Liam Nadler
Joe Mattis
Redshirt junior Liam Nadler broke Gannon's career passing record Saturday, finishing with 7,236 career yards.
45
Winner Mercyhurst MER 2-4 , 2-3
38
Gannon University GAN 4-2 , 3-2
Winner
Mercyhurst MER
2-4 , 2-3
45
Final
38
Gannon University GAN
4-2 , 3-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MER Mercyhurst 0 24 7 14 45
GAN Gannon University 0 10 21 7 38

Next Game:

at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

10/16/2014 | 7:00 PM

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Next Game

Full Schedule
Oct. 16 (Thu) / 7:00 PM
at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Game Recap: Football | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Football Team Drops Shootout on Homecoming Weekend; Nadler Breaks School Record for Career Passing Yards (Video/Photos)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: Mercyhurst 42, at Gannon 35
  • Records: Gannon (4-2, 3-2 PSAC), Mercyhurst (2-4, 2-3 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Gannon University Field
  • The Short Story: Mercyhurst rolled up 608 yards of total offense and scored during seven of its last eight possessions en route to a 42-35 victory Saturday afternoon at Gannon University Field. In the process, the Golden Knights dropped their fourth consecutive Homecoming Game.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • After a scoreless first quarter, Mercyhurst out-scored Gannon 24-10 during the second frame. The two teams traded touchdowns during the opening three minutes and 30 seconds. Mercyhurst scored first on Brandon Brown-Dukes' 47-yard run at the 12:32 mark, before redshirt junior Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) connected with redshirt junior Jesstin Hamm (Harwood, Md./DeMatha Catholic) for a 79-yard touchdown pass 1:02 later.
  • The visitors jumped back in front on T.J. Latimer's 11-yard pass from Brendan Boylan, before the two teams traded field goals. Gannon's three-pointer came via a 47-yarder by freshman Karch Holland (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) with 1:26 left in the first half.
  • Mercyhurst produced a big touchdown right before the intermission. With Mercyhurst facing third-and-13 from its 37-yard line, Gannon called time-out with 22 seconds left. The Lakers came out of the break with a 48-yard pass play from Boylan to Stephen Yarbrough down to the Gannon 15-yard line. Later on fourth-and-six, Boylan tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jaquan Williams with two seconds left.
  • Gannon regained its footing following halftime and tied the contest at 31 after three quarters. The Golden Knights scored touchdowns during their first three possessions of the second half. The opening drive ended with Hamm's second touchdown reception. This one went 38 yards from Nadler.
  • Nadler scored on a three-yard run midway through the quarter, but Mercyhurst retained the lead at 24-23 with a blocked extra point.
  • The Lakers extended their lead to 31-23 on Brown-Dukes' one-yard plunge at the 2:41 mark.
  • Gannon answered again when senior Alex Papson (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) found the endzone from two yards out with 23 seconds left in the quarter. Nadler's two-point conversion on a quarterback keeper sent the game into the final quarter tied at 31.
  • Mercyhurst put the game away with long drives during its final three possessions. The first went 79 yards on five plays, resulting in a 32-yard touchdown pass from Boylan to Latimer for a 38-31 lead 1:55 into the final stanza.
  • The Lakers increased their lead to 14 points with a nine-play, 77-yard drive on their next possession. Another Boylan touchdown pass capped the march with 7:31 to play. Yarbrough was on the receiving end for the second time. This one covered 28 yards.
  • Gannon tried to rally with a 10-play, 76-yard drive to bring the Golden Knights within 45-38 on Nadler's second three-yard touchdown run of the half with 4:58 remaining.
  • However, Mercyhurst converted three third-down plays while running out the final four minutes and 58 seconds. The back-breaker was a 25-yard completion from Boylan to Williams on a third-and-20 from their own 25-yard line with less than two minutes to play.

GAME NOTES
  • Holland's 47-yard field goal during the second quarter represented his season-long and the seventh-longest field goal in school history.
  • Junior Brock Jones (Peninsula, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) rushed for 121 yards on 19 carries, accounting for his fifth 100-yard rushing performance in six games.
  • Sophomore Mike Zanders (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell) finished one tackle shy of his career-high with 12, including nine solo stops.
  • Redshirt junior Mike Phillips (Bowie, Md./Bowie) produced a season-high 12 tackles for the second consecutive week.
  • Redshirt senior Luke Rankie (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) had a season-high 11 stops with redshirt junior Joshua Wiechelt (Depew, N.Y./Depew) tying his career-high with 10.
  • Gannon entered the game ranked eighth among all NCAA Division II programs in time of possession (34:01), but Mercyhurst held a 36:47-23:13 edge.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Nadler broke Gannon's career passing record with an 18-of-36 chart for 280 yards and two touchdowns. He passed Gannon Hall of Famer Darmel Whitfield (2001-04) and finished the game with 7,236 career passing yards.
  • Rankie moved past Pat Rodkey (1993-96) and into seventh place all-time at Gannon with 249 career tackles.
  • Jones has rushed for 855 yards through six games. It already equals the 10th-highest single-season total in school history.
  • Hamm has caught 320 yards of passes during the last two games against Mercyhurst. He moved into ninth place all-time at Gannon with 1,090 career receiving yards.
  • Gannon has dropped consecutive games after opening the season with four straight victories.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon has a short practice week before returning to action Thursday, October 17 at Edinboro. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. The contest can be seen live on ESPN3 and the ESPN Game Plan.
  • The Golden Knights defeated the Fighting Scots for the first time in eight tries last year with a convincing 55-14 victory at Gannon University Field. The squad is 0-4 all-time at Sox Harrison Stadium.
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Players Mentioned

Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

WR
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

RB
5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

QB
6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
Alex Papson

#4 Alex Papson

RB
5' 9"
Senior
Accounting
Mike Phillips

#2 Mike Phillips

DB
5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Criminal Justice
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
Joshua Wiechelt

#3 Joshua Wiechelt

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Accounting
Mike Zanders II

#31 Mike Zanders II

DB
5' 9"
Sophomore
Undeclared
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science

Players Mentioned

Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
WR
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
RB
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
QB
Alex Papson

#4 Alex Papson

5' 9"
Senior
Accounting
RB
Mike Phillips

#2 Mike Phillips

5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Criminal Justice
DB
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
LB
Joshua Wiechelt

#3 Joshua Wiechelt

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Accounting
LB
Mike Zanders II

#31 Mike Zanders II

5' 9"
Sophomore
Undeclared
DB
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science
K