Ezeigbo and Woody vs. Cal
25
Winner Gannon GAN 8-2 , 6-1
13
California (PA) CAL 5-5 , 4-3
Winner
Gannon GAN
8-2 , 6-1
25
Final
13
California (PA) CAL
5-5 , 4-3
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GAN Gannon 3 15 0 7 25
CAL California (PA) 0 6 7 0 13

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

Golden Knights Earn Share of PSAC West Title, Inch Closer to Postseason Bid with 25-13 Win at California (Pa.)

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 25, California (Pa.) 13
Records: Gannon (8-2, 6-1 PSAC West), California (Pa.) (5-5, 4-4 PSAC West)
Date: Saturday, November 5, 2022
Location: California, Pa. – Adamson Stadium
 
CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) threw two touchdown passes, Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) broke loose for a clinching 35-yard touchdown run, and Gannon's defense and special teams turned in outstanding efforts. It all added up to a 25-13 win at California (Pa.) as Gannon defeated two of the PSAC's heavyweights in back-to-back weeks. A week ago the Golden Knights upset then 11th-ranked Indiana (Pa.). The victory boosted Gannon to 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the PSAC West to finish in a three-way tie for first place in the division. It's Gannon's second PSAC West title. The 2014 Golden Knight edition tied Slippery Rock for first place. Curtis ended up throwing for 265 yards and Blanks, after being bottled up all day long, scored the clinching touchdown on a 35-yard run with 2:10 remaining. But it was the defense and special teams that really paved the way for the victory. Gannon sacked Cal standout quarterback Noah Mitchell six times and held the Vulcans to 275 total yards. Special teams blocked a punt that resulted in a safety and had several long returns, and Curtis enjoyed a strong day punting. Gannon had beaten Cal just twice in 13 previous meetings, and only once on the field.
 
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Box Score:  Click Here
 
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE

Gannon finished Western Division play in a three-way tie with Indiana (Pa.) and Slippery Rock for first place at 6-1. It's the second time Gannon has finished the season atop the PSAC West standings. Gannon and Slippery Rock tied with 7-2 records in 2014. The Golden Knights needed to defeat California (Pa.) and have Edinboro upset Slippery Rock to advance to the PSAC Championship Game. While Gannon took care of its end of the equation, Edinboro came up just short in s 28-21 loss at SRU. That leaves IUP hosting Shepherd in next week's PSAC Championship Game. However, Gannon was ranked seventh this week in the Super Region 1 poll. The top seven teams in the region will receive NCAA Tournament bids, meaning a win over Shippensburg next Saturday could garner the Golden Knights a first-ever NCAA postseason berth.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After a three-and-out on the first drive, the Gannon offense drove into Cal territory on each of its next six possessions. Along with some big special teams' plays, it led to an 18-3 lead late in the first half.

Gannon opened the scoring with a 20-yard field goal by Eric Scarpino (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) with 7:39 left in the first quarter. The 10-play, 77-yard drive featured four pass completions by Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) totaling 72 yards. It opened with a 32-yard one-handed grab by Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) and Donell "Tank" Mason added a 34-yard reception.

The Golden Knights put together another extended drive on their next possession, reaching the Cal 24. The Vulcans' defense dug in, however, and a 44-yard field goal attempt by Scarpino was just wide to the right early in the second quarter.

California (Pa.) followed with its first drive of the day after failing to get a first down in the first quarter. The Vulcans ate up 5 minutes, 26 seconds on 11 plays, but the Gannon defense stiffened near the red zone. MaLik Bridgeman (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga College HS) sacked Noah Mitchell for a short loss and on third down Keith Thompson (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) threw Davonte Williams for a loss of a yard on a screen pass. Anthony Beitko came in and kicked a 44-yard field to tie the game at 3-3 with 9:17 left in the half.

Gannon struck back in lightning fashion thanks to a 68-yard kickoff return by Bransen Stanley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston), the longest return of his career. Stanley returned the kickoff to the Cal 27, and facing a 3rd-and-11, the Golden Knights scored in an unconventional manner. Curtis completed a 13-yard pass to Jonathan Bowden (Palm Bay, Fla./Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy). The redshirt freshman fumbled, but Demarisse Freeman Jr. scooped it up at the 13 and took it the rest of the way for a touchdown. Scarpino's PAT made it 10-3 with 8:10 left in the second quarter.

Defense and special teams accounted for the next score. Cal picked up one first down on its next possession, but a holding penalty stalled the drive and forced a punt. Matt Wiitanen (Renton, Wash./Pioneer) roared in and blocked his second punt of the year, and while Gannon was unable to come up with the ball in the end zone, the Golden Knights picked up a safety for a 12-3 advantage with 5:36 left in the half.

Gannon's lead grew to 18-3 with 3:55 on the clock after the free kick, which was returned 26 yards by Kam Snell (Owings Mills, Md./Good Counsel) to midfield. After a Cal pass interference call gave Gannon a first down, Curtis completed three straight passes, the last a 24-yarder to Stanley for six points. Curtis lofted the ball barely over a defender's hands to Stanley in the end zone. Cal blocked the extra point attempt.

The Vulcans' offense finally gained some rhythm in the closing minutes. With Mitchell completing 9-of-11 passes for 62 yards, Cal drove 65 yards in 15 plays. MaLik Bridgeman (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga College HS) and Thompson sacked Thompson for a nine-yard loss to force a field goal. Beitko came in and kicked his second field goal of the day from 27 yards on the final play of the half as Gannon led 18-6 at intermission.

Gannon continued to move the ball into Cal territory in the second half, but the drives stalled several times. The defense, meanwhile, limited the Vulcans to just one first down in their first three drives of the second half.

The fourth drive, however, resulted in an eight-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that pulled Cal to within 18-13 at the 3:00 mark of the third quarter. The drive was aided by a pair of Gannon pass interference penalties, the second providing the Vulcans with a first down at the GU 6 on a 4th-and-6 play. Eric McKan scored on a delay on the next play.

Penalties would continue to play a major role the rest of the game, some going Gannon's way and others that did not. The Gannon defense held Cal to just one first down on its next possession as the fourth quarter began. The Golden Knights followed with their best drive of the second half to this point after starting at their own 17. Three Curtis completions, one covering 26 yards to Batiste, had Gannon in Cal territory. A roughing the passer penalty moved Gannon to the Cal 29, but the drive would stall there with a pair of incompletions.

Cal took over midway through the final period and immediately faced adversity when a holding penalty wiped out a long pass play inside Gannon territory. The Vulcans overcame that to march inside Gannon territory, with the running game a factor for the first time. That's when Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey) came up with another huge defensive play. The redshirt junior defensive back stepped in front of Mitchell pass at the GU 17 and returned it 41 yards to the Cal 41.

Gannon took over looking to use up the final 2 minutes, 54 seconds on the clock. An eight-yard loss on first down left the Golden Knight facing a 3rd-and-18 from midfield. Curtis pass bounced out of Blanks hands and was intercepted, but a roughing the passer penalty negated the pickoff. On the next play Blanks went 35 yards off right tackle for his 11th rushing touchdown of the season. Gannon now led 25-13 with 2:10 left to play.

The Gannon defense closed out the victory. Jordan Tolliver (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) broke up a pass, and Hayden McDonald (Tigard, Ore./Tigard) followed a sack. Thompson capped the win with Gannon's sixth sacks of the day on fourth down as Gannon took over at the Cal 18. Three kneel downs followed.     
 
BY THE NUMBERS
 
Gannon's 8-2 record leaves the Golden Knights one win shy of the school record of nine wins set in 2003 (9-1) and 2014 (9-2). The 1949 Gannon edition finished at 8-0.

This marks the first time Gannon has defeated Indiana (Pa.) and California (Pa.) in the same season ON THE FIELD. In 2014 the Golden Knights received a forfeit win over Cal and a week later defeated IUP 31-21.

In what turned into a defensive game, Gannon finished with 305 yards in total offense while the Golden Knight defense limited Cal to 275 total yards, a season-low. Neither team was able to establish a ground game, with Gannon finishing with 40 yards against a Cal defense that came in ranked third in the country in rushing defense at 57.3 ypg. Gannon held Cal to 60 yards on the ground, the seventh time this year holding an opponent under 100 yards. Gannon finished with 265 yards through the air and Cal 215.

Gannon did not turn the ball over for the third straight game while coming up with the lone turnover, the late-game interception by Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey). The Vulcans came in leading the PSAC in 3rd-down defense and Gannon made good on just 3-of-13 3rd-down conversions. However, the Gannon defense was up to the task against a Cal offense that was second in the conference in 3rd-down conversions (.484). The Vulcans were held to just five conversions on 17 attempts.

The Gannon defense finished with six sacks and nine TFL, along with an interception, seven passes broken up and a blocked punt. Redshirt senior linebacker Keith Thompson (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) had a season-high 11 tackles, with 2 TFL and 1.5 sacks. Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey), a redshirt junior defensive back, continued his outstanding play as he totaled 10 tackles, all solo, and had the game-saving interception with a 41-yard return. It was his third game with 10-or-more tackles. Redshirt senior safety Matt Wiitanen (Renton, Wash./Pioneer) had six tackles and blocked his second punt of the season. Jordan Tolliver (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn), a redshirt sophomore cornerback, finished with a career-best four passes broken up. Hayden McDonald (Tigard, Ore./Tigard), a redshirt sophomore linebacker, registered 1.5 sacks among his six tackles.

The defensive line stepped up all game, continually pressuring Cal QB Noah Mitchell, who is the reigning PSAC West Player of the Year. Senior noseguard MaLik Bridgeman (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga College HS) had a huge game with four tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Redshirt junior Malachi Woody (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian Academy) added six stops with a sack.

Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) paced the offense with 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air, completing 21-of-38 passes. The redshirt junior did not throw an interception and has another long streak of passes without an interception. Earlier in the year he went 139 passes without a pickoff. He has a current streak of 85 without an interception. He has now thrown 23 TD passes with just 3 INTs. Curtis also averaged 42.6 yards on five punts with two inside the 20.

Donell "Tank" Mason continues to put up big numbers since seeing extensive action at wide receiver recently. The freshman caught a season-high nine passes for 107 yards, his first career 100-yard effort. He has now caught 26 passes for 332 yards in the last four games.

Bransen Stanley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) added six receptions for 53 yards, including his third touchdown of the season. Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) tied his season-low with three receptions, but they were good for 63 yards.

Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) was bottled up most of the game, but the senior running back put the exclamation point on the win with a 35-yard TD run with just over two minutes to play. It was his 11th touchdown rushing and 13th overall touchdown. Blanks finished with 51 yards on 11 carries.  

Noah Mitchell completed 27-of-41 passes for 215 yards with an interception. That was in stark contrast to a year ago when he was 35-of-53 for 382 yards and 4 TDs in a 38-17 win for Cal at Gannon. Cam Tarrant again taunted the Golden Knights with 10 catches for 76 yards after catching 11 for 124 last year. The Golden Knights were able to limit JacQuae Jackson, who entered the game among the leading receivers in Division II, to three catches for 29 yards. He did go over 1,000 yards for the season.   
 
THE RECORD BOOK
Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) moved past Chris Delmonaco into third place in career passing yards last week and boosted his total to 4,747 yards with a 265-yard effort this week. In addition, Curtis has thrown for 43 career touchdowns which ranks third all-time behind Liam Nadler (82) and Darmel Whitfield (53). Curtis has thrown for 2,492 yards this season, bettering his 2021 total of 2,255 yards. He now holds the sixth and seventh-best figures in a season. He has 23 TD passes and 3 INTs, leaving him one shy of Nadler's record of 24 in 2015.

Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) moved up another spot in the rushing career rankings after finishing with 51 yards at Cal. The senior running back moved past Jansen Jones into fourth place and now has 2,867 yards. Blanks ranks eighth in career rushing TDs with 24. He has 832 rushing yards on the season with 11 TDs rushing and another two TD receptions. He needs 168 yards for his second straight 1,000-yard season.

After catching four passes for 72 yards a year ago, Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) has enjoyed a breakout season in 2022. The redshirt junior has had four games with 100-or-more yards. He had three catches for 63 yards to boost his season totals to 55 receptions for 845 yards and 6 TDs. He is sixth in season receptions, along with moving into fourth in receiving yards.

UP NEXT
Gannon completes the regular season on Saturday, November 12 looking for a record-tying ninth win and potentially securing a first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. The Golden Knights host Shippensburg at 12 noon with Senior Day festivities preceding the kickoff. The Raiders improved to 4-6 with a 44-7 win at Lock Haven today.
 
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