Tag: Ben Ibach

by Mike Pavlichko

Delaware Valley makes second half adjustments, blanks North Hunterdon, 17-0, in season opener

Against a beautiful sunset out at Tapp Webb Field in Alexandria, the Delaware Valley football team may not have been perfect, but by the time the final horn sounded, it sure looked like it.

The Terriers led 7-0 in the first quarter, then scored twice more in the second half after making some adjustments to come out with a 17-0 home win over visiting North Hunterdon.

Junior QB Chase Kraucheunas got the scoring started with just 29 seconds left in the first quarter, connecting with fellow junior Tyler Small for a 29-yard touchdown pass.

That was the way the first half would end, but the Terriers tacked on another score with 7:30 to go in the third, on a ten-yard touchdown run by Brayden Picardo-Leask, while Brayden Costello booted a 30-yard field goal with 7:22 to play in the game that put the contest out of reach.

It was Delaware Valley’s tenth straight season-opening win, a streak that dates back to 2017. It’s the longest such streak in the Big Central Conference. (Somerville, which last lost a season-opener on the field in 2015, beat Mastery HS of Camden in the 2022 season opener, but took a forfeit after self-reporting the use of an ineligible player.)

New Providence has won eight straight openers going back to 2018, but is idle in Week Zero, and opens next Thursday at home against Voorhees in the debut of new head coach Anthony Conzentino.

Del Val will host Johnson next week, while the Lions will travel to East Brunswick.

Watch CJSR analyst Marcus Borden’s postgame reaction with Delaware Valley head coach Ben Ibach and junior QB/LB Chase Kraucheunas:

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan 2026: As always, high expectations at Delaware Valley

Preseason football camp continues around New Jersey this week for the 2026 season, and Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden continues Camp Caravan 2026 – where he’ll visit more than a dozen Big Central Conference schools – with a trip to Alexandria to see the Delaware Valley Terriers.

Watch Borden’s full coverage below, including clips from camp, and interviews with fourth-year Del Val head coach Ben Ibach; seniors Marcus Gary (G/LB), Ben Culberson (RB/LB), Brayden Costello (WR/DB), Brayden Picardo-Leask (WR/TE/LB), and junior Chase Kraucheunas (QB/FS).

Click below to watch Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan visit to Delaware Valley!

by Alec Crouthamel

Delaware Valley travels to No. 4 Bernards in a test of early unbeatens in Patriot Gold opener

Through two games in head coach Ben Ibach’s third season as the head coach of Delaware Valley, the two victories have served as solid building ground for a relatively young team.

Now for the third week, comes an even bigger test.

The Terriers (2-0) travel east to face off against fellow unbeaten, No. 4 Bernards.

A heralded senior group has graduated, leaving behind plenty of sophomores and juniors getting ready for some of their first varsity action. Ibach’s message?

Embrace the challenge, and continue to improve daily.

The biggest challenge for Friday, not only a rivalry game, but the Mountaineers (2-0) have plenty on the line as well, with a state-leading 27-game regular season winning streak in the balance.

Delaware Valley, on its side, is up to the task.

The two teams face off in the Big Central Game of the Week, presented by Bellamy & Son Paving. You can hear Friday night’s game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with pregame at 6:45 and kickoff at 7 pm. Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel have the call; click here to listen.

Junior Kelton Ibach returns for his second year as the starting quarterback, and he has become the leader of the offense after learning from the senior-laden offense a year ago.

Surrounding him are several players who saw time on the defensive end, but are still getting their feet wet as the prime offensive targets. Seniors Dylan Rasimowicz and Vinny Casagrande are the elder statesmen in the wide receiver room, with junior Brayden Costello – a do-it-all threat in all three phases of the game – and sophomore Chase Kraucheunas around them.

In the run game, junior Ben Culberson and sophomore Gabe Miller, as well as leading rusher Jayden Brown, carry the load. The trio is helped by an offensive line that returns multiple starters.

The Terriers maintain a strong defensive front, one that lost plenty of production like the offense, but has more experience returning. Several starters on offense play defense as well, with Casagrande serving as the leading returning tackler from 2024.

The defense has continued its opportunistic ways, following up a 15-turnover 2024 season with six forced already through two games, including two interceptions from junior defensive back Lhiam Murphy.

In a Friday night rivalry game, two teams with a full head of steam are looking to take the edge in their respective seasons in the Big Central Patriot Gold Division.

Click below to hear Delaware Valley head coach Ben Ibach talk about the Terriers’ season so far and preview the game against Bernards:

by Mike Pavlichko

Delaware Valley puts up big numbers, makes all the key plays in 57-6 win at Voorhees

A big first half for the Delaware Valley football team – on both sides of the ball – got the Terriers a road win at Voorhees Friday night, 57-6.

Junior quarterback Kelton Ibach – the son of head coach Ben Ibach – ran for two touchdowns and threw four TD passes in the victory.

He opened the scoring with a five-yard run late in the first quarter, which ended with Del Val up 6-0 after they missed the extra point.

The second quarter belonged almost entirely to the Terriers. Christian Jensen ran in a one-yard score just four seconds into the period, but Voorhees answered with a Matteo Tramutola three-yard run to cut it to 13-6, but that was as close as the Vikings would get.

Ibach answered by hitting tight end Will Fritsche for a 60-yard score. Then Del Val blocked a punt on Voorhees’ next possession, and Ibach found wideout Eric Klemmer from seven yards out to make it 27-6.

And the defense came up big again, as they intercepted a fake punt, then Ibach scored from three yards out. After an interception on the next Vikings’ possession, Brayden Costello hit a 21-yard field goal to make it 31-6 at the half.

In the second half, Iback threw another TD pass to Klemmer, Ben Cobb had a 57-yard pick-six, and Jayden Brown ran in one more score in the fourth.

Del Val improves to 3-1, and hosts South River (1-4) next Friday night, while Voorhees drops to 2-3 with a visit next Friday night to North Plainfield (1-3).

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Marcus Borden, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: