LANCASTER, Pa. – Dickinson defeated Franklin & Marshall 13-7 in Centennial Conference (CC) football action Saturday afternoon and will hold on to the Conestoga Wagon Trophy for another year. The loss is the first for F&M this season as the Diplomats dropped to 4-1, 3-1 CC while the Red Devils improved to 2-3, 2-2 CC. 

The Red Devils took an early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, when Dickinson made the best of an F&M penalty on third-and-two, and finished off an eight play, 74-yard drive for the early advantage. Both defenses stepped up the remainder of the first half as neither was able to put together a drive over eight plays. 

F&M had a chance to add points at the end of the second quarter. The Diplomats marched 45 yards in 38 seconds and Billy Zwicharowski set up for a 32-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked, sending the teams to the break with Dickinson leading 7-0. 

Billy Burger led Dickinson on a 92-yard drive early in the third quarter that was capped off with a nine yard pass to Chris Soulas. The extra point went wide left, giving the Red Devils a 13-0 advantage with 4:46 left in the third. 

The Diplomats finally got the ball moving midway through the fourth quarter when F&M went to a hurry-up offense. Matt Magarity picked up 67 yards through the air and finished off the drive with a 14-yard pass to Andrew Heird to make it 13-7. 

F&M had one more chance to take the lead when the Diplomats took over on their own six with 2:29 left in the game. The Diplomats moved down to their 38 before Magarity found Bobby Keyes for a 23-yard pitch-and-catch, giving F&M the ball on the Dickinson 39.  After three consecutive incomplete pass, the Diplomats faced a fourth-and-10 and the Red Devils picked off the ball to secure the win. 

F&M outgained Dickinson 374-256 yards on offense and held a slight 18-17 edge in first downs. 

David Shellhammer rushed for 89 yards on 20 carries and Stephon Smith finished with 31 on seven touches. 

Magarity finished with 237 yard and one score while Andrew DeStefano picked up 82 yards on seven catches. 

Brendan Daly led the defense with eight tackles and Steve Elf, A.J. Koikoi and Cullen Falvey each had six stops apiece. 

F&M has a bye next week and will return to action on Oct. 17 at McDaniel for a 1:00 p.m. game.