ERIE, Pa. -
Jansen Jones (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) rushed for a career-high 220 yards as the Gannon football team rallied from an early 14-0 deficit en route to a 40-21 victory against Seton Hill Saturday afternoon on a rain-drenched Senior Day at Gannon University Field.
The victory kept Gannon's postseason hopes alive entering the last weekend of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division play. The Golden Knights are currently tied with California (Pa.) for second place at 4-2 in divisional play, sitting one game behind division-leading Slippery Rock. Gannon can clinch a spot in the PSAC Championship Game with a victory next Saturday at Indiana (Pa.) combined with a Slippery Rock loss at Seton Hill. The Golden Knights would win the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Rock, as well as a three-way tiebreaker if California (Pa.) is involved.
Outside of the poor weather conditions, the story of the day was Jones becoming the first Golden Knight in school history to rush for 200 yards three times in the same season. There had been only four 200-yard games in the history of the program prior to the 2013 season. The redshirt senior put on a show in front of family and friends during his final collegiate home game. He finished with a career-high 220 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries, including 107 yards in the first half and 113 yards during the second half.
Seton Hill initially came out of the opening gates on fire, racing out to a 14-0 lead five minutes and 57 seconds into the contest. After taking a few seconds to control the ball, Norman Darden took the opening kickoff 87 yards for an early 7-0 lead.
Gannon's first drive reached the Seton Hill 32-yard line, before the Griffins held on fourth down. The visitors then proceeded to march 72 yards on seven plays for their second touchdown, increasing the lead to 14-0 on Jarvis McClam's 10-yard pass to Khalil Howard with 9:03 left in the first quarter.
A series of Seton Hill miscues arguably turned the game around in Gannon's favor. Punting the ball from their own 41-yard line late in the first quarter, the Griffins floated a snap over the kicker's head. The ball went all the way to the one-yard line where the punter kicked it through the end zone. Gannon was given the ball at the one-yard line due to illegal kicking and
Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) plunged in two plays later at the 2:32 mark.
Matt Astorino (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) set up the tying score with a great individual effort during Seton Hill's next possession. The sophomore ripped the ball out of McClam's arms and recovered the fumble at the Griffins' 29-yard line. A Jones 17-yard run and a pass interference set up a two-yard touchdown run by Jones 36 seconds into the second quarter.
The miscues continued. Seton Hill sailed another bad snap over the punter's head, resulting in a 33-yard loss and gave Gannon the ball at the Griffins' 15-yard line. Jones picked up the first 14 yards, before Nadler recorded his second one-yard touchdown run to give the Golden Knights a 21-14 lead with 8:43 showing on the second-quarter clock.
Seton Hill immediately answered to forge the game's last tie at 21. McClam produced the biggest play of the drive with a 60-yard run and later scored from five yards out at the 7:24 mark.
The wild first-half scoring came to an end with a Gannon drive that ate up 61 yards on six plays. After the Golden Knights stopped Seton Hill on fourth down at the Gannon 39-yard line, Jones used five straight carries to pick up 53 yards. Nadler then keep the ball and scored from eight yards out with 44 seconds left, giving the Golden Knights a 28-21 halftime edge.
The second half could be described in two phases - Jones' running and Gannon defense. The Golden Knights used those two things to run out the clock and out-score the Griffins 12-0, before settling for a 19-point victory.
Jones logged 19 carries for 113 yards during the second half, helping Gannon hold the ball for 19 minutes and 40 seconds. The Golden Knights' defense held Seton Hill to 30 yards of total offense and five first downs after halftime.
The second-half scoring came via a Jones two-yard run with 10:09 left in the third quarter, a safety by
Luke Rankie (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) and
Trenton Donald (Uniontown, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) with 8:37 remaining in the fourth quarter and a
Donnie Mann (Hastings, Minn./Hastings) 48-yard field goal with 3:20 left in the game. The 48-yard boot represented the fourth-longest in school history.
Nadler finished 9-of-16 for 115 yards through the rain. The sophomore quarterback added 26 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Abraham Ocasio (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) and
Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) hauled in three passes each.
Gannon held the edge in first downs (19-17), rushing yards (239-75), passing yards (115-114), total offense (354-189) and time of possession (32:08-27:52).
Defensively, the Golden Knights were led once against by Rankie. The redshirt junior tied the school's single-game record for tackles that resulted in a loss with six, equaling Chad Cressley's record set against Waynesburg in 1993. He completed the game with a team-high 12 tackles, reaching double digits for the fifth time this season.
Mike Zanders (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell) obtained the double-digit plateau for the fourth time with 10 stops.
Kailan Chavis (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell) and Donald added seven tackles each. Twenty-two different Golden Knights recorded a tackle against the Griffins.
Several Gannon players moved up all-time charts Saturday. Jones jumped two spots and into fourth place all-time at Gannon with 2,557 career rushing yards.
Justin Caliste (Roseville, Calif./Oakmont) had 117 all-purpose yards, moving past Sterling Pierce (1996-99) and into second place all-time at Gannon with 3,571 career all-purpose yards.
Gannon snapped a brief two-game losing streak while improving to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the PSAC West. The Golden Knights picked up their fifth victory, representing the program's most since going 6-5 in 2010. Seton Hill dropped its 22nd consecutive game dating back to 2011, falling to 0-9 overall and 0-6 in the PSAC West.
Head coach
Brad Rzyczycki's club concludes the PSAC West schedule Saturday, November 9 at Indiana (Pa.). Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
