulldogs drove 40 yards in six plays, with Clark completing a 16-yard pass to Barnes on a quick post and a 27-yarder to Sohns that brought the ball to Greene's 1.

The latter completion was one of the best plays of the afternoon. Clark dropped back, but with no one open, he scrambled right and Sohns broke free down the right sideline. He lofted a pass that hit Sohns in stride at the 10.

"The young man at quarterback is outstanding," Simmons said of Clark, who completed 11 of 21 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. "He's a pin-point passer and when he has time he's going to hurt you."

In the fourth quarter, Clark hit Barnes on a fade pattern for a 3-yard touchdown pass that concluded the scoring. Barnes took the high pass away from Whitney near the right end line.

"Chris Clark is a great quarterback," said Barnes, a transfer student from Erie, Pa. "He puts the ball where it needs to be all the time and I've been making a few receptions, so I'm very happy."

Delhi inside linebacker Brian Neale dressed for the game, but did not play. He's still recovering from a foot injury suffered three weeks ago against Seton Catholic Central.

DELHI 42, GREENE 14