LANCASTER, Pa. --- Junior running back Frank Strumolo ran for 82 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries to lead the Franklin & Marshall College football team to a 34-2 Centennial Conference win over visiting Moravian College Saturday.
F&M improves to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in Centennial Conference action this season while the Greyhounds, who started a three-game road trip on Saturday, fall to 2-5 overall and 2-4 in conference play.
The Diplomats received the opening kickoff of the game but would punt after three plays. On the Greyhounds' first possessions, Moravian would pick up a first down on its opening play with a 12-yard completion from sophomore quarterback Jimmy Lahue to freshman wide receiver Will McLaughlin. However, the drive stalled near midfield, brining senior Tyler Thompson in to punt.
F&M needed seven plays to drive 88 yards and break onto the scoreboard first on its next possession. Junior quarterback E.J. Schneider completed a 32-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Paul McGann to put the Diplomats in the red zone, and Strumolo finished off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run. Junior Chris DeStefano connected on the extra-point to give F&M a 7-0 lead with 9:22 to play in the third quarter.
Moravian would start its next possession at its own 41-yard line after a 23-yard kickoff return from junior defensive back Brandon Lesko. However, Lahue would be intercepted on the first play of the drive when senior linebacker Sam Massaro picked off a long pass at the F&M 33-yard line.
The Diplomats would capitalize on the turnover with Schneider connecting on a one-yard touchdown pass with junior wide receiver Tim Muller, finishing an eight-play, 67 yard drive. DeStefano would make the PAT for a 14-0 lead with 4:36 to go in the first quarter.
The Greyhounds would have a 92-yard kickoff return by McCarthy negated due to a penalty, and Moravian ended up punting after three plays.
Strumolo would score his second touchdown of the game with 36 seconds left in the opening quarter on a seven yard run. DeStefano added the extra-point to push the F&M lead to 21-0.
Moravian would punt again, this time with Thompson getting off a 45-yard punt that was downed at the F&M 16-yard line. The Diplomats would have a touchdown on the drive negated by a penalty and on the ensuing play, sophomore running back Lamont Jackson was stripped by Moravian sophomore linebacker Kevin Bracken, who covered the ball at the Moravian 20-yard line.
The Greyhounds were unable to capitalize on the turnover with Thompson eventually punting again. McGann fumbled the punt with Moravian sophomore linebacker Richard Kugel covering the ball at the F&M 32. After several penalties, the Greyhounds would end up bringing Thompson into punt again and the ball was downed at the F&M three-yard line.
On the ensuing drive, Moravian's defense would force the Diplomats to attempt a punt from their own 20-yard line. The snap would fly over senior punter Devin Hunter's head and out of the end zone for a safety for the Greyhounds, their third of the season, and setting the score at 21-2 with 3:09 left in the first half.
Moravian was unable to move the ball after the free kick before Thompson connected on a 49-yard punt into the end zone for a touchback. The Diplomats would drive into the Greyhounds' end of the field before Schneider was intercepted by Moravian sophomore linebacker Ed Buoye at the Moravian 15-yard line, and he returned the ball 13 yards.
The Greyhounds would pick up a first down on a 16-yard rush by senior running back Joe Tegan before the half ended with F&M leading 21-2.
Moravian would receive the opening kickoff of the opening half with senior defensive back Travis King returning the kick 22 yards to break Moravian's school career record with 1,245 yards on 61 returns, breaking Jed Warsager's '05 mark of 1,240 yards. The Greyhounds picked up a first down by penalty before first down passes from Lahue to freshman wide receiver Jimmy McCarthy and McLaughlin. The Greyhounds would reach the F&M 20-yard line before Thompson came on to try a 32-yard field goal attempt that came up short.
The Diplomats would drive 80 yards on 12 plays on their opening possession of the second half with Strumolo finishing the drive with his third touchdown of the game, this one on a six-yard run. DeStefano attempted to run for two point conversion on a bad snap, failing to reach the end zone, leaving the score 27-2 with 3:19 to go in the third quarter.
The Greyhounds would go three-and-out on their next possession with Thompson's punt of 41 yards being muffed. The Diplomats ended up starting at their own three-yard line, and the would go 97 yards on 17 plays with sophomore running back Scott LaValva finishing the possession with a two-yard touchdown run. DeStefano added the extra-point to set the score at 34-2 with 6:19 left in the game.
Moravian moved down the field on a ten-yard run from sophomore running back Tom Froehlich , a penalty by F&M for a first down, a 12-yard pass from Lahue to freshman wide receiver Jason Feuhring, and a three-yard run by Lahue for another first down. The Greyhounds reached the red zone and would keep possession after an apparent Lahue interception due to another penalty on the Diplomats. However, Moravian would end up turning the ball over on downs at the F&M seven-yard line. The Diplomats would take a knee to run out the clock.
Schneider completed 22-of-29 passes for 294 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he also ran for 59 yards on five carries. LaValva finished with 55 rushing yards on 14 carries while Jackson added 51 yards on nine attempts. Muller caught nine passes for 88 yards with his touchdown while McGann pulled in six passes for 107 yards. Hunter would catch three passes for 60 yards for the Diplomats.
Lahue connected on ten-of-23 passes for 91 yards with one interception with McLaughlin catching five passes for 50 yards and Fuehring adding two receptions for 26 yards. Froehlich ran for 31 yards on ten carries while Tegan added 28 yards on seven attempts. McCarthy would run the ball twice for 13 yards to go with one reception for nine yards anf three kickoff returns for 49 yards.
Bracken led the Moravian defense with nine tackles to go with his forced fumble and fumble recovery while King and senior defensive back Rocco Del Priore each made eight tackles. Lesko added five stops to go with two kickoff returns for 36 yards while Buoye had six tackles to go with his interception.
Massaro, sophomore linebacker Ryan Young and senior defensive lineman Kenny Provost led the F&M defense with four tackles apiece.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, October 27th in a Centennial Conference game at Gettysburg College kicking off at 1:00 p.m.
