Quarterback Michael Hnatkowsky '21 assesses his options versus Ursinus in 2018.

The men are off to a hot start, playing their first two wins against competitive teams. 

“Win one game at a time.” That’s the motto that kicker Todd Spirt ‘20 and the 2-0 Muhlenberg football team have been living by.

The Muhlenberg football team traveled to Carlisle, Pennsylvania this past weekend, looking to keep their nice start alive after a big win at home against TCNJ to open up their season the weekend prior.

On Sept. 14, the Mules took on their first Centennial Conference game of the year on the road against a 1-0 Dickinson team. 

The game started quickly for the Mules, scoring a touchdown within the first 10 minutes. With the pace picking up quickly, Muhlenberg found themselves up 28-3 going into halftime. Scoring another 10 points in the fourth quarter, the Mules led Dickinson 38-9 when the game came to a close.

Efficiency on both sides of the ball contributed to the Mules’ victory. With their scoring, their sacking and their recovery of fumbled balls, the men took the lead and never looked back.

Last week’s Centennial Conference Player of the Week, quarterback Michael Hnatkowsky ‘21, threw one touchdown and ran for another, throwing for a total of 176 yards. 

“Our defense was lights out today,” said Hnatkowsky. “Turning them over many times really gave us great field position allowing us to score points. Overall, it was a great team effort.”

Hnatkowsky praised Coach Milne and the entire coaching staff for their effort in preparing them. They have worked to make sure the team is prepared for each and every game.

“Coach Milne and the rest of our staff has continued to get us prepared mentally and physically every week. They prepare us very well and keep us focused on the task at hand,” said Hnatkowsky. 

The 38-9 victory also resulted in milestones for running back James Diggs ‘21. 

For Diggs, contributing to their second win was something that he needed to do. “The main thing was staying on schedule and following the game plan,” Diggs said. “Going into the game, Coach Milne emphasized the importance of running the football and getting the tough yards so everything else could open up, and that’s exactly what happened.” 

Diggs certainly did not disappoint. He went for a career high 112 yards on 20 carries and tacked on two touchdowns.

Diggs believes that all the practice, time and effort that they’ve put into preparing for the season has really paid off. 

“Our mindset is that practice has to be more difficult than the game, so that when game time comes, we are prepared for anything, and we look to do that each week,” Diggs said. 

While this Centennial Conference game was a big win for the Mules, Diggs looks towards future games. “As the season progresses, we just want to keep practicing hard and focusing on the task at hand. No game in the Centennial Conference is easy, and each week we want to prepare for whoever we are facing in the best way we can,” Diggs added. 

The team looks to take everything they’ve learned in the past two games and bring it with them for the rest of the season. Winning the first two games has created a positive atmosphere around the team. 

“The Centennial Conference is very competitive. We are very excited for this upcoming week against Susquehanna and will try to take it a week at a time,” said Hnatkowsky. 

The quarterback urges the importance of staying in the moment and taking it game by game. From conditioning to practicing each individual game, Hnatkowsky lives in the moment, soaking up each throw, each touchdown and each win one at a time. 

The Mules return home, battling Susquehanna at Scotty Wood Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 1:00pm for their homecoming game. 

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