Gannon Golden Knights
Matt Mead Photography LLC
Saturday's leading tackler Geremy Paige (#9) with seniors Nathan Adams (#36), Christian Carpenter (#1) and Mike Zanders II (#31).
14
Millersville MILL 2-9
31
Winner Gannon University GAN 5-6
Millersville MILL
2-9
14
Final
31
Gannon University GAN
5-6
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MILL Millersville 0 7 0 7 14
GAN Gannon University 14 7 3 7 31

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

Gannon Football Team Celebrates Senior Day with 31-14 Victory Against Millersville (Video/Photos)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 31, Millersville 14
  • Records: Gannon (5-6), Millersville (2-9)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - McConnell Family Stadium
  • The Short Story: Redshirt sophomore Zach Phillips (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) produced 307 yards of total offense and the Gannon defensive unit only allowed two scores as the Golden Knights celebrated Senior Day Saturday afternoon with a 31-14 victory against Millersville at a sunny McConnell Family Stadium.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon found the end zone immediately on its first possession, going 58 yards on eight plays. The final two plays of the drive were the biggest. After Phillips rushed for 20 yards, he then hit redshirt freshman Nico Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) with a 12-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead 4:37 into the contest.
  • After Millersville was unable to move the ball on its next possession, redshirt senior Tyler Johnson (North East, Pa./North East) came through the line untouched and blocked a Millersville punt which was recovered on the two-yard line. Phillips followed with a two-yard touchdown run to double the advantage to 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
  • Gannon's offense continued to roll the next time it touched the ball after another blocked kick. This time, senior Matthew Gawlik (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius) got his hand on a 41-yard field goal attempt.
  • The Golden Knights followed with their longest drive of the afternoon, marching 76 yards on eight plays. The biggest gain came on a 43-yard pass from Phillips to redshirt senior Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) to the Millersville 27-yard line. Redshirt senior Tyler Johnson (North East, Pa./North East) capped the drive with a two-run touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, pushing the Gannon lead to 21-0.
  • Millersville answered on its next possession, scoring a touchdown on a 39-yard scoring strike from J.J. Paige to Kevin Wiggins with 13:28 left in the first half.
  • Neither team was able to score the rest of the quarter, before Gannon took a 21-7 lead advantage into the intermission.
  • A quick third quarter featured only four combined drives. Gannon dented the scoreboard again during its second possession of the stanza. A 14-play drive moved the Golden Knights to the Millersville eight-yard line, before junior Karch Holland (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) knocked home a 26-yard field goal for a 24-7 lead with 3:42 left in the third frame.
  • Millersville produced its final touchdown four plays into the final quarter, cutting the deficit to 24-14 on a five-yard run by Tyrone Gibson.
  • Gannon iced the game on the next possession, needing only five plays and 2:04 to grab a 31-14 lead. Phillips and Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) ripped off runs of 35 and 19 yards, respectively. The duo then hooked up on a wide-open five-yard touchdown pass to cap the scoring with 10:39 remaining.

