Muhlenberg Blocks Field Goal to Win Defensive Showdown
From the Gettysburg College Website:
Muhlenberg Blocks Field Goal to Win Defensive Showdown
Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Chris Swensen blocked Josh Huson’s (McLean, Va./McLean) 33-yard field-goal attempt with 34 seconds left, lifting Muhlenberg College to a 14-13 Centennial Conference win over Gettysburg College Saturday afternoon at a hot and muggy Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.
Gettysburg (2-2, 1-1 CC), which had its nine-game home winning streak snapped, had driven 52 yards on seven plays to set up Huson’s attempt. Sophomore quarterback Matt Flynn had a 30-yard run during the drive that set up the Bullets at the Muhlenberg-26. The Bullets had not lost at home since their 41-20 setback to Rochester on Sept. 17, 2005.
After a 14-yard run by John DeLuca, Muhlenberg (3-0, 1-0 CC), which was playing its Centennial Conference opener, was able to run out the remainder of the clock.
For the second game in a row, the Bullet defense held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing, limiting the Mules to 67 yards on the ground and 222 total yards. Gettysburg also made a season-high four sacks, which all came in the first half.
DeLuca finished with 87 yards rushing while Eric Santagato completed 13 of 21 passes for 155 yards to lead the Mules. Santagato had a hand in both of the Mules’ touchdowns, throwing a 9-yard scoring strike and running in from 2 yards out for another score.
Senior tailback Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) led Gettysburg with 88 yards rushing and one touchdown.
The two teams combined to convert just 2 of 25 third downs, with Muhlenberg going 1-for-14 and Gettysburg making 1 of 13.
It was defensive battle in the early going, with neither team able to get anything going offensively. Eleven of the first 12 drives of the game resulted in a punt, with the other ending on a missed 37-yard field goal by Muhlenberg. It was a 0-0 game at the end of the first quarter.
An excellent punt from sophomore Andrew Weingart (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) midway through the second quarter helped set up Gettysburg’s first score. Weingart’s booming 50-yard kick was downed at the Muhlenberg-1, and after forcing the Mules to go three-and-out, a 14-yard punt return by freshman Stephen Gass (Crozet, Va./Western Albemarle) gave Gettysburg the ball at the Muhlenberg-27. Four plays later, Sturges raced into the end zone from 8 yards out, and a Huson extra point made it 7-0 with 5:40 left in the opening half.
Sturges’ touchdown marked the first points scored against Muhlenberg this season, as the Mules had blanked their opponents over their first nine quarters this season.
Gettysburg’s defense came up with its seventh straight stop on the ensuing possession, forcing the Mules to punt for the sixth time in the half, and Huson drilled a 35-yard field goal 1:26 before halftime, giving the Bullets a 10-0 lead at the break.
The Bullets held Muhlenberg to four rushing yards in the opening half, thanks in part to their four sacks that totaled 25 yards lost.
The Mules capitalized on Gettysburg’s first turnover of the game to get on the scoreboard early in the second half. Safety Dan Aitkens made a juggling interception off a screen pass and returned the ball 23 yards to the Gettysburg-13.
Two plays later, Santagato hit Phil Cresta with a 9-yard touchdown pass, making it 10-7 with 11:46 on the clock.
Later in the quarter, the Bullets appeared to have stopped the Mules on a third-and-goal, but a pass interference penalty gave the visitors a first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Santagato found paydirt on the next play, and Jordon Grube’s second extra point gave Muhlenberg a 14-10 lead with 1:25 left in the third quarter.
On the next possession, Gettysburg marched 59 yards on nine plays, highlighted by a 44-yard catch-and-run down the right sideline by sophomore tailback Michael McInerney (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) that perched the Bullets at the Muhlenberg-17. Three plays later, Huson booted in his second field goal of the game, this one from 32 yards out, to trim the Mules’ lead to 14-13 with 11:59 remaining.
