fb vs edinboro
18
Edinboro EDIN 1-6 , 1-4
21
Winner Gannon GAN 4-4 , 3-2
Edinboro EDIN
1-6 , 1-4
18
Final
21
Gannon GAN
4-4 , 3-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
EDIN Edinboro 3 0 7 8 18
GAN Gannon 0 7 0 14 21

Game Recap: Football | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Rallies Behind Blanks' Big Effort, Pair of 98-Yard Drives for Soggy 21-18 Win over Edinboro

ERIE, Pa. –  On a soggy day at McConnell Family Stadium, Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) posted his second straight career game and the Gannon offense put together two 98-yard drives to rally for a 21-18 win over local rival Edinboro. The victory is the second in the row for head coach Erik Raeburn's Golden Knights, as they improve to 4-4 on the season and 3-2 in PSAC West action. Edinboro fell to 1-6 and 1-4, respectively.

After rushing for a season-high 282 yards at Seton Hill a week ago, the Golden Knights once again relied on the run, particularly in the second half. They would finish with 316 yards rushing, with 216 of that coming in the second half. That's the most since Gannon ran for 453 yards vs. Lock Haven in the final game of the 2018 campaign.

Blanks was the workhorse, as the junior running back set career-highs for carries (29) and yards rushing (239) for the second straight week. He totaled 200 yards on 25 carries in last week's 14-10 win at Seton Hill, and now has four 100-yard efforts this season and five in his career. The back-to-back 200-yard performances are the first by a Gannon ballcarrier since Marcus Jones accomplished the fete vs. Seton Hill and Cal in 2018.

The big rushing effort helped offset three lost fumbles that forced the Golden Knights to rally with a pair of scores in the fourth quarter. Oddly enough, the Golden Knights had lost just two fumbles all year entering the game.

The second fumble on an attempt to corral a rolling pigskin on an Edinboro punt gave the Fighting Scots the ball at the GU 14 late in the third quarter. On the very next play, backup quarterback/wide receiver Keshawn Howard took the snap and sprinted around right end for a 14-yard touchdown, giving Edinboro a 10-7 lead with 2:47 remaining in the period.

Three plays later the Golden Knights would lose another fumble after a pair of runs had netted 50 yards, including a 35-yard burst by Antonio Wright (Palm Bay, Fla./Melbourne), to the EU 25. Edinboro would register a pair of first downs and drive to the GU 37 before being forced to punt. Reed Martin's punt rolled dead at the two, leaving Gannon 98 yards from the lead.

The situation appeared even more dire when two runs only moved the ball to the five. On 3rd-and-8, Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) found Alex Whittaker (Medina, Ohio/Medina) for a 19-yard reception, with the big tight end making a diving, shoe-top snag over the middle at the 23.

On the very next play, Blanks busted a 34-yard gain to the EU 43. Three more Blanks carries netted 18 yards. On 3rd-and-6, Curtis escaped the pocket to his right and picked up eight yards to keep the drive alive. He found Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) for a 17-yard TD pass on the very next play, with Freeman leaping over an Edinboro defender in the back of the end zone to haul in his second six-pointer of the season. Eric Scarpino's (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) extra point gave Gannon a 14-10 lead with 7:47 to play and capped a 10-play, 98-yard drive.

The Gannon defense would step up on the next possession and force a three-and-out, with GU taking over at the EU 47 following a short punt. Six running plays later the Golden Knights were back in the end zone, courtesy of Blanks. He kept the drive alive on a 4th-and-2 play, breaking around left end for 10 yards to the EU 29. After a five-yard run on the play, he again burst down the left side, this time for 24 yards and his second touchdown of the game for a 21-10 lead with 3:14 remaining.

