Delbarton football built a commanding 27-point lead before holding off a furious second-half comeback by Pope John on Saturday, earning a thrilling 34-28 victory behind a dominant rushing performance from Kobe Irby-Mason and a clutch defensive stand in the final minutes.
Irby-Mason led the Green Wave offense with 186 rushing yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns, including an electrifying 88-yard scoring run in the first quarter. DJ Benfatti added two rushing touchdowns and 23 yards on the ground, while quarterback Jayden Schmalz completed 14 of 17 passes for 128 yards and added 43 rushing yards.
The Green Wave struck first to take a 7-0 lead before Pope John answered to even the score at seven. With just 49 seconds remaining in the opening quarter, Irby-Mason broke free for an 88-yard touchdown run, giving Delbarton a 14-7 advantage heading into the second.
Delbarton's defense helped extend the lead in the second quarter, coming up with an interception that gave the Green Wave possession and set up a 21-yard touchdown reception by Aaron Pustylnik. Irby-Mason struck again with just 16 seconds remaining in the half, scoring his second touchdown of the afternoon to send Delbarton into the locker room with a commanding 28-7 lead.
The Green Wave continued to roll early in the third as Benfatti found the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the game. Despite a missed extra point, Delbarton extended its advantage to 34-7 with 7:37 remaining in the third.
But Pope John refused to go away.
The Lions scored later in the third quarter before opening the fourth with a trick-play touchdown to cut Delbarton's lead to 34-21. Pope John continued its comeback with another touchdown through the air with 4:15 remaining, suddenly making it a one-possession game at 34-28.
With 1:43 left on the clock and all three timeouts remaining, Pope John took possession needing just one touchdown to potentially steal the victory.
That's when the Green Wave defense delivered its biggest plays of the afternoon.
Luke McBride came up with a huge sack on first down, putting the Lions behind the chains and forcing them into a difficult situation. On third down, McBride struck again, bringing down the Pope John quarterback as he attempted to roll out of the pocket.
Facing fourth down with the game on the line, Vince Achilarre made the decisive stop, turning the ball over on downs and sealing the 34-28 victory for Delbarton.
The late defensive stand capped an afternoon that saw Delbarton's offense showcase both its explosive rushing attack and an efficient passing game.
Making his season debut, Brennon Coughlin provided an immediate boost to the receiving corps, hauling in six receptions for a team-high 62 yards. Pustylink added 28 receiving yards, including his 21-yard touchdown reception, while Schmalz completed an impressive 82 percent of his passes.
Irby-Mason's 186-yard performance highlighted the Green Wave's offensive attack, with his 88-yard touchdown run providing one of the game's biggest momentum swings.
Despite surrendering 21 unanswered points in the second half, Delbarton found a way to finish the job, relying on its defense when the game mattered most.
The Green Wave will close out the regular season on Friday night when they take on Don Bosco Prep at 7 p.m.