A big 33-yard pass from Santagato to Matt Johnson gave Muhlenberg the ball at the Gettysburg-35 with less than four minutes left, but senior linebacker Harold Barton (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) recovered a bad snap on the next play, setting up Gettysburg’s late drive. Sophomore halfback Ricky Manigat (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) started the march with a 12-yard run before Flynn’s 30-yard romp. Junior Nick McConnell (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) put the Bullets at the Mule-14 with a 12-yard, first-down run, but Gettysburg lost two yards over the next three plays before Swensen’s block.
David Mazzola handled all 11 of Muhlenberg’s punts, averaging 32.5 yards per kick with three landing inside the 20. Weingart averaged 38.9 yards over nine punts, including a 50-yarder.
Barton finished with a team-high seven tackles and a sack for Gettysburg while junior defensive end Josh Jerrold (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury East) made 1.5 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. Linebacker Matt Rathbun led all players with eight tackles for Muhlenberg.
The Bullets return to action next Saturday, when they visit Ursinus College at 1 p.m. in another Centennial Conference game.
From the Muhlenberg College Website:
Blocked field goal preserves football win
Big games often come down to big plays. Two big plays – on the first and last snaps taken by Gettysburg in the second half – were the difference as the Muhlenberg football team remained undefeated with a 14-13 win.
The Mules (3-0) not only won their Centennial Conference opener for the first time since 2002, but they also snapped the Bullets’ nine-game home winning streak and won a one-point game on the road for the first time since 1985.
The game wasn’t decided until the final minute, when Gettysburg’s kicker lined up to attempt a potential game-winning field goal from 33 yards with 34.5 seconds left. Junior defensive end Chris Swensen broke up the middle and blocked the kick, preserving the win.
“I was inches away from blocking an extra point and a field goal [earlier in the game],” said Swensen. “Me, Mike Nolan and Billy Moates got a good push, and I blocked it with my helmet.”
The game was billed as a showdown between the best offense (Gettysburg) and the best defense (Muhlenberg) in the CC, but it was the Bullet defense that owned the first half. The Mules managed just four first downs and as many rushing yards in the first 30 minutes.
Gettysburg’s offense was held in check for most of the first half, too. Late in the half, following a short punt and 12-yard return, the Bullets needed only four plays to drive 27 yards for a touchdown.
The seven points were the first allowed by Muhlenberg all season and ended the Mules’ unscored-upon streak at 163:03. Gettysburg (2-2, 1-1) added a field goal with 1:26 left to send Muhlenberg into the locker room down 10-0.
Sophomore safety Dan Aitkens provided the Mules the spark they needed early in the second half. On the Bullets’ first play from scrimmage, Aitkens batted a screen pass up into the air, came down with the ball and returned it to the Gettysburg 13. Two plays later, sophomore Phil Cresta took a screen pass from junior Eric Santagato and turned it into a 9-yard touchdown, putting Muhlenberg on the board.
Consecutive runs of 18 and 7 yards by junior John DeLuca later in the third quarter set up the go-ahead touchdown, a 2-yard run by Santagato. The score came the play after junior Joe Caporoso was tackled in the end zone on third down for a pass interference penalty.
Gettysburg closed to within a point with a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
The Mules took over at their own 33 with 4:08 remaining and appeared to be in good shape to run out the clock when senior Matt Johnson caught a quick slant and broke tackles for a 33-yard gain. But Muhlenberg fumbled the next snap and the Bullets recovered, then ran for 12, 30 and 12 yards on the next three plays to get in position for the field-goal try.
Muhlenberg hadn’t overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to win since 1984, when it trailed Ursinus 17-0 at the break but rallied to win, 27-17.
DeLuca finished with 87 tough yards on 27 carries. Junior Matt Rathbun led the Mule defense – which held the Bullets more than 200 yards below their season average of 454.0 – with eight tackles, two for loss. Senior Dustin Good made three tackles for loss and forced a fumble, and Aitkens added two tackles for loss to his game-turning interception.
“We knew they were going to make plays; we didn’t expect to win by shutout,” said Swensen. “We gave up a big run at the end, but we didn’t put our heads down. We worked too hard to give up.”
