SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior quarterback Eric Santagato (Ringwood, NJ) passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third and senior running back
John DeLuca (Sayville, NY) rushed for 134 yards to lead #6 Muhlenberg to a 31-14 non-league victory at Union Saturday in front of 2,120 at Frank Bailey Field. The Mules improve to 2-0 while the Dutchmen fall to 1-1.
Muhlenberg's defense, led by sophomore linebacker Matt Rathbun (Boonton, NJ), produced six sacks, two interceptions, and held the hosts to 184 total yards. Rathbun led the Mules with eight tackles, two tackles for losses (including a sack), and a 41 yard interception return. The Muhlenberg offense had 313 total yards, including 199 on the ground.
Sophomore running back
Chris Coney (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) rushed for 81 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown for the Dutchmen, while starting quarterback
Andy Catellier (Voorheesville, NY) passed for 92 yards and completed seven of 14 pass attempts. Junior linebacker
John Peters (Clarks Summit, PA) had a game high 11 tackles for Union, including seven primary hits.
Joe Catalano (Albany, NY) had nine tackles, a sack and a forced fumble for the Dutchmen.
The Mules opened the scoring with a two yard touchdown run by Santagato with just 3:18 elapsed in the first quarter. The drive started when Scott Gavin (Taylor, PA) intercepted a pass at the Union 41 and returned it to the Dutchmen 22 yard line at 1:25. Four plays and 22 yards later in 1:53, the Mules had a 7-0 lead. Muhlenberg forced another turnover on the next Union drive to set up the 14-0 advantage. Catellier was sacked for a 12 yard loss by Jake Floyd (Springfield, NJ), and the fumble was recovered by Frank Emmitt (Clarks Summit, PA) at the Union 16. Six plays and 2:56 later, Santagato found JJ Contessa (Redding, CT) in the endzone with 7:24 left. The Dutchmen got on the board when Coney rushed for a 20 yard touchdown with 9:07 remaining in the first half. The play capped a four play, 31 yard drive in 1:51.
Both defenses held the offensive units quiet for most of the third quarter. But with 4:05 left in the period, Santagato found Phil Cresta (Aston, PA) on a third and 16 from the Union 30, and Cresta went the distance for the 21-7 lead. It was a six play, 54 yard drive that took 1:26. With one minute left in the period, Union's
Eric Baxter (Poughkeepsie, NY) intercepted a Santagato pass at the Muhlenberg 25. Starting at that yard line, the Dutchmen got to the 18 but on a third and 13 early in the fourth quarter, Rathbun got a pick at the 16 and took it 41 yards to stymie the threat. On the ensuing drive, Santagato's one yard touchdown run with 11:36 left in the period made it 28-7 to wrap up a five play, 28 yard drive in 2:30.
Michael Katz (Plainview, NY) booted a 23 yard field goal with 3:17 left for a 31-7 lead, and the 10 play, 71 yard drive consumed over one third of the final period (5:26). Union freshman quarterback Andrew Connolly (Foxboro, MA) rushed from seven yards out as time ran out in the game, as the Dutchmen closed out the contest with a 15 play, 62 yard drive in the final 3:11.
Union opens Liberty League play next Saturday, September 27, at home against the University of Rochester. Muhlenberg opens the Centennial Conference portion of the schedule, hosting Gettysburg Saturday.
