By P.J. Harmer

Staff Writer

DELHI _ Delhi’s Derek Plance gave Brenton Hood just enough room to find some open field.

Once Hood got through, Oxford didn’t stand much of a chance.

Hood’s 76-yard touchdown run with 1 minute, 53 seconds remaining in the first half snapped a 14-all tie and led host Delhi to a 34-14 Section Four Football Conference Division VII victory over Oxford on a cool Saturday at Dave Kelly Field.

The win also clinched a spot in the Section Four Class D playoffs for the Bulldogs (6-2, 4-1). Delhi advanced to face Division VIII champion Candor (8-0, 4-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Union-Endicott’s Ty Cobb Stadium in the semifinals. Walton (6-2, 5-0) plays Newfield (5-3, 3-1 Division VIII) in the other semifinal at 10 a.m.

"If we had lost, we would have been playing a crossover game worth nothing really," said Hood, who finished with 110 yards on 10 carries. "Since our playoffs were a week earlier, we got the intensity we needed, and now we can build off that and keep on going. "¦ I think it will definitely help us."

Delhi coach Dave Kelly said Saturday’s playoff atmosphere was good for his team.

"Playing under pressure is important, and so far this year when we played under pressure, we lost," Kelly said. "So, it was nice to prevail when we had to. Let’s face it, we went along and (lost to) Sidney and said, not in our division. OK, (lose to) Walton, we still have a chance. Today, there was no chance if you lose. This one we had to have."

The Blackhawks (5-3, 3-2) tied the score at 14 with 3:24 to go in the first half on a 6-yard run from Eric Betts. [an error occurred while processing this directive]

The Bulldogs then started at their 20 and soon faced a second-and-6 from the 24. Hood went slightly off tackle on the right side, slipped through a hole and followed senior guard Plance, who veered to the left and pushed an incoming defender out of the way.

"I pulled around and I saw just a hole opening up," Plance said. "There was just one guy sitting in the hole, so I just turned on the jets and slammed into him and Hoody did the rest. He just took off."

Hood cut through to the right and went down the sideline, pulling away from trailing Oxford defenders to help the Bulldogs take a 22-14 halftime lead.

"That’s what we have to have," Kelly said. "Derek turns up in the hole and cleans up the linebackers. The good part was he did it fast enough so (Hood) didn’t have to wait and he’s gone."

It was the second long touchdown the Bulldogs got in the opening half. Nate Rockefeller had the first, a 59-yarder that gave the Bulldogs an 8-6 lead with 11:51 to play in the second quarter.

"You don’t expect 50- and 60-yard scoring plays by playing inside football," Kelly said. "At least we don’t. When they happen, they are awful nice."

Rockefeller turned a basic lead play into a footrace after breaking through a gaping hole. Delhi’s front line of Plance, Martin Cole, Alex Fletcher, Dennis Aikens and Mike Rama helped out by controlling the line of scrimmage throughout.

"That was just good blocking all around," Plance said. "Against Walton and Sidney, we had a few problems on the line. This game, they all did great. Our backs ran their hearts out there. They were getting hit hard out there and they kept plowing."

The performance by the line helped the Bulldogs rush for 271 yards on 43 carries _ an average of 6.3.

"They were real hard yards," Rockefeller said. "They were a lot tougher than we anticipated. It was just good, hard-nosed blocking _ put your head down and get what you can get."

Delhi pulled away in the second half with back-to-back scoring drives.

The first, to open the third quarter, started at Delhi’s 27. Rockefeller, who finished with a team-high 141 yards on 25 carries, capped an 11-play, 5:53 drive with a 1-yard run for a 28-14 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Ian Grundner fumbled the return on Oxford’s 25. The Bulldogs’ Frank Levan recovered, but a personal foul on Delhi moved the ball back to Oxford’s 40.

Six plays later, Rockefeller scored on a 25-yard pass from Pat O’Connell for a 34-14 lead.

Oxford opened the scoring with 1:37 to play in the first quarter on a 6-yard run from Ben Burdick to end an 11-play drive. Rockefeller’s long run tied it and Hood’s conversion made it 8-6. The Bulldogs then went up, 14-6, when Rockefeller’s 1-yard run capped an 11-play drive with 5:46 to play in the half.

Delhi 34, Oxford 14

Oxford 6 8 0 0 _ 14

Delhi 0 22 12 0 _ 34

FIRST QUARTER

O _ Ben Burdick 6 run (kick failed) 1:37

SECOND QUARTER

D _ Nate Rockefeller 59 run (Brenton Hood run) 11:51

D _ Nate Rockefeller 1 run (run failed) 5:46

O _ Eric Betts 6 run (Scott Shackelton pass from Steve Locke) 3:24

D _ Brenton Hood 76 run (James Card run) 1:53

THIRD QUARTER

D _ Nate Rockefeller 1 run (run failed) 6:07

D _ Nate Rockefeller 25 pass from Pat O’Connell (run failed) 2:36.

Oxford rushing: Scott Shackelton 15-38, Steve Locke 7-26, Ian Grundner 1-(-1), Ben Burdick 1-0, Eric Betts 7-40.

Delhi rushing: Nate Rockefeller 25-141, Pat O’Connell 3-(-1), Brenton Hood 10-110, James Card 2-3, Chad Rockefeller 1-8, Ryan Weale 2-10.

Oxford passing: Steve Locke 10-for-23, 85 yards, int.; Ben Burdick 1-for-1, 48 yards.

Delhi passing: Pat O’Connell 2-for-2, 43 yards.

Oxford receiving: Ben Burdick 2-21, John Witchella 2-14, Ian Grundner 3-56, Travis Frank 1-3, Scott Shackelton 3-39.

Delhi receiving: Devon Bedient 1-18, Nate Rockefeller 1-25.

___

P.J. Harmer can be reached at mailto:pharmer@thedailystar.com">pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.