Junior
Michael Hnatkowsky threw for 385 yards and five touchdown passes as the Muhlenberg football team completed a perfect regular season with a 52-7 win against Moravian.
The Mules (10-0, 9-0), ranked fifth in Division III and second in the NCAA South Region, also wrapped up their first outright Centennial Conference championship since 2008. They will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament next Saturday, with opponent and site to be announced on Sunday.
Hnatkowsky completed 27 of 35 passes in recording his second consecutive 300-yard game. Combined with the 397 he passed for last week at Gettysburg, it gave him the school record for passing yards in back-to-back games (782). He tied the school record of five touchdown passes for the third time this season and also set a season mark of 34 TD passes, breaking the mark of 31 he set last year in 136 more attempts.
The Mules outgained Moravian, 552-150, and rolled up 27 first downs to defeat their Lehigh Valley rivals for the ninth consecutive season and even the all-time series at 33-33-2.
By allowing only seven points, Muhlenberg set a CC record for fewest points allowed in league games (91) since the league went to 10 teams in 2010. The previous mark of 107 was set by Johns Hopkins in 2011. The Mules outscored their nine CC foes by a 371-91 margin.
Senior
Mickey Kober led a balanced defense with 6 tackles, while fellow senior
Frank Cresta made three stops behind the line of scrimmage. Senior
Frankie Feaster recorded his 31st career sack and broke up a pass.
After the first three drives of the game ended on punts, Hnatkowsky ended consecutive possessions with touchdown passes of 11 and 7 yards to senior
Ryan Curtiss (7 catches, 109 yards) to put Muhlenberg ahead, 13-0. The first TD capped a 92-yard drive.
The two touchdown catches gave Curtiss 10 for the season, tying the school record for tight ends. They also made Curtiss and fellow senior
Max Kirin the first Mule tandem to reach double figures in TD catches in the same season.
The Greyhounds (4-6, 4-5) responded with their best drive of the day, marching 68 yards in 10 plays to draw to within 13-7 on a 3-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter.
The Muhlenberg defense stiffened, however, and did not allow another first down until late in the third quarter.
Two touchdown passes to senior
Chris Hillburn and one to junior
Nick Ugarte (6 catches, 109 yards) extended the lead to 33-7 in the final minute of the first half. Following Hillburn's second touchdown, Hnatkowsky caught a two-point conversion pass from sophomore
Michael Feaster on a trick play.
Junior
James Diggs and senior
Mark Riggio rushed for second-half touchdowns.
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