ALLENTOWN, Pa.- The Juniata football team couldn't hold pace as #18 Muhlenberg used a large second quarter to top the Eagles, 56-16, Saturday afternoon at Scotty Wood Stadium.
The Mules won the toss but elected to defer, so JC got the ball first but couldn't get the offense going, so they had to punt.
The JC defense forced a three and out, but after another Eagle three and out, the Mules got going. Starting from the JC 42, Muhlenberg only needed seven plays to drive the 42 yards to get into the endzone to go up 7-0.
The Eagle offense got a first down through a five-yard run from Hunter Wolfley (McClure, Pa. / Midd-West HS) but ultimately had to punt again, and the Mules got to take over from the JC 49. Four plays into the drive, with the ball at the Eagle 25, Nathan Barron (Somerset, Pa. / Somerset Area Senior H.S.) came flying in and knocked the ball out of the quarterback's hands. Logan Peachey (Reedsville, Pa. / Mifflin County H.S. (Kutztown) scooped the ball up and went untouched 74 yards the other way for a touchdown. JC went for two but couldn't convert, so it was 7-6.
Just Peachey! Logan Peachey returns the fumble 74 yards to the house�� #WingsUp #TakingFlight #GoEagles @JuniataFootball pic.twitter.com/nLaYgrXMcs
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) October 23, 2021
The opening four minutes of the second quarter were not kind to the Eagles, as the Mules closed an eight-play drive that ran over from the first quarter with a four-yard rushing touchdown to make it 14-6. They scored on a pick-six and turned another turnover into six points to make it 28-6 Mules with nine and half minutes to go in the half.
Kyhlil Jones (Chapel Hill, NC. / Chapel Hill HS) returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the Muhlenberg 35. Wolfley did most of the work to get the ball down to the Mule 20, and Beckett Leary (Fulton, Md. / Reservoir HS) smacked the ball through the uprights to make it 28-9.
The host's scored twice more to make it 42-9 heading into the halftime break.
Muhlenberg scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass on their second drive of the third quarter, the teams exchanged punts, and JC took over from near midfield with just over four minutes to go in the quarter.
Jason Clark (Philadelphia, Pa. / Kensington CAPA HS) completed an 18-yard pass to Isaiah Collison (Chandler, Az. / Chandler HS) and a 19-yard pass to Sean Blackwell (Millington, Md. / Queen Anne's County HS) to get to the Muhlenberg 12. Wolfley took the handoff, bounced outside, and dove for the endzone to make it 49-16.
Hunter Wolfley with the TD�� #WingsUp #GoEagles #TakingFlight #JCFB #D3FB @JuniataFootball pic.twitter.com/tFOoYOEUTI
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) October 23, 2021
Muhlenberg returned the kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to complete the scoring.
JR Harrison (Windsor Mill, Md. / Dulaney HS) led the defense in tackles with 11 total and a pass breakup. Barron had six total tackles, a sack, two tfls, and a forced fumble, while Michael Grapin (Springfield, Pa. / Springfield HS) also had six total tackles, a sack, and 1.5 tfls. Wolfley had 22 carries, 86 yards, and a touchdown.
Juniata returns home to take on Dickinson, Saturday at 1:00.
