Release courtesy of Muhlenberg Athletic Communications
An incredible Muhlenberg football season finished with an incredible game.
Fourth-ranked Mount Union threw a touchdown pass in overtime to pull out a 35-29 win, ending an NCAA quarterfinal game in which the Mules (11-2) came from behind twice, tying the score on a touchdown pass and two-point conversion with 1:20 left in the fourth quarter, and survived a missed field-goal attempt before the end of regulation.
The Purple Raiders (13-0) advance to the semifinals to face defending national champion North Central.
On the strength of two touchdown passes from senior Michael Hnatkowsky to senior Mitch Daniel, one in the second quarter and one in the third, Muhlenberg opened up a 21-9 lead. But Mount Union scored the next 20 points, taking a 29-21 lead on a short touchdown run with 6:04 to play in regulation.
Muhlenberg went three-and-out on its next drive and punted the ball back. On its ensuing drive, Mount Union elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 near midfield. The Mules got the stop but could not advance the ball in four plays, giving the ball back to the Purple Raiders with 3:38 to play.
The defense held again, forcing Mount Union back on three plays. On fourth down, the Purple Raider punter put his knee down to field the snap, and the play was whistled dead, giving the ball to Muhlenberg at the 25-yard line.
Four complete passes later – two to senior Michael Feaster and two to senior Thomas Murphy – the Mules were in the end zone, cutting the gap to 29-27 on Feaster's 8-yard catch. Muhlenberg then lined up for its first two-point conversion attempt of the season and made good, tying the score when Hnatkowsky hit Murphy on a slant.
Mount Union took the ensuing kickoff and drove down the field quickly, gaining a first down at the Muhlenberg 15. On second down, senior James McGettigan forced a fumble with a sack, pushing the Raiders back to the 24. They tried a 41-yard field goal on the next play, but it sailed wide with 11 ticks on the clock.
Muhlenberg got one first down on its overtime possession before missing a field goal. Mount Union needed only two plays to reach the end zone and end the wild game.
The Raiders scored on their first possession – the first points allowed by Muhlenberg this postseason – but missed the extra point. Sophomore Christopher Ardito returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to jumpstart the Mule offense. Hnatkowsky completed a 17-yard pass to Feaster on fourth down to keep the drive alive, then scampered in from a yard out to give Muhlenberg a 7-6 lead.
Mount Union moved the ball for much of the first half and early part of the third quarter but was kept out of the end zone by the Muhlenberg defense. The Mules made a fourth-down stop on the 14-yard line midway through the second quarter. Junior John Lohrer picked off a pass in the end zone later in the quarter, and junior Alex Batista thwarted another drive with his first career interception in the third quarter.
In the last game of his career, Hnatkowsky was 30-of-58 for 294 yards and three touchdowns. The 58 attempts tied a school record, and Hnatkowsky also broke his own school records for touchdown passes (47) and passing yards (3,876) in a season. He finished his career with 144 TD passes, good for fifth in Division III history.
Feaster caught a career-high 13 passes for 115 yards, becoming the first player in Centennial Conference history with 100 receptions in a season. Daniel caught six passes for 85 yards, giving the Mules two 1000-yard receivers in a season for the first time ever.
Senior Joshua Barnett led the defense with 10 stops, while Lohrer added two tackles for loss and a breakup to his interception. Senior Quentin Ogren also had two tackles for loss, and junior Tyler Ekstrom recovered a fumbled punt – the 10th turnover forced by the Mules in their three postseason games.