After getting to the top in 2007, the Muhlenberg football team showed it knew how to stay there in 2008.

Rathbun finished his career with 212 total tackles, including 37 for loss, and 14 takeaways on a school-record eight fumble recoveries and six interceptions.

Coming off a breakthrough season in which they came out of nowhere to win their first outright Centennial Conference championship, the Mules didn’t have the luxury of sneaking up on anyone. But that didn’t matter, as they successfully defended their title and maintained a national ranking in the top 10 most of the season.

For the second year in a row, the run ended with a loss to Wesley in the NCAA Tournament, closing out a remarkable two-year run in which Muhlenberg went 20-3.

Among the top highlights of the 2008 season:

• The Mules were ranked No. 2 by the American Football Coaches Association after their 7-0 start. The ranking was the highest for any sport in the College’s Division III history.

• Muhlenberg ran its winning streaks to 20 consecutive regular-season games and 15 straight CC games – both the second-longest in CC history.

Santagato had a career record of 25-8 as the starting quarterback. He was Muhlenberg’s career leader in completion percentage (.607) and passing efficiency (135.33) and was fourth in CC history with 6,152 passing yards.

• For the first time, Muhlenberg swept the CC offensive and defensive player of the year awards. Senior running back John DeLuca earned the offensive honor after rushing for a school-record 1,634 yards and 15 touchdowns, while senior linebacker Matt Rathbun, who led the CC with 16½ tackles for loss and set a school record with 164 yards on interception returns, earned the top defensive nod.

• DeLuca and Rathbun were both named third-team All-Americans.

• DeLuca and junior defensive end Jake Floyd were selected to the Academic All-America second team.

• Mike Donnelly was voted the inaugural CC coach of the year.

• Ten players were named to the CC Academic Honor Roll, four to the Academic All-District first team and 14 to the All-CC squad.

The Mules opened their season with a come-from-behind 34-21 win against Wilkes that showcased the “three-headed” monster that would make the offense a potent force all season: DeLuca (167 yards), senior quarterback Eric Santagato (18-of-26 for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns) and junior receiver Phil Cresta (7 catches for 152 yards).

After a 31-14 win at Union, Muhlenberg began its title defense with a 42-21 defeat of Gettysburg. In the next game, the Mules gave up 511 total yards and nearly squandered a 28-10 lead, but held on to win at Johns Hopkins, 28-23.

Santagato was nearly perfect (19-of-21) in a 38-7 win against Juniata,

The sixth-leading rusher in CC history with 4,041 career yards, DeLuca gained at least 100 yards in every regular-season game and was ninth in Division III in rushing yards per game.

and DeLuca rushed for 242 yards and three scores in a 49-6 victory at McDaniel. The Mules’ first win in Westminster in 20 years also featured Cresta tying a CC record by catching a TD pass for the eighth straight game.

Muhlenberg gave up only one touchdown for the third straight week and allowed only six first downs in a rain-soaked 17-6 win vs. Franklin & Marshall. The Mules made it eight straight and clinched a tie for the title with a thrilling 31-25 win at Dickinson.

A dominant performance against Ursinus resulted in a 45-8 win that clinched Muhlenberg’s second straight outright title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. But although the Mules rolled up 561 yards on offense, they lost two key pieces (Cresta and senior fullback Erik Snyder) to injuries, and the offense lost some of its potency.

Needing to defeat archrival Moravian to lock up a second consecutive undefeated regular season, the Mules lost in overtime, 27-24. Muhlenberg still was awarded a home game for the first round of the NCAAs, but lost to Wesley, 20-0, to end with a 9-2 record.

DeLuca and Rathbun were among four Mules who were unanimous All-CC first-team selections. The other two were senior center Mike Nolan, a preseason All-American, and senior nose tackle William Moates (46 tackles, 8 for loss).

Santagato and Cresta also earned first-team honors, as did junior cornerback Cameron Ahouse. Santagato led the CC in pass

Moates played nose in the Mules’ 3-4 defense, which ranked 14th in Division III in yards per game.

efficiency (143.3), completion percentage (.599) and passing touchdowns (19), while Cresta finished 19 yards short of 1,000 and topped the league with nine receiving TDs. Ahouse picked off four passes and broke up another seven.

Senior tackle Mike Gawel and sophomore guard Mark Bigelli, both second-team selections, teamed with Nolan to lead an offensive line that enabled the Mules to average 34:24 in possession time. Snyder scored four TDs before getting injured, and senior receivers Edward DeRisi (31 catches) and Joe Caporoso (28 catches) finished up with career-best seasons.

Despite losing five first-team All-CC players from 2007, the defense still ranked in the top 15 in Division III in fewest yards allowed. Floyd (10 TFL) and junior Frank Emmett (53 tackles, 6½ for loss) flanked Moates on the line as first-year starters, and sophomores Scott Gavin (48 tackles) and Patrick McDonough (44 tackles) gave the linebacking corps a new look. The veteran secondary featured Ahouse, and seniors David Mazzola (30 tackles) and Brandon Doyle (4 interceptions). Emmett, Gavin, Mazzola and Doyle all earned All-CC honors.

On special teams, sophomore Michael Katz had a spectacular first season as a varsity player, going 45-of-45 on extra points (no other Division III kicker with that many attempts was perfect) and 8-of-14 on field goals. Mazzola averaged 36.8 yards on 36 punts, dropping 14 inside the 20.