STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — College football is special, especially for the players and their families.
This past Saturday in Beaver Stadium was a special moment for some of the Pennsylvania natives that populate the Blue Hens roster.
Two Delaware captains have their roots here locally in District III.
Saturday's coin toss in Beaver Stadium for the Blue Hens featured Brock Gingrich wearing #55 and Ethan Saunders wearing #8.
Saunders played his high school football at Waynesboro, while Gingrich played for Cocalico.
For this contest, a large and loud contingent of fans made the trek from Lancaster and Lebanon counties to support Brock and his Blue Hens teammates.
‘Thirty became sixty, sixty became we are probably 120, 130 right now at this tailgate, so it made it a great day,” according to Brock's father Dave, who coached Brock while he was at Cocalico.
The Gingrich family was on hand to soak in the entire day as Brock played in front of the largest crowd of his career.
"Other than today he will never play in front of one hundred thousand people and I hope he enjoys the experience, the preparation going in and has some Delaware pride," adds Dave.
In the first quarter, Brock who started at center threw a great block to spring the Blue Hens to a 66-yard touchdown run. It's a moment Brock won't forget.
“First touchdown against an FBS opponent this year, I mean it means the world to us. {I} wish we could have had a few more of those today.”
The game's outcome was not what Brock and his teammates wanted, but Gingrich is proud of the effort from players and the Delaware fans against a top-ten team in Penn State.
“Being from PA, Penn State is the big dog and to play in front of 100, one hundred thousand fans. You saw the yellow and blue here as well. So the show's fan support {means a lot}, ” Brock says after the game while on the field.
For his dad , he was proud to have been his coach while at Cocalico and see the captain that Brock has grown into on day the elder Gingrich won't forget.
“Super proud of him and he is a good kid, and it is a day I won’t forget.”