Box Score
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Matt Bernardo
rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns as Muhlenberg scored
on its first four possessions en route to a 41-0 victory over
Gettysburg in Centennial Conference (CC) football action on
Saturday.
Justin Jones completed 12 of
18 passes for 177 yards and found Alfredo Mercuri on
a 51-yard scoring strike early in the second quarter to help
the Mules (6-1, 4-1 CC) defeat the Bullets (3-4, 1-3 CC) by
the same final score for the third consecutive season. In
the process, Muhlenberg became the first team to post three
straight shutouts against Gettysburg since Penn State blanked
the Bullets seven straight times from 1917-24.
Jordan Wright keyed the Mules’
defense, recording five solo tackles, one interception and
one forced fumble as Muhlenberg held the Bullets to 82 of
their 223 total yards in the decisive first half.
Sophomore halfback Gentris Bryant (Wilmington,
DE/Archmere Acad.) led Gettysburg with 59 rushing
yards, but quarterback Joe Gossweiler (Florham Park,
NJ/Hanover Park), the reigning CC Offensive Player
of the Week, was sacked three times and limited to 66 total
yards.
After carrying 44 times in a 23-10 victory
at Johns Hopkins the previous week, Bernardo again assumed
the workhorse role in Muhlenberg’s déjà vu victory.
The program’s all-time scoring leader carried
seven times for 41 yards on the Mules’ first drive of the
day before Jones scored from four yards out to make it 7-0
only 6:09 into the game.
Keyed by a third-down pass-interference penalty,
Gettysburg marched 33 yards into Muhlenberg territory on its
first possession before stalling at the Mule 43.
A 10-yard punt started Muhlenberg on its
own 33 and Bernardo opened the drive with an eight-yard run
before Chris Brown galloped 20 yards on a screen
pass to the Bullet 39. Bernardo followed with an 11-yard burst
to the 28, leading to Chris Reed’s 40-yard field
goal and a 10-0 lead.
Ben Phillips intercepted Gossweiler
to halt Gettysburg’s next drive and the Mules needed only
three plays to take a 17-point cushion.
A reverse on first down lost seven yards,
but Jones hit Mercuri on third-and-18 and the senior wideout
sprinted to the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown and a 17-0
advantage with 11:58 left in the second quarter.
Reed closed out the first-half scoring with
a 44-yard field goal on Muhlenberg’s next drive, giving him
a conference-record 13 field goals on the season.
The Mule defense continued to set up the
offense after halftime, holding Gettysburg to a three-and-out
on its first possession before the home squad marched 68 yards
on five plays to make it 27-0.
Jones found Kodi Shay on completions
of 17 and 37 yards to the Bullet 8 and Bernardo scored on
the second of two four-yard runs for his ninth touchdown of
the season.
Gettysburg’s best chances to crack the scoreboard
came on its next two possessions.
After Bernardo’s touchdown, the Bullets moved
66 yards on nine plays to the Mule 7 before a fumble forced
by Wright and recovered by Tyler Cathey ended
the threat.
Grant Acker (Howell, NJ/Peddie)
recorded his second interception to give Gettysburg the ball
back, but the Bullets’ ensuing drive ended on downs at the
Muhlenberg 14.
Wright’s interception at the Gettysburg 23
set up Bernardo’s second touchdown of the game – a two-yard
run – to make it 34-0 early in the fourth quarter.
With backup quarterback Nick Rosetti
at the helm, Muhlenberg marched 58 yards to set the familiar
final score. Mike Mrkobrad, who carried for
39 yards on the drive, scored on a seven-yard run and Reed
knocked in his fifth extra point of the day to make it 41-0.
Mercuri and Shay each finished with 75 receiving
yards on the day for the Mules.
In addition to his interception, Acker led
the Gettysburg defense with 12 tackles (8 solo).
The Bullets return to action on Saturday
at home against St. Lawrence. Game time is 1 p.m.
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