Brock Jones
Joe Mattis
Junior Brock Jones' school-record 321 rushing yards was one of several records that fell during Saturday's 66-41 victory against ESU.
41
East Stroudsburg ESU 6-5
66
Winner Gannon University GAN 9-2
East Stroudsburg ESU
6-5
41
Final
66
Gannon University GAN
9-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ESU East Stroudsburg 7 7 6 21 41
GAN Gannon University 21 21 17 7 66

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

Gannon Football Team Shatters Plethora of Records in Season-Finale 66-41 Victory Against ESU (Video/Photos)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 66, East Stroudsburg 41
  • Records: Gannon (9-2), East Stroudsburg (6-5)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Gannon University Field
  • The Short Story: Junior Brock Jones' (Peninsula, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) school-record 321 rushing yards was one of many Gannon records shattered Saturday afternoon as the Golden Knights rolled past East Stroudsburg 66-41 at a snowy Gannon University Field. Gannon broke the program's single-game and single-season scoring records, as well as the single-season all-time high in total yards.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon scored a touchdown during its first four possessions and six of its seven in the first half to assume a 42-14 halftime lead.
  • The first three scores came during the first quarter after drives of 74 yards, 79 yards and 68 yards. The drives ended with a 12-yard touchdown run by Jones, a five-yard touchdown run by redshirt junior Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) and a 60-yard scoring jaunt from Jones that gave the Golden Knights a 21-7 lead after one quarter.
  • Gannon added three more touchdowns during the second frame with drives of 80 yards, 63 yards and 82 yards. Nadler took care of the first two with runs of 29 yards and one yard. Redshirt junior Jesstin Hamm's (Harwood, Md./DeMatha Catholic) 82-yard touchdown catch from Nadler with 1:41 left in the second quarter capped the first half explosion.
  • Special teams continued Gannon's scoring onslaught during the third quarter. After a 23-yard field goal from freshman Karch Holland (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) gave the Golden Knights a 45-20 edge, freshman Matthew McVey (Lyndhurst, Ohio/St. Ignatius) blocked a punt and recovered the loose ball in the endzone for another touchdown.
  • Hamm followed with his second touchdown catch of the afternoon, covering four yards to push the lead to 59-20 with 1:17 left in the third stanza.
  • East Stroudsburg found the endzone three times during the final quarter. The first two cut the deficit to 59-34, before Gannon countered with a six-yard touchdown run by redshirt senior Daniel Tapscott (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic). A late touchdown by the Warriors accounted for the final 66-41 score. 

GAME NOTES
  • Saturday's contest was played with piles of snow around the field caused by a snowstorm that left a foot of snow on the field Thursday and another six inches Saturday morning. Gannon crews spend all day Friday clearing the field, before clearing the field five more times Saturday morning.
  • The first half was played through the snow that eventually covered the field in the second quarter, leaving the lines barely visible. Clouds did clear for a relatively dry second half. Temperatures began in the 20's, before slipping into the low 30's during the contest.
  • Gannon easily surpassed the school's single-game scoring record of 58 points posted three weeks ago against Seton Hill.
  • Saturday's 107 combined points represented the most ever in a game involving Gannon. The previous mark of 99 points was set during a 51-48 victory against Slippery Rock on October 17, 2009.
  • Gannon's 42 points during the first half was the most in program history, surpassing the old mark of 38 points accomplished three times.
  • The 672 yards of total offense represented the second-highest output in school history, trailing only the 691-yard effort against Seton Hill three weeks ago.
  • Gannon's 482 rushing yards also equaled the second-best in program history, falling shy of the 533 yards against Tiffin on September 1, 2001.
  • Jones shattered the school's single-game rushing record with 321 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. He easily surpassed the previous record of 255 by Jason Cunningham against Tiffin on September 1, 2001.
  • Nadler rushed for a career-high 92 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries.
  • Hamm recorded his fifth 100-yard receiving game of the season and third straight with 103 yards and two scores on three receptions.
  • Jones also set a new school record for all-purpose yards with 321, overtaking the previous mark of 286 set by Jon Richardson against Ashland on November 10, 2007.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Despite losing a game due to the California (Pa.) forfeit, Gannon broke the school's single-season record for points with 414. Last year's team held the previous record with 361 points.
  • Gannon also broke the program's single-season record for total offense with 5,146 yards. Last year's squad held that previous record too with 4,759 yards.
  • The Golden Knights' 14 turnovers this season were the fewest in school history, nipping the 2003 team's total of 15.
  • Jones used his big day to produce the best rushing season in school history with 1,628 yards in only 10 games. The numbers bettered the total of 1,588 yards set last year by Jansen Jones. His 16 rushing touchdowns tied the school record set by Richardson in 2009. His ninth 100-yard rushing game was the most ever by a Golden Knight, breaking Sterling Pierce's school record of eight set in 1998.
  • Nadler tied his own school record for passing touchdowns in a season with 21. He previously accomplished the feat as a sophomore in 2012.
  • Hamm set single-season records in receiving yards (917), receiving touchdowns (11) and 100-yards games (5). Teammate Abraham Ocasio set the previous records in 2012 with 911 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns and four 100-yard performances.
  • Jones capped his record-setting day with the best single-season scoring total. His 108 points on 18 touchdowns topped Jansen Jones' marks of 102 and 17 produced last season. Brock Jones finished the season with 1,826 all-purpose yards which also surpassed Jansen Jones' school-record of 1,817 set last season.
  • Holland's 46 extra points reset Donnie Mann's single-season record of 45 last season. His 84.6 field goal accuracy (11-13) this season was a new program high, erasing Matt Szczupakowski's mark of 83.3 set in 2012.
  • Redshirt senior Luke Rankie (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) led the Golden Knights with nine tackles, jumping Owen Rhodes (2000-03) and into Gannon's all-time top five with 280 career tackles.
  • Gannon finished the season with nine victories for the second time in school history, tying the 2003 NCAA Division II Independent team's total.
  • The Golden Knights defeated East Stroudsburg for the first time in three all-time meetings.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon appears to have concluded its 2014 campaign with a 9-2 record. The Golden Knights were not ranked among the top 10 in the latest NCAA Division II Super Region One rankings released last week. The top six teams qualify for the NCAA Division II Tournament.
  • The NCAA Division II Selection Show is scheduled for Sunday, November 16 at 5 p.m. The Webcast can be seen live on www.ncaa.com.
  • The 2015 season opener is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 5 at Southern Connecticut State.
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Players Mentioned

Jansen Jones

#24 Jansen Jones

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Donnie Mann

#22 Donnie Mann

K
5' 9"
Senior
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
Abraham Ocasio

#86 Abraham Ocasio

WR
6' 3"
Senior
Psychology
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
Daniel Tapscott

#6 Daniel Tapscott

QB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
Matthew McVey

#41 Matthew McVey

DB
6' 0"
Freshman
Undeclared
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science

Players Mentioned

Jansen Jones

#24 Jansen Jones

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Donnie Mann

#22 Donnie Mann

5' 9"
Senior
K
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
Abraham Ocasio

#86 Abraham Ocasio

6' 3"
Senior
Psychology
WR
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
LB
Daniel Tapscott

#6 Daniel Tapscott

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
QB
Matthew McVey

#41 Matthew McVey

6' 0"
Freshman
Undeclared
DB
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science
K