EDINBORO, Pa. – The Gannon football team scored 24 points for the second consecutive week, but it wasn't enough as the Golden Knights dropped a 44-24 decision at rival Edinboro Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action.
The first half saw minimal scoring as Edinboro took a 17-3 lead into the intermission. The Fighting Scots scored the only points in the first quarter with a 27-yard field goal 5:04 into the contest. The lead stretched to 17-0 after Cody Harris connected on a 12-yard touchdown pass and later scored on a six-yard run.
Gannon scored its first points after
Matt Szczupakowski (Spencerport, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) drilled a 25-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining. The redshirt senior has made 10 consecutive field goals dating back to last season.
The second half turned into a shoot-out as both teams combined to score 48 points. Gannon and Edinboro traded touchdowns during the third quarter.
Jansen Jones' (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) six-yard scoring jaunt cut the Boro lead to 24-10 with 9:02 left in the frame.
The turning point arguably came during the next couple series. The Gannon defensive unit forced a three-and-out, giving the Golden Knights possession at their own 42-yard line following a 36-yard punt.
Gannon reached the 48-yard line after a six-yard run by Jones, but lost a yard during the next two plays and was forced to punt. Edinboro responded with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Ben Eisel 10-yard touchdown catch from Harris. The long drive gave the Fighting Scots a 31-10 lead and appeared to take a little wind out of the Golden Knights' sails.
The Edinboro lead increased to 37-10, before Gannon tallied two of the game's final three touchdowns.
Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) scored on a three-yard run early in the fourth quarter. Jones capped the scoring with his second score of the afternoon, finding paydirt from two yards out with 3:45 left in regulation.
Edinboro held advantages in first downs (25-18), total yards (412-349), rushing yards (100-86), passing yards (312-263) and time of possession (32:18-27:42).
Jones went over 70 yards on the ground for the second consecutive week, churning out a season-high 79 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
Nadler finished 24-of-47 for 263 yards. The redshirt freshman's 47 attempts resulted in his second-highest single-game total this season. He now has five 200-yard passing yards, climbing within two of Darmel Whitfield's school record of seven set twice in 2003 and 2004.
Abraham Ocasio (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) was Nadler's favorite target, hauling in seven passes for 95 yards. The sophomore has made at least five catches in every game and at least seven during four of six contests.
Justin Caliste (Roseville, Calif./Oakmont) pulled in five passes for 48 yards, but was only able to return one kick after the Edinboro special teams shied away from him all afternoon.
Ashton Jones (Erie, Pa./Strong Vincent) and
Will Giles (Nyack, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional) led the defensive troops on both sides with 10 tackles each. Jones came into the contest with seven tackles through the first five games, before totaling a career-high. His previous career-high was five tackles. Giles reached double digits in tackles for the second consecutive week after making a career-high 15 stops last week at 10th-ranked Bloomsburg.
Mike Phillips (Bowie, Md./Bowie) added nine tackles, including seven via the solo variety.
Khayree Connors-McChristian (Sicklerville, N.J./Winslow Township) continued to move up Gannon's all-time tackling chart with six stops. As a result, he jumped two spots and into 11th place with 223 career tackles.
Gannon dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC with its fifth consecutive loss and eighth straight road setback dating back to last season. Edinboro improved to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play with its seventh consecutive victory against Gannon. The Golden Knights return to action Saturday, October 13 against rival Mercyhurst at Gannon University Field. The contest can be seen live locally on FOX 66 and regionally on ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh. Game time is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.
