Myron Green vs. Charleston
Matt Durisko
16
Winner Gannon GAN 2-0 , 0-0
10
Millersville MIL 0-2 , 0-0
Winner
Gannon GAN
2-0 , 0-0
16
Final
10
Millersville MIL
0-2 , 0-0
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GAN Gannon 2 7 7 0 16
MIL Millersville 0 3 0 7 10

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

Dominant Defense Leads Gannon to 16-10 Win at Millersville

Golden Knights 2-0 for first time since 2016

THE GAME FACTS
Final Score: Gannon 16, Millersville 10
Records: Gannon (2-0, 0-0 PSAC West) I Millersville (0-2, 0-0 PSAC East)
Date: Saturday, September 10, 2022
Location: Millersville, Pa. I Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium
 
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Gannon moved to 2-0 for the first time since 2016 with a hard-earned 16-10 win at Millersville. The Golden Knights had to overcome a pair of first-half turnovers and a slew of penalties in their first road contest of the season but rode another impressive defensive effort and two special teams plays to the win. Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) rank for 135 yards and scored on a six-yard run while Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) threw a 10-yard TD pass to Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep). It was a day for the defense, however. They limited Millersville to 157 total yards, including just 22 on the ground, with five sacks. A blocked punt by Matt Wiitanen (Renton, Wash. /Pioneer) accounted for a safety and the first two points of the game.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
Box Score: Click Here

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gannon would take the lead late in the first quarter after it looked like the Golden Knights came up empty after a long drive. The Golden Knights chewed up almost eight minutes on the clock while driving 81 yards on 19 plays, only to see Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) stopped on a 4th-and-1 play to the MU 4. The Gannon defense held the Marauders without a field goal, and Matt Wiitanen (Renton, Wash. /Pioneer) roared in to block Zach Banta's punt. The ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead with 3:20 remaining in the first quarter.

The lead grew to 9-0 with 5:48 remaining in the first half thanks to a Melvin Blanks' (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) six-yard touchdown run. The senior running back capped a nine-play, 59-yard march that featured three 3rd-down conversions. The first was courtesy of a Millersville pass interference penalty. Later in the drive Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) connected with Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) for a 21-yard completion on a 3rd-and-10 play taking the ball to the MU 20. Then on 3rd-and-7 from the 17 Curtis scrambled 11 yards for a first down. Blanks scored on the next play on a run up the middle, with Curtis converting on the extra point.

Millersville took advantage of a muffed punt by Gannon to close the gap to 9-3 at intermission. The Marauders recovered at the GU 42. They would pick up a pair of first downs before Christian Malanoeich kicked a 30-yard field with 1:04 left in the half.  The Gannon held Millersville to just two first downs and 37 total yards in the first 30 minutes.  

Gannon took advantage of a muffed punt by Millersville to build the lead to 15-3 late in the third quarter. Long snapper Kenneth Hartwig (Ballwin, Mo. /Marquette) recovered the miscue at the MU 36. Facing a 4th-and-9 at the MU 35, Curtis completed an 11-yard pass to KeJohn Batiste, and a penalty against the Marauders moved the ball to the 12.  Two plays later Curtis found Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) open on a crossing pattern at the three and the redshirt junior wide receiver stepped into the end zone to complete 10-yard scoring pass. Curtis' extra point made it 16-3 with 1:54 left.

After being stifled for most of the game by the Gannon defense, Millersville took advantage of a broken coverage to score on a 52-yard pass from Anthony Butler to Alexander Mekhi. With 12:28 remaining in the game the Golden Knights' lead was cut to 16-10.

