Dec 31, 1969
ALLENTOWN, Pa.
— John DeLuca rushed for 177 yards on a career-high 42 carries, including 13 on an epic second-half drive, as the Muhlenberg football team remained undefeated with a 17-6 win against Franklin & Marshall at rainy, windy Scotty Wood Stadium.
The Mules (7-0, 5-0), ranked fourth in Division III by the American Football Coaches Association and fifth by D3Football.com, extended their regular-season winning streak to 18 games. They have also won 13 straight Centennial Conference games and 12 consecutive home contests.
Ahead 14-6, Muhlenberg put the game away with a 21-play, 72-yard drive that consumed 11:27 and culminated with a 42-yard field goal by Michael Katz. Taking possession at their own 3 with 1:38 left in the third, the Mules rushed the ball 17 times on the drive, with DeLuca gaining 54 yards on his 13 totes.
Until that drive, the teams had trouble finding a rhythm on offense due to the weather conditions. Both first-half touchdowns were set up by special teams. A fumbled punt gave the Diplomats (3-4, 2-3) possession on the Muhlenberg 31 with 8:00 left in the second quarter, and eight plays later Ryan Murray carried over from 4 yards out. The extra point try failed.
The Mules' next drive went nowhere, but David Mazzola's punt rolled dead at the 6-yard line. Muhlenberg got the ball back on the F&M 37 after a punt and needed only four plays to take the lead, with quarterback Eric Santagato running 18 yards on a scramble for his 21st career rushing touchdown.
DeLuca scored Muhlenberg's second touchdown on a 6-yard run with 4:15 left in the third. The key play of the 48-yard drive was a 21-yard run by Santagato after he bobbled the snap and appeared to miss the handoff.
The Mules held possession for 23:08, and the F&M offense was on the field for only 17 plays, in the second half.
DeLuca's 42 carries were the most by a Muhlenberg runner since 2002 and three short of the school record. Santagato threw for only 90 yards on 11-of-21 passing but rushed for 57 yards on six carries.
The Mule defense, led by linebacker Matt Rathbun (8 tackles), held the Diplomats to 129 total yards. Quarterbacks John Harrison and Jeff Hogan were a combined 6-of-18 for just 41 yards, 38 of which came on one play.
James Gregory made a game-high 13 tackles for F&M, and Jeff Kellar intercepted a pass in the end zone to stop a Muhlenberg drive early in the second quarter.
Press release submitted by on Oct 25 2008 at 05:43 PM