Click here for box score.
Muhlenberg Blocks Field Goal to Win Defensive Showdown
Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Chris Swensen blocked Josh Huson’s (McLean, Va./McLean) 33-yard field-goal attempt with 34 seconds left, lifting Muhlenberg College to a 14-13 Centennial Conference win over Gettysburg College Saturday afternoon at a hot and muggy Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.
Gettysburg (2-2, 1-1 CC), which had its nine-game home winning streak snapped, had driven 52 yards on seven plays to set up Huson’s attempt. Sophomore quarterback Matt Flynn had a 30-yard run during the drive that set up the Bullets at the Muhlenberg-26. The Bullets had not lost at home since their 41-20 setback to Rochester on Sept. 17, 2005.
After a 14-yard run by John DeLuca, Muhlenberg (3-0, 1-0 CC), which was playing its Centennial Conference opener, was able to run out the remainder of the clock.
For the second game in a row, the Bullet defense held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing, limiting the Mules to 67 yards on the ground and 222 total yards. Gettysburg also made a season-high four sacks, which all came in the first half.
DeLuca finished with 87 yards rushing while Eric Santagato completed 13 of 21 passes for 155 yards to lead the Mules. Santagato had a hand in both of the Mules’ touchdowns, throwing a 9-yard scoring strike and running in from 2 yards out for another score.
Senior tailback Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) led Gettysburg with 88 yards rushing and one touchdown.
The two teams combined to convert just 2 of 25 third downs, with Muhlenberg going 1-for-14 and Gettysburg making 1 of 13.
It was defensive battle in the early going, with neither team able to get anything going offensively. Eleven of the first 12 drives of the game resulted in a punt, with the other ending on a missed 37-yard field goal by Muhlenberg. It was a 0-0 game at the end of the first quarter.
An excellent punt from sophomore Andrew Weingart (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) midway through the second quarter helped set up Gettysburg’s first score. Weingart’s booming 50-yard kick was downed at the Muhlenberg-1, and after forcing the Mules to go three-and-out, a 14-yard punt return by freshman Stephen Gass (Crozet, Va./Western Albemarle) gave Gettysburg the ball at the Muhlenberg-27. Four plays later, Sturges raced into the end zone from 8 yards out, and a Huson extra point made it 7-0 with 5:40 left in the opening half.
Sturges’ touchdown marked the first points scored against Muhlenberg this season, as the Mules had blanked their opponents over their first nine quarters this season.
Gettysburg’s defense came up with its seventh straight stop on the ensuing possession, forcing the Mules to punt for the sixth time in the half, and Huson drilled a 35-yard field goal 1:26 before halftime, giving the Bullets a 10-0 lead at the break.
The Bullets held Muhlenberg to four rushing yards in the opening half, thanks in part to their four sacks that totaled 25 yards lost.
The Mules capitalized on Gettysburg’s first turnover of the game to get on the scoreboard early in the second half. Safety Dan Aitkens made a juggling interception off a screen pass and returned the ball 23 yards to the Gettysburg-13.
Two plays later, Santagato hit Phil Cresta with a 9-yard touchdown pass, making it 10-7 with 11:46 on the clock.
Later in the quarter, the Bullets appeared to have stopped the Mules on a third-and-goal, but a pass interference penalty gave the visitors a first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Santagato found paydirt on the next play, and Jordon Grube’s second extra point gave Muhlenberg a 14-10 lead with 1:25 left in the third quarter.
On the next possession, Gettysburg marched 59 yards on nine plays, highlighted by a 44-yard catch-and-run down the right sideline by sophomore tailback Michael McInerney (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) that perched the Bullets at the Muhlenberg-17. Three plays later, Huson booted in his second field goal of the game, this one from 32 yards out, to trim the Mules’ lead to 14-13 with 11:59 remaining.
