Cross country teams run hot in cold

Late Fumble Return Sinks Football Team The Muhlenberg football team cut a 10-0 halftime deficit to one point, but McDaniel returned a fumble 36 yards for a touchdown with 5:45 left in the fourth quarter to secure a 16-9 win. The Green Terror (4-2, 2-2) put up their 10 first-half points on two drives that were kept alive by Mule penalties on punts. Muhlenberg finally got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter, when sophomore J.T. Merklinger punched the ball in from the 1-yard line. The touchdown was set up by a 51-yard pass reception by senior Phil Cresta, who finished with eight catches for 147 yards. Junior Michael Katz missed the extra point, snapping his school-record string of 53 consecutive successful PATs, but he booted a 26-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to make the score 10-9. The Mules (2-4, 1-3) had three more possessions, but the last two ended on turnovers, including the fumble that was returned for the clinching touchdown. The defense held McDaniel to 44 total yards and no offensive points in the second half. Senior Frank Emmett (above) made a game-high 11 tackles, 1.5 for loss. Click here for box score. Click here for complete stats.

Running in 39-degree icy winds that burned their hands and faces did not cool off the members of the Muhlenberg cross country teams.

Competing in their last meet before the Centennial Conference Championships, the Mules took a step forward at the Lafayette’s Leopard Invitational.

The women’s team placed fifth in a field of nine teams, finishing behind two Division I and two Division II schools and beating two Division I and two Division III schools.

The men’s were eighth out of 12, beating the three other Division III teams in the meet and one Division I school.

Both teams responded very well in poor weather conditions and also responded well having had two tough weeks of workouts since their last meet. The team's performance was the best of the season, which bodes well for the upcoming CC meet and NCAA Mideast Regional.

Junior Kate Mahoney and sophomore Melissa Ugelow came in 23rd and 28th , respectively, for the women in a field of 100 runners, most from higher divisions. Junior Kim Bier (above) also finished in the top half, placing 50th.

Junior Bobby Torphy (22nd) and senior Patrick Thornton (34th) were the top men’s finishers.
Click here for complete results.