The Muhlenberg football team put up a valiant effort on the road in its season finale, taking a lead into the fourth quarter before Dickinson came back for a 34-28 to win.
The Red Devils (8-2, 6-1) clinched the Centennial Conference championship with the win but had to come from behind three times to do so. The Mules (5-5, 3-4) held leads of 7-0 and 14-7 in the first half and scored back-to-back touchdowns to open up a 28-21 advantage in the third quarter.
Muhlenberg took the second-half kickoff and drove 71 yards in 11 plays to tie the game on a 1-yard touchdown run by senior
Amari Dunn. Highlights of the drive included a 9-yard run on third down by junior
Luke Spang, a rare reception by an offensive lineman when sophomore
Ryan Harden caught a deflected ball for a 4-yard gain, and a 12-yard completion from Spang to freshman
Cody Arevalo on fourth-and-2.
The defense followed by forcing a three-and-out, with senior
CJ Newman and junior
Nick Servidio combining for a sack on third down. Sophomore
Jack Waranavage blocked the ensuing punt, and the Mules took over on the Dickinson 3.
Three plays later, Spang
(pictured above) connected with graduate student
Aidan Mack on a touchdown pass to give Muhlenberg a 28-21 lead.
The Red Devils drove inside the 10 on their next drive but were stopped on third-and-1 (by sophomore
Luke Foley and junior
Joseph Papa) and fourth-and-1 (by Newman). They did tie the game early in the fourth quarter, however, and take the lead on a touchdown with 6:44 remaining.
Muhlenberg drove to midfield on its next drive before it was stalled by a third-down sack. Dickinson converted a big third-and-8 just before the two-minute timeout, and the Mules only had time for a desperation play when they got the ball back at their 12 with 13 seconds left.
Spang
(pictured above) rushed for 62 yards and two first-half touchdowns for the Mules. Dunn finished with 81 yards, ending the season with 991.
Newman and junior
Thomas Cerruti paced the defense with 12 tackles apiece.
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