GAME NOTES
  • Saturday's contest represented the regular-season finale for both teams.
  • Gannon honored its eight seniors during pre-game festivities. The graduating class included Nathan Adams (Crozier, Va./Goochland), Christian Carpenter (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen), Matthew Gawlik (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius), Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold), Tyler Johnson (North East, Pa./North East), Nico Mendieta (San Ramon, Calif./California), Nick Pipitone (Newmarket, Ontario/Huron Heights Secondary) and Mike Zanders II (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell).
  • Saturday was also Military Appreciation Day as all veterans and their families were admitted free of charge. Fans were able to get up and close to military vehicles outside the front gate of McConnell Family Stadium. Retired United States Army National Guard Captain Ray Patterson sang the national anthem while Gannon University Army ROTC Cadet Battalion Commander Damiano Cicchinelli and Gannon University Army ROTC Cadet Executive Officer Ashley Sarlo served as honorary team captains for the coin toss. The Gannon coaching staff also wore camouflaged shirts in honor of our military.
  • The Golden Knights finished with advantages in first downs (20-15), rushing yards (221-85), passing yards (163-160), total yards (384-245) and time of possession (32:48-27:12).
  • Gannon was 6-of-13 on third-down conversions compared to Millersville's 4-of-13 showing.
  • Phillips accounted for 307 of Gannon's 384 yards of offense. He rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries. In addition, Phillips completed 14-of-21 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. 
  • The Law brothers were on the receiving end for most of Phillips' passes. Nico hauled in four passes for 44 yards and one touchdown while Quad had three receptions for 56 yards and one score.
  • Redshirt sophomore Geremy Paige (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) led the Gannon defensive unit with 11 tackles, three tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks.
  • Carpenter and sophomore Anthony Howard (Temple Hills, Md./Bishop O'Connell) followed with eight stops each. Carpenter added an interception while Howard chipped in a sack.
  • The Gannon defensive unit recorded 10 tackles for a loss, five sacks, two interceptions, four pass break-ups and two blocked kicks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon concluded the season by snapping a three-game losing streak.
  • The Golden Knights recorded at least five victories in a season for the fourth consecutive season.
  • Gannon won for the fourth time during its last five regular-season finales.
  • Phillips went over 300 yards of total offense for the second time this season while producing his third 100-yard rushing game of the season.
  • Holland extended his streak of consecutive extra points to 45 dating back to last season.
  • Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) moved past Gannon Hall of Famer Lee Castana (1995-98) and into fourth place all-time at Gannon with 1,876 career receiving yards.
  • Zanders II ended his career as Gannon's all-time leading tackler with 349 stops.
  • Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) jumped Jansen Jones (2009-13), Ron Bailey (2002-05) and Brock Jones (Peninsula, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) (2012-15) to move into Gannon's all-time top five in all-purpose yards. He finished fourth all-time with 3,490 yards.
  • Redshirt sophomore Martell Davis (Columbus, Ohio/Licking Heights) recorded his first career interception during the second quarter.
  • Paige reached double digits in tackles for the second time this season, falling two shy of his career-high set at Slippery Rock.
  • Sophomore Justin Brown (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) was in on his first career sack during the second quarter.
  • Gannon tied a season-high in tackles for a loss (10) originally set during a season-opening 31-9 victory against Southern Connecticut State.
  • The Golden Knights recorded at least five sacks for the third time this season.
  • Gannon intercepted multiple passes for the seventh time in 2016.
  • The Golden Knights had multiple blocked kicks for the first time since blocking three during a 36-33 victory at Lake Erie on September 5, 2013.
  • Millersville's 245 yards of total offense represented the fewest by a Gannon opponent since the Golden Knights held Clarion to 203 during a 33-7 road victory on September 27, 2014.
  • Howard and Carpenter finished the season with 106 and 100 tackles, respectively. They are the first Gannon duo in program history to reach triple digits in the same season.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon's 2016 season concluded with today's contest against Millersville.
  • The Golden Knights are tentatively scheduled to open the 2017 campaign Saturday, September 2 at Southern Connecticut State.
  • Game time is tentatively set for 12 noon.
  • Gannon has defeated Southern Connecticut State during the last three regular-season openers.
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Players Mentioned

Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

RB
5' 10"
Senior
Business Entrepreneurship
Justin Brown

#11 Justin Brown

DB
6' 1"
Sophomore
Business
Christian Carpenter

#1 Christian Carpenter

DB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
Martell Davis

#20 Martell Davis

DB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Sport Management and Marketing
Matthew Gawlik

#95 Matthew Gawlik

DE
6' 3"
Senior
Finance
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 9"
Junior
Biology
Anthony Howard

#25 Anthony Howard

LB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Tyler Johnson

#28 Tyler Johnson

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science/Physical Therapy
Nico Law

#4 Nico Law

RB
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Business
Quad Law

#8 Quad Law

WR
5' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science

Players Mentioned

Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

5' 10"
Senior
Business Entrepreneurship
RB
Justin Brown

#11 Justin Brown

6' 1"
Sophomore
Business
DB
Christian Carpenter

#1 Christian Carpenter

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
DB
Martell Davis

#20 Martell Davis

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Sport Management and Marketing
DB
Matthew Gawlik

#95 Matthew Gawlik

6' 3"
Senior
Finance
DE
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 9"
Junior
Biology
K
Anthony Howard

#25 Anthony Howard

6' 0"
Sophomore
LB
Tyler Johnson

#28 Tyler Johnson

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science/Physical Therapy
RB
Nico Law

#4 Nico Law

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Business
RB
Quad Law

#8 Quad Law

5' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
WR