ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Muhlenberg handed Franklin & Marshall a 42-7 defeat in Centennial Conference (CC) football action on a rain-soaked day at Scotty Wood Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Mules remain unbeaten this season at 2-0, 1-0 CC while the Diplomats suffered their first loss and dropped to 1-1, 0-1 CC. 

Muhlenberg did most of the damage in the first half with14 points in each quarter for a 28-point halftime edge.  The Mules struck on their first possession when Max Cepeda capped off a seven-play drive with a nine-yard jaunt for the early advantage. Cepeda made it 14-0 when he broke open down the right side of the field with an 83-yard run for the Mules second score in the opening quarter. 

The Mules scored early in the second for a 21-0 lead. F&M looked to counter, putting together a 14-play drive that took almost nine minutes off the clock, but came up short, turning the ball over. The teams traded possessions before Nick Palladinio found Nick Lamb with 25 seconds left to put the Mules up 28-0 at the break.

The third quarter was scoreless as both teams struggled to get anything going after the break.  Muhlenberg scored twice almost four minutes apart in the fourth to go up 42-0 and the Diplomats put their only points on the board when Taalib Gerald took in it from two yards out to cap off a four-play, 48-yard drive. 

Matt Magarity completed 10-of-19 passes for 73 yards while Scott LaValva picked up 28 yards on 17 rushes. Jordan Zackery hauled in four passes for 33 yards and Paul McGann finished with five catches and 28 yards. 

Brendan Daly led the defense with nine stops (5 solo) and Ryan Young finished with eight tackles (4 solo). Jonathan Cox had six solo tackles, including two for a loss and one sack for the Diplomats. 

F&M returns to action on Saturday when the Diplomats host Ursinus at 1:00 p.m.