A big 33-yard pass from Santagato to Matt Johnson gave Muhlenberg the ball at the Gettysburg-35 with less than four minutes left, but senior linebacker Harold Barton (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) recovered a bad snap on the next play, setting up Gettysburg’s late drive. Sophomore halfback Ricky Manigat (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) started the march with a 12-yard run before Flynn’s 30-yard romp. Junior Nick McConnell (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) put the Bullets at the Mule-14 with a 12-yard, first-down run, but Gettysburg lost two yards over the next three plays before Swensen’s block.
David Mazzola handled all 11 of Muhlenberg’s punts, averaging 32.5 yards per kick with three landing inside the 20. Weingart averaged 38.9 yards over nine punts, including a 50-yarder.
Barton finished with a team-high seven tackles and a sack for Gettysburg while junior defensive end Josh Jerrold (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury East) made 1.5 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. Linebacker Matt Rathbun led all players with eight tackles for Muhlenberg.
The Bullets return to action next Saturday, when they visit Ursinus College at 1 p.m. in another Centennial Conference game.
From the Muhlenberg College Website:
Blocked field goal preserves football win
Big games often come down to big plays. Two big plays – on the first and last snaps taken by Gettysburg in the second half – were the difference as the Muhlenberg football team remained undefeated with a 14-13 win.
The Mules (3-0) not only won their Centennial Conference opener for the first time since 2002, but they also snapped the Bullets’ nine-game home winning streak and won a one-point game on the road for the first time since 1985.
The game wasn’t decided until the final minute, when Gettysburg’s kicker lined up to attempt a potential game-winning field goal from 33 yards with 34.5 seconds left. Junior defensive end Chris Swensen broke up the middle and blocked the kick, preserving the win.
“I was inches away from blocking an extra point and a field goal [earlier in the game],” said Swensen. “Me, Mike Nolan and Billy Moates got a good push, and I blocked it with my helmet.”
The game was billed as a showdown between the best offense (Gettysburg) and the best defense (Muhlenberg) in the CC, but it was the Bullet defense that owned the first half. The Mules managed just four first downs and as many rushing yards in the first 30 minutes.
Gettysburg’s offense was held in check for most of the first half, too. Late in the half, following a short punt and 12-yard return, the Bullets needed only four plays to drive 27 yards for a touchdown.
The seven points were the first allowed by Muhlenberg all season and ended the Mules’ unscored-upon streak at 163:03. Gettysburg (2-2, 1-1) added a field goal with 1:26 left to send Muhlenberg into the locker room down 10-0.
Sophomore safety Dan Aitkens provided the Mules the spark they needed early in the second half. On the Bullets’ first play from scrimmage, Aitkens batted a screen pass up into the air, came down with the ball and returned it to the Gettysburg 13. Two plays later, sophomore Phil Cresta took a screen pass from junior Eric Santagato and turned it into a 9-yard touchdown, putting Muhlenberg on the board.
Consecutive runs of 18 and 7 yards by junior John DeLuca later in the third quarter set up the go-ahead touchdown, a 2-yard run by Santagato. The score came the play after junior Joe Caporoso was tackled in the end zone on third down for a pass interference penalty.
Gettysburg closed to within a point with a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
The Mules took over at their own 33 with 4:08 remaining and appeared to be in good shape to run out the clock when senior Matt Johnson caught a quick slant and broke tackles for a 33-yard gain. But Muhlenberg fumbled the next snap and the Bullets recovered, then ran for 12, 30 and 12 yards on the next three plays to get in position for the field-goal try.
Muhlenberg hadn’t overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to win since 1984, when it trailed Ursinus 17-0 at the break but rallied to win, 27-17.
DeLuca finished with 87 tough yards on 27 carries. Junior Matt Rathbun led the Mule defense – which held the Bullets more than 200 yards below their season average of 454.0 – with eight tackles, two for loss. Senior Dustin Good made three tackles for loss and forced a fumble, and Aitkens added two tackles for loss to his game-turning interception.
“We knew they were going to make plays; we didn’t expect to win by shutout,” said Swensen. “We gave up a big run at the end, but we didn’t put our heads down. We worked too hard to give up.”
Click here for box score.
posted by Pat McConnell | 7:33 AM
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