DONNELLY WINS 100th AS MUHLENBERG BLANKS F&M
The Muhlenberg College football team allowed only 231 total yards in blanking Franklin & Marshall, 21-0, in its Centennial Conference and home opener, giving head coach Mike Donnelly his 100th career win.
Donnelly, in his 16th season, has a career record of 100-61. He is the first coach in Muhlenberg history to reach the century mark, and the game that got him there was typical for the coordinators of one of Division III's stingiest defenses.
Franklin & Marshall, coached by former Donnelly assistant John Troxell, had only one serious scoring opportunity, missing a 33-yard field goal late in the second quarter. The Mule defense allowed only 94 yards in the second half and forced three turnovers against a Diplomat team led by the reigning CC player of the week. F&M did not have a play from scrimmage of longer than 14 yards.
Mule quarterback Dan Deighan threw for 107 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 91 and another score. Terrence Dandridge rushed for 99 yards and the third Muhlenberg TD.
Muhlenberg (2-0, 1-0) forced a fumble on the second play of the game, with Shane O'Connor recovering, although it didn't translate into any points. The Mules started their second drive at the 20 following a punt into the end zone and needed only four plays to make it to the other end zone. Deighan found Isaiah Vaughn in stride on a post pattern for a 43-yard scoring play.
On Muhlenberg's next offensive play, Vaughn had an electrifying 57-yard touchdown run on a double reverse, but the play was called back by a holding penalty.
The score remained 7-0 at the end of the first half. On the third play of the second half, Deighan juggled the snap, then ran around right end 47 yards for a touchdown.
The Mules sealed the win with a nine-play, 73-yard drive, culminating in Dandridge's 8-yard scoring run, late in the fourth quarter.
Muhlenberg's defense put the stamp on the win on F&M's final drive sacking quarterback Anthony Carlucci on three straight plays.
Kory Crichton led the defense with 12 tackles, including a sack, and fellow inside linebacker Matt Johnson recorded eight stops and an interception.
Lamont Jackson rushed for 70 yards for the Diplomats (1-1, 0-1). E.J. Schneider passed for 92 yards in the first half, with Carlucci playing the second and throwing for 74. Older brother Joe Carlucci saw action at quarterback for Muhlenberg, rushing for 37 yards and passing for 13.