Edinboro would make for some anxious moments late, putting together a 10-play, 50-yard march that was aided by a pair of penalties. Backup quarterback Jordan Castelli initially kept the drive alive with a 10-yard run on 3rd-and-10. He converted again on 3rd-and-1 with a six-yard run to the GU 25. After a 13-yard pass completion to the GU 12,  Edinboro picked up a pair of first downs via penalty. The first came on a pass interference call, followed on the next play by a holding penalty, leaving the Scots knocking on the door at the GU 1. Keith Thompson (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) threw Nigel Sealey for a loss of four, but Castelli then found Kyle Simms in the right flat for a five-yard touchdown. Castelli and Jake L'Heureux combined on the two-point conversion pass, and Gannon's lead was suddenly just 21-18 with 24 seconds remaining.

Making matters worse, a person fould moved the ball up to the 50 for the onside kick. Chaz Davis (Jacksonville, Fla./West Nassau) would recover the ensuing kick with 22 seconds to play. A kneel down later and Gannon could celebrate win number four. That's the most victories since the 2017 team finished at 5-6, and the three league wins match that year's total.

Edinboro opened the scoring on its first possession, going 47 yards on 10 plays. The Fighting Scots reached the GU 7 but would have to settle for a Vicente Arriagada 23-yard field goal with 8:29 left in the first quarter.

The Gannon defense came up with a pair of stops as Edinboro looked to extend the lead. Early in the second quarter, the Scots would reach the GU 16. Arriagada came on to attempt a 33-yard field goal, but that was blocked by MaLik Bridgeman (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga College HS). Gannon took over at its own 20, but on the very first play a fumble gave the ball back to the Fighting Scots.

Just as it did twice a week ago at Seton Hill, the defense turned Edinboro away inside the five yard-line. After picking up one first down, the Scots faced a 4th-and-goal from the GU 2. Anfreenee Williams was stopped for no gain by Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey) and Thompson.

The defensive stop led to Gannon's first score of the game, and first 98-yard drive. This one took 11 plays and featured a 30-yard pass from Curtis to Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) and a 26-yard run by Blanks. Blanks added runs of 12 and 15 yards, and all told carried eight times in the drive for 59 yards. After a crazy scene which saw an Edinboro penalty marked off, followed by an unsportsmanlike penalty against the Knights, Gannon ended up with the ball at the EU 17. Curtis connected with Bransen Stanley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) for a 15-yard gain to the two, and Blanks plowed over for the two-yard TD run with 6:08 remaining in the half.

Gannon had one last chance to score in the half after Jordan Tolliver (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) recovered a fumbled punt at the EU 15 in the final two minutes. The Golden Knights were unable to pick up a first down, and Scarpino's 27-yard field goal was wide right with nine second left.

Gannon ended the day with 432 total yards while limiting Edinboro to 240 yards, the lowest total by an opponent this year. In addition to the 316 yards rushing, the Golden Knights accounted for 116 yards through the air as Curtis completed 8-of-17 passes. Edinboro rushed for 149 yards but had just 91 yards passing, once again a low by an opponent.

In addition to Blanks' 239 yards, Wright gained 45 yards on five carries and Curtis totaled 33 yards on seven rushes. Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) caught 3 passes for 52 yards.

Williams led Edinboro with 46 yards rushing on 13 carries, with Howard carrying five times for 41 yards. Isaac Bernard started at quarterback and completed 5-of-10 passes for 16 yards. Castelli, who came in on the last play of the half, ended the day completing 7-of-12 passes for 75 yards and rushing for 33 yards on 13 carries.

While limiting Edinboro to 240 yards, the Gannon defense registered 4 sacks, with Malachi Woody (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian Academy) accounting for 1.5 among his 7 total tackles. Trey Baker (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmont), who had missed the Seton Hill contest with an injury, returned to lead GU with 8 stops, including a sack. Nick White (Randallstown, Md./Milford Mill Academy) also had 7 tackles and a sack among his 2 TFL.

Gannon will look to extend its winning streak to three games when it celebrates Senior Day next Saturday, October 30. Slippery Rock, ranked 17th in the latest AFCA Division II Top 25, will visit McConnell Family Stadium for a 12 noon kickoff. The Rock improved to 7-1 with a 20-17 win at Mercyhurst today.                
 
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