FB vs. Charleston (WV) 9-1-22
Matt Durisko
Alex Whittaker hauls in a three-yard touchdown pass vs. Charleston

Football Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Golden Knights Head East for First Meeting with Millersville Since 2017

Gannon looks to improve to 2-0 for first time since 2016

GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (1-0, 0-0 PSAC West) at MILLERSVILLE MARAUDERS (0-1, 0-0 PSAC East)
DATE: Saturday, September 10, 2022
KICKOFF: 12 noon
STADIUM: Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium l Millersville, Pa.
 
LIVE COVERAGE: Live Video l Live Stats l Live Audio
 
GAME NOTES: Click Here
 
RADIO: 90.5 WERG FM – Listen to all the exciting action of Gannon football with Jack Quinn providing the play-by-play.
 
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon plays the first of three PSAC crossover games and also plays on the road for the first time in 2022, traveling to Millersville on Saturday, September 10. Kickoff at Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium is set for 12 noon.
 
The Golden Knights opened the season in impressive fashion with a 47-13 win over a Charleston (WV) team that was 8-2 a year ago. That win came on Thursday, September 1. That same night Millersville traveled to New Hampshire and dropped a 28-10 decision to Saint Anselm.
 
Gannon, 5-6 a year, was picked to finish fourth in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll while Millersville was chosen seventh in the PSAC East after ending at 2-9 in 2021. This marks the first meeting between the two team since 2017, when Gannon claimed a 39-7 decision at Millersville. Gannon leads the all-time series 3-1.
 
Gannon head coach Erik Raeburn is in his 22nd season as a head coach and won his 150th career win against Charleston. Now in his third year at Gannon, he owns a 150-71 record with coaching stops at Coe, Wabash, Savannah State, and Gannon.
 
SERIES RECORD
Gannon leads 3-1
Last Meeting: Nov. 11, 2017 – Gannon 39, at Millersville 7 I RECAP
Millersville won the first meeting ever between the two with a 29-26 win at home in 2010. Gannon has run off three straight wins since then, with wins of 47-0 in 2012 and 31-14 in 2016 at home before the 39-7 win at Millersville in 2017.
 
FIVE FAST FACTS
Gannon looks to start the season with back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2016 Golden Knight edition opened the season with three straight victories. They have not enjoyed great success in PSAC crossover games in recent years. Last year's 13-10 win at East Stroudsburg to end the 2021 season snapped a string of eight straight losses in crossover contests. In fact, prior to that the last win against an Eastern Division opponent was the 39-7 win at Millersville in 2017.
 
Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) did everything but work the concession stand in the 47-13 win over Charleston (WV). The redshirt junior quarterback accounted for five touchdowns and 34 points in all. He threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more. In addition, after the opening extra point attempt was missed he assumed the placekicking duties for the first time and made good on four of five attempts. Finally, Curtis served as the punter and averaged 42.6 yards on five boots.
 
Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and Antonio Wright (Palm Bay, Fla./Melbourne) Jr. formed a dynamic one-two punch at running back. The duo each ran for 100 yards as the ground game amassed 232 yards on the ground. Blanks, a 6'1", 216 lb. senior, had his seventh 100-yard effort with 18 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. He added two receptions for 72 yards, including a 63-yarder. He moved into ninth place in career rushing with 2,148 yards. A year ago he ranked 18th in rushing yards with 1,187 yards on 192 carries with 8 TDs. Wright, meanwhile, enjoyed his first career 100-yard effort as the sophomore carried 14 times for 109 yards.
 
The Gannon defense turned in an outstanding effort against a Charleston offense that the year before averaged 36.4 ppg. The Golden Eagles managed just a touchdown and two field goals as Gannon limited them to 305 total yards. That included just 41 yards on the ground on 37 attempts. The Golden Knights sacked Charleston quarterbacks seven times, the most since recording nine sacks against Millersville in 2011. The night ended with freshman defensive lineman Myron Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) recovering a fumble and returning it 42 yards for a touchdown in his first collegiate game.  Obi Ezeigbo (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) led the sack brigade with a career-best 2.5 sacks.
 
SCOUTING MILLERSVILLE
The Marauders opened the 2022 campaign with a 28-10 loss at Saint Anselm in a contest that was much closer than the final score indicated. Saint Anselm scored twice in the final seven minutes to pull away and was able to take advantage of two long plays and a special teams' miscue by Millersville. A 61-yard pass led to the Hawks first score, and a later six-pointer followed a 36-yard completion. Leading 7-3, Saint Anselm took advantage of a muffed punt and recovery at the Millersville 17 and on the next play scored for a 14-3 lead. Millersville was picked to finish seventh in the PSAC East after going 2-9 in 2021 and has now lost seven straight games. Millersville returned three All-PSAC East performers on defense in linebacker Isaiah Onuschak, defensive tackle Tyler Tate and safety Steve Sweeney. Tate was the first Millersville defensive lineman since 2006 named to the first team. Onuschak, a redshirt junior, is now a two-time All-PSAC East selection after finishing 12th in the PSAC in tackles last year with 88. He has 12.5 sacks the last two years. Tate, a 6'3", 265 lb. redshirt senior, ranked 10th in the nation in sacks with 11. He was the first Marauder since 1999 to record double-digit sacks in a season. He ranked third on the team with 70 tackles. Sweