Nothing Easy: Scranton Prep Battles Past Delaware Valley, 14-7
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | September 19, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus
MILFORD — Delaware Valley rolled out the full Game Day treatment Saturday afternoon.
The Del.Aware student media crew helped bring a college-style pregame atmosphere to Warrior Weekend, T-Mobile presented the school with a $5,000 check for 5G lights, new members of the Warriors Hall of Fame were recognized following the national anthem, and homecoming festivities took center stage at halftime.
Then Scranton Prep and Delaware Valley provided the main event.
It wasn’t the offensive shootout these rivals produced a year ago. This one was decided in the trenches, through field position and by which team could avoid the costly mistake.
No. 2 Scranton Prep did just enough and its defense did plenty to grind out a 14-7 victory.
Delaware Valley landed the first punch when Devin Estevez scored from seven yards out, giving the Warriors an early 7-0 advantage. Estevez was finding room against the Cavaliers, rushing for 81 yards on 12 carries, before leaving the game in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury.
Prep answered on the ground.
Brandon Farmer punched in a 1-yard touchdown to even the game before Owen Jeffers broke loose for a 16-yard score, putting the Cavaliers ahead 14-7.
That was it for the scoring.
And for more than a half, Prep’s defense made sure it was enough.
The Cavaliers intercepted Delaware Valley quarterback Lucas Petersheim three times, with Noah Krzywiec, Caden Whetsel and Finn Mulligan each coming away with a pick. Delaware Valley moved the football at times finishing with 245 total yards but couldn’t find the equalizer.
Prep’s offense wasn’t without its own frustrations. Penalties erased opportunities and helped keep a game the Cavaliers had chances to open up stuck at one possession.
Head coach Terry Gallagher wasn’t interested in dressing it up afterward.
“We made some mistakes, bunch of penalties,” Gallagher said. “It’s frustrating because you have a bunch of things get called back because of silly stuff, but you just have to keep kind of going through some adversity and toughen up and just keep working.”
His Cavaliers did exactly that.
Prep finished with 197 rushing yards on 31 carries, with Braedon McPartland rushing 13 times for 93 yards and adding five catches for 39 yards. Jeffers added 90 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries as the two combined for 183 yards on the ground.
Quarterback Oliver Swingle completed 7 of 10 passes for 55 yards, while Jeffers added another 21 yards through the air. Prep finished with 273 yards of total offense and 16 first downs.
Delaware Valley continued to battle after Estevez exited. Lucas Purdon carried 15 times for 67 yards, while Petersheim finished with 93 passing yards. But the three interceptions proved costly in a game where possessions and points were at a premium.
For Gallagher, beating Delaware Valley carries weight regardless of how it looks.
“Any time you beat Delaware Valley, Keith has done a great job for 25-plus years, and it’s a big game,” Gallagher said. “I think our kids get excited, it’s a big school. So, you know, we’re just happy we won, but we gotta get a lot better.”
There will be plenty for Prep to clean up on film.
There will also be another rivalry win in the column.
Sometimes those come with fireworks. Sometimes they come with three interceptions, 197 rushing yards and four quarters of grinding.
As Gallagher put it afterward:
“It’s always ugly.”
Ugly or not, Prep heads home with the win.
The Cavaliers return home in Week 5 to host West Scranton, while Delaware Valley hits the road for a matchup with a Wallenpaupack team that has been rolling.
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