1995

Record: 9-1

Key Players: Rich Mokay (TB/DB), Warren Kelly (QB), Cory Ackerly (OT/DT), Brian MacIntosh (OT/DT, Brooks McMurry (TE/LB), Greg Balcavage (TE/LB), Chris Hilson (G/LB)

Highlights: High expectations were had by all as the Dogs entered 1995, having gone 7-2 in 1994 and only losing a couple starters. The Daily Star preview featured Rich Mokay on the front, with the title “Delhi – The Future is Now”.

The Dogs certainly lived up to those expectations. After opening with a dominant 52-0 defeat of BGA, it was 7 weeks later that a team would score a touchdown on Delhi’s incredible defense.

Delhi racked up touchdown after touchdown by Mokay, Zach Berliner, Matt Burkert, Brooks McMurry, and Greg Balcavage, while the defense just wouldn’t break.

Delhi looked to be in trouble in week 2, when after a very nice run QB Warren Kelly got sandwiched between 2 Whitney Point defenders. Kelly was in obvious pain, and it turned out that he had broken his collarbone. Junior Brad Bell stepped up to the plate admirably, showing the full confidence that a starting QB should.

Of course the highlight of the season was the Walton Pumpkins coming to town. Walton came in undefeated, and after 1994’s bitter battle, it looked like another classic battle would be fought. Bell, Mokay, Burkert, Berliner, and the defense had other ideas however. Each of the 4 backs put about 90 yards in the books, and the defense, following a big Walton run on the first series, would simply not budge. Delhi went into halftime with a phenomenal 28-0 lead, and it could have been more. On the only Delhi pass attempt of the game, Bell just barely overthrew McMurry on a seam pattern that would have been another sure score. Delhi went on to win 40-0 over the 1994 class C state champs. This was followed up by a 60+ point shutout over Oneonta.

Windsor hosted the Dogs in week 8, and finally showed that Delhi’s defense could be scored upon. It didn’t do them much good however as they couldn’t stop Delhi’s 30+ point offensive output.

Delhi played a very impressive Elmira Notre Dame team in the class C section IV final at Maine Endwell. END came in with lots of offensive firepower, but only had a TD to show for it. Rich Mokay played a tremendous game, with a 60 yard TD run, and another shorter TD where he made a brutal lateral cut that literally dropped the END defender to his knees. With brilliant defense and Mokay’s skills, the Dogs won the section with a 19-7 win.

Visions of state championships began dancing in Bulldog heads, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Delhi went to the Carrier Dome to face section III’s Dolgeville in the state quarterfinal. Dolgeville had lost 1 game (to Walton the previous year) in the past 4 seasons at that point. Delhi still came out looking strong against the Blue Devils. Delhi scored the first TD on a Warren Kelly (Kelly returned from his broken collarbone with a special brace, and played against Oneonta) pass to Greg Balcavage. Delhi’s offense stumbled for a bit after this. Dolgeville’s offense did little better, though they had a slight drive going near the end of the half. Mokay intercepted a pass to end the threat however, and the halftime score stood at 6-0 Delhi.

Though Dolgeville’s offense was sputtering, they did get just the break they needed. A pass to the flat was narrowly missed from being deflected by Delhi safety Andy Hunter. The receiver ended up taking the ball the distance, a catch and run of over 60 yards and worth 6 points. An excessive celebration penalty brought the PAT attempt back 15, but the kicker still nailed it, giving Dolgeville a 7-6 lead.

Delhi’s offense finally got into gear, as the Dogs began moving the ball quite well and picking up first downs. Delhi got inside Dolgeville’s 20 on its next (and last) 3 possessions, but couldn’t come up with anything. On the second possession, Delhi apparently had a first and goal from the 3, but a clipping penalty instead made it 4^th and 19. Having never faced the situation of having to pass to survive, the Dogs just weren’t able to do it. Delhi’s last possession ended when Mokay came up short on a pass reception on 4^th down with under a minute left. Delhi finished the game with about twice as many total yards as Dolgeville (about 270 to about 130), and about half of Dolgeville’s total came on the catch and run for the TD.

All the what-if’s made for a bitter taste in our mouths, but it was such an incredible season none the less. Delhi allowed a total of 3 TD’s on the season, with never more than 1 in any game. It was almost the end of the regular season before anyone scored a TD on Delhi, and that even includes all the time when subs were in.

1995 went down as one of Delhi’s greatest teams ever, with one of the best senior classes ever.