That play ended the scoring, but plenty of suspense still remained. Banta's 67-yard punt pinned Gannon back at its own one-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. Following a series of three straight penalties, Antonio Wright (Palm Bay, Fla./Melbourne) broke off a 45-yard run down the left sideline to midfield. Gannon would pick up two more first downs, but more importantly took the clock down to 23 seconds remaining before turning the ball over to the Marauders at the MU 13. The defense snuffed out any last-second comeback hopes as Malachi Woody (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian Academy) sacked Anthony Butler on first down. After a spike to stop the clock, Butler's short pass ended the game.  
BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon is 2-0 for the first time since running off three straight wins to open the 2016 campaign. That year Gannon defeated Southern Connecticut State, Shippensburg and Bloomsburg to open the season before losing to Slippery Rock in week number four.

After losing eight straight games to PSAC East opponents, the Golden Knights have now won two in row. They ended the season with a 13-10 win at East Stroudsburg before handing Millersville a 16-10 defeat on Saturday. Gannon is now 4-1 in the all-time series with Millersville and has now won the last four meetings. The two teams last met in 2017.

Gannon finished the day with 380 total yards, with 223 yards rushing and 157 through the air. The Golden Knights topped the 200-yard mark on the ground for the second straight week. Millersville was held to 157 total yards, the fewest by a Gannon opponent since Edinboro gained 240 yards last year. The Marauders finished with just 22 yards rushing after Gannon held Charleston (WV) to 41 yards on the ground a week earlier.

The Golden Knights ran off 78 plays to 52 for Millersville and dominated time of possession 37:29 minutes to 22:31. The Gannon defense limited Millersville to three 3rd-down conversions in 14 attempts and recorded five sacks after registering seven a week ago.

The contest featured a total of 22 penalties. Gannon was guilty of 14 penalties for 98 yards while Millersville was whistled for eight penalties for 72 yards.
Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey) led Gannon in tackles for the second straight week seven. The redshirt sophomore defensive back was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week following the Charleston game after totaling 12 tackles. He had one pass breakup. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Trey Baker (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmont) also had seven stops including a career-high two sacks.

Gannon recorded five sacks and now has 12 sacks after just two weeks. Malachi Woody (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian Academy) joined Baker with a pair of sacks, a career-high for the big redshirt senior defensive lineman. Cornerback Reginald Hamlette Jr. (Temple Hills, Md./Oxon Hill) was credited with the other Gannon sack.

The backfield tandem of Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and Antonio Wright (Palm Bay, Fla./Melbourne) Jr. enjoyed another big afternoon. Blanks carried 33 times, one shy of his career high, for 135 yards with a touchdown. Wright chipped in with 76 yards on 10 totes.

With Sam East (Jackson Township, N.J./Saint John Vianney) not playing after catching two TD passes last week, KeJohn Batiste took advantage to enjoy a career day. The redshirt junior came into the game with eight career receptions but would finish the day with eight catches for 99 yards, both career highs. Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) added six catches for 38 yards and a touchdown, matching his career high for receptions.  

Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) completed 17-of-29 passes for 146 yards with a touchdown, adding 12 yards on the ground. He averaged 35.6 yards on seven punts with two inside the 20.

Millersville's Anthony Butler completed 13-of-23 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. Mekhi Alexander hauled in six passes for 73 yards and the lone Millersville touchdown.

THE RECORD BOOK
Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) moved closer to eighth place in career rushing after recording his second 100-yard rushing effort of 2022 and eighth of his career. The senior running back finished the day with 135 yards on 33 carries. It was his second straight 100-yard effort in 2022 and gives him eight for his career. He boosted his career total to 2,283 yards. Kevin Cloherty is eighth in career rushing with 2,463 yards.

While playing in just his 13th game as a Golden Knight, Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) has moved into seventh place in career passing yards with 2,565 yards. The redshirt junior moved up two spots. Next in line is Matt Butler with 2,803 yards. His 24 career passing touchdowns ranks fifth.

UP NEXT
Gannon returns home for another PSAC crossover contest on Saturday, September 17 hosting a strong West Chester team. Kickoff is set for 12 noon at McConnell Family Stadium. It will be the first meeting between the two since 2019. Gannon has lost all four previous meetings against the Golden Rams. WCU is 1-1 following a 35-14 loss to Slippery Rock on Saturday.
 
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