It wasn’t Jersey Shore’s prettiest game by far, but when the Bulldogs needed to, its defense tightened the loose screws and helped it gut out a 14-10 win over the Warriors at Thompson Street Stadium on Friday night. In what appeared to be a solid offensive game by both teams in the first half, the second half flipped to a defensive focus.

Three total touchdowns were scored in the opening 24 minutes, but no matter how close each team got to putting more points on the board, the score remained dead-locked for the second half.

The game came down to one play in the end zone in the lasting seconds after Delaware Valley picked up a delay-of-game penalty. Warriors quarterback Logan Olsommer chucked a ball intended for wide receiver Trey Newton. Only to find Jersey Shore linebacker Bo Sechrist sitting on the play to earn the Bulldogs’ second win of the season.

“Hats off to Delaware Valley for what they bring to the table. We knew it,” Jersey Shore coach Tom Gravish said after the win. “Coach (Kevin) Olsommer is a great guy and they have a great staff and they’ve had it for not just a couple of years. They have some serious tradition. I’m really proud of our effort, proud of our defensive players, our offensive players. It was just a battle (and) we’re happy to be 2-0 against good football teams.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Evan Snyde (13) celebrates after recovering a Delaware Valley fumble in the first quarter.

In a game where offense flowed particularly in the first half, the Bulldogs fell back on its mojo of a stingy defense to help it pull through. Jersey Shore’s defensive linemen in Owen Vandruff, Slate Sechrist, Mason Larson and Kaden Walker consistently bothered and made Warriors QB Olsommer, who finished 11 of 24 for 136 yards and an interception, uncomfortable in the backfield. And down the stretch, when it mattered the most with the game on the line, the poise and attacking mindset of the line anchored the rest of the secondary to play top notch football during crunch time.

“It means everything. It shows where we stand and it shows where we can stand, it shows we can play together,” Snyder said about the defense after the game.

Slate Sechrist finished with six tackles and a sack while Vandruff registered three tackles and Zeke Sechrist added one. A chunk of those tackles came in the backfield for no gain or a loss-in-yards, which fired the Bulldogs up even more. That edge gave Shore and its crowd the life it needed

“Hats off to our D-line because they weathered through that (end of game stretch) and most of them play both ways,” coach Gravish said. “And some of their guys (Delaware Valley) are situational guys where they play only offense or defense. Slate Sechrist, Owen Vandruff and Talyn (Mauck) played nose-man when Kaden (Walker) had to come out. So, I’m just proud of these guys.

Jersey Shore quarterback Elijah Jordan completed 12 of 24 passes to go with 170 yards and a touchdown to Evan Snyder, who racked up 100 yards with eight catches. Paul Hale added three receptions for 21 yards and Carson Watkins caught one pass for 21 yards.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Luke Ryan (7) breaks up a pass intended for Delaware Valley's Drew Dabney (18) in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs were constantly met by a forceful Delaware Valley defense, particularly in the second half. Jordan was sacked on third-and-long coming out of the locker room to begin the third quarter and a blocked punt attempt by Shore put the ball on the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line.

Jersey Shore upheld the Warriors from any score, but it consequently kept Jersey Shore from its offense.

On the ensuing three offensive drives, the Bulldog offense hit a wall, facing a three-and-out scenario for three consecutive trips.

The Bulldogs put together quite a defensive performance ahead of the fourth quarter. Snyder broke up deep ball after deep ball, Jordan recovered a fumble mid-third quarter and Bo Sechrist, who had nine tackles, provided pressure in the secondary at linebacker. All three combined with Shore’s defensive line to create stops while the offense wasn’t flowing the way the Bulldogs hoped it would.

“We were so close to getting more plays on offense and we couldn’t quite do it. I’m really proud of our guys continuing to pull the rope in the same direction and pound that rock hopefully until it crumbles,” Gravish added. “What our defense had to do through that series with all the emotion, hats off to them, coach Jackson and all the defensive guys.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Evan Snyder (13) and quarterback Elijah Snyder (1) celebrate his touchdown in the second quarter.

It took Jersey Shore just two minutes, 15 seconds to score the game’s first TD after receiving the opening kickoff as Herr ran for a 40-yard TD. Before that, Jordan rushed for an 11-yard gain in a third-and-long situation to help keep the drive alive.

The Bulldogs were held scoreless the remainder of the quarter and in the second, after Delaware Valley kicked a 27-yard field goal to take its first lead of the game with under nine minutes left in the half, Jordan then found a streaking Snyder that put the Bulldogs back ahead.

It was all the offensive firepower the Bulldogs possessed, but it got the job done.

“The first drive was probably our best and then the second drive was good. It was just that we had some good field position opportunities and didn’t cash them in,” coach Gravish explained. “We probably could have punted when we went for it one time on fourth-and-1 and we didn’t score right down here at the half.

“That was probably the thing that left them hanging. If we would have scored at the end of the half maybe we wouldn’t have put everyone in so much suspense at the end,” Gravish joked.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Luke Ryan (7) hits Delaware Valley's Trey Newton (3) behind the line of scrimmage on a shuttle pass for a loss in the second quarter.

Jersey Shore picked up two consecutive wins in similar, but different fashions. Jordan and the Shore offense provided some late heroics to pull off that road win and Friday’s game needed some defensive prowess.

The win was far from an easy one, and given the circumstances of injuries and duration of the defense staying on the field, this game will serve as an experience for tests down the road. The Bulldogs are continuing to prove that it doesn’t need a lot of offense to win because its defense truly can hold the fort down even when it isn’t hoping to use all of it to win.

“I think it brings out the intensity you need in a game, whether it’s defense or offense. Hats off to our guys who weathered through this,” coach Gravish said.

The Bulldogs will need all of the experience it’s gotten so far this season when it hosts Selinsgrove next Friday, a team that has become a rival for over a decade now.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Evan Snyder (13) tries to brush off Delaware Valley's Justin Estevez (34) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Evan Snyder (13) breaks an attempted tackle by Delaware Valley's Chris Devaney (27 in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Luke Ryan (7) breaks up a pass intended for Delaware Valley's Drew Dabney (18) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore 's Evan Snyder (13) prepares to scoop up the lose ball on a Delaware Valley Fumble in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore football team charges onto the field before their game against Delaware Valley.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Brodie Herr (11) leaps over Delaware Valley's Mike Iuzzolino (26) for a long run in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore quarterback Elijah Jordan (1) tries to avoid tackle from Delaware Valley's Beckham Fernandes (4) in the first quarter.