BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Senior running back Terrence Dandridge ran for 185 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries to lead the Muhlenberg College football team to a 45-7 Centennial Conference win over host Moravian College at Rocco Calvo Field Saturday afternoon to close out the 2012 regular season.
Dandridge was named the Bianco Award winner as the Mules Player of the Game, and he added one reception for three yards. Freshman wide receiver Jimmy McCarthy was named Moravian's Player of the Game after catching a career high ten passes for 118 yards, and he added one rush for a yard and four kickoff returns for 83 yards. McCarthy is the third different Moravian wide receiver with a 100-yard receiving game this season, and he broke the school record for kickoff returns in a season with 29 in his debut season, breaking the mark set by senior defensive back Travis King in 2009 as a freshman.
Moravian, which finishes the season at 2-8 and 2-7 in Centennial Conference action, received the opening kickoff. Sophomore quarterback Jimmy Lahue completed a 12-yard pass to McCarthy for a first down , but the Greyhounds would end up punting three plays later.
The Mules, who are 8-2 on the year and 7-2 in conference action and will await word on either an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III Playoffs or a berth in the ECAC Bowl games, would take their first possession of the game at their own 21-yardline. Muhlenberg would drive 79 yards in 11 plays with Dandridge picking up 52 yards on six carries before junior quarterback Joe Carlucci, making his first career start, scored on a one-yard run on a third-and-goal play. Sophomore Connor Winter added the extra-point to put the Mules ahead 7-0 with 7:47 to go in the first quarter.
Moravian had one first down on its next drive on a pass from Lahue to freshman wide receiver Will McLaughlin before the drive stalled at the Greyhounds' own 40-yard line bringing on senior punter Tyler Thompson to punt.
Muhlenberg was unable to move the ball and punted after three plays.
Senior running back C.J. Billera rushed 21 yards to the Moravian 37-yard line on the first play of the drive for the Greyhounds, and Lahue would connect with McCarthy for a 16-yard first down completion to the Muhlenberg 46-yard line. However, two plays later, Lahue was intercepted by junior defensive lineman Johnathan Charles at midfield, and he returned the ball 25 yards before being hit from behind by Moravian senior running back Joe Tegan and fumbling. Muhlenberg senior linebacker Matt Johnson covered the ball at the Moravian 18-yard line.
The Mules would run three plays but gain just one yard before Winter came on and made a 34-yard field goal on the second play of the second quarter, pushing the Muhlenberg lead to 10-0 with 14:16 remaining before the half.
The Greyhounds would gain a first down on their next possession on a 14-yard run from Lahue on third-and-12 but Thompson would be called on to punt again.
The Mules had moved the ball near midfield when Moravian senior defensive back Rees Judge intercepted a Carlucci pass at the Muhlenberg 48-yard line, and Judge returned the interception, his fourth of the season, the Muhlenberg 11-yard line.
Moravian moved to the five yard line on a pass from Lahue to Billera but would bring Thompson on for a 22-yard field goal attempt. The low kick was blocked by Muhlenberg sophomore tight end Michael Long to preserve the Mules' 10-0 lead.
Muhlenberg would start at its own 20-yard line, and the Mules would drive 80 yards in 11 plays with Dandridge scoring for the first time in the game on an eight-yard run. Winter's PAT pushed the Mules' advantage to 17-0 with 4:09 left in the second quarter.
The Greyhounds punted again after three plays.
The Mules started from their own 30-yard line, and this time needed nine plays to cover 61 yards to the end zone with Carlucci capping the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Long. Winter was good on the point after attempt to make the Muhlenberg lead 24-0 with just 18 seconds to halftime.
Muhlenberg took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 75 yards in six plays with Dandridge scoring on a two-yard run, and Winter making the extra-point for a 31-0 Mules' lead with 12:52 left in the third quarter.
The Greyhounds picked up a first down on their opening possession of the second half with Lahue hit McCarthy with a 17-yard pass on a third-and-14 play. However, the Greyhounds would end up punting from near midfield.
After a short punt, Carlucci connected on a 52-yard pass to senior wide receiver Isaiah Vaughn to put the Mules at the six-yard line, and Dandridge scored his third touchdown of the half one the next play. Winter pushed the Muhlenberg lead to 38-0 with the PAT with just under nine minutes to go in the third quarter.
Lahue would complete three passes for first downs on Moravian's next drive with completions to McCarthy, McLaughlin and senior wide receiver Albie Moran. A penalty on Muhlenberg would move the ball to the Muhlenberg 22-yard line but the Greyhounds would turn the ball over on downs.
The Mules would drive down to the Moravian 23-yard line but turned the ball over on downs on the first play of the fourth quarter when Carlucci was stopped for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-one by King.
Lahue completed an 11-yard pass to senior wide receiver Ryan Onushco on the opening play, and then he connected with McCarthy on another 14-yard gain before the Greyhounds turned the ball over on towns at the Muhlenberg 41-yard line.
The Mules would drive 58 yards in ten plays with junior running back Kevin Van Laar scoring on a one-yard run with 7:12 left in the game to finish off the drive. Winter was true again on the extra-point for a 45-0 lead.
Lahue connected on five straight passes to start Moravian's next drive, including two to McCarthy of 15 and 17 yards, for four straight first downs. On a second and two-play from the Muhlenberg 12-yard line, Lahue was looking for McCarthy in the end zone but Muhlenberg senior defensive back John Muha stepped in front of the pass and intercepted the ball for a touchback.
The Mules picked up a first down but the Moravian defense would come up with a sack and force a Muhlenberg punt. Billera came running up to take the low kick from Winter and started running up the left sideline. Billera would eventually cut back all the way across the field around the 15 yard line and dive to the front pylon for a 48-yard punt return for a touchdown. Thompson would make the extra-point to set the score at 45-7 with just 1:58 to go. For Moravian, Billera's punt return for a touchdown was the first for the programs since Jack Walls had a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown on September 9, 1995.
The Mules would run out the clock to end the game. Muhlenberg's offense ran 78 plays for 460 yards and controlled the clock for 30:14 of the game. Carlucci completed 13-of-20 passes for 141 yards with a score and an interception, and he added 40 yards on seven carries. Vaughn caught a team high five passes for 109 yards while Long added four catches for 25 yards. Senior wide receiver John Merklinger caught three passes for 24 yards while Van Laar added 46 yards and a touchdown on eight rushing attempts.
Lahue completed a career high 22 passes, tying for the seventh most in a game in school history, in 35 attempts for 218 yards. Billera led the Moravian rushing attack with 32 yards on 18 carries, and he added three receptions for 28 yards. Moran caught three passes for 26 yards while Onushco had three receptions for 24 yards. King would return three kickoffs for 61 yards for the Greyhounds to finish his career with school records of 65 returns for 1,317 yards.
King and freshman linebacker Brendan Downey, who returned to the lineup after missing four games, each had ten tackles with King adding a sack and two tackles for loss and Downey breaking up a pass. Senior defensive back Rocco Del Priore and junior defensive back Brandon Lesko each had nine tackles while senior defensive end Luke Trexler had eight tackles with a sack in his final career game. Sophomore defensive lineman Andrew Richmond added eight tackles as well while Judge had four stops to go with his interception.
Freshman defensive back Matt Pagano led the Muhlenberg defense with nine tackles including one and a half for loss while sophomore linebacker Ian Gimbar had seven tackles including four of the Mules five sacks and a total of four and a half tackles for loss. Senior defensive back Shane O'Connor had six tackles while Charles had five tackles with one for loss to go with his interception and a total of two passes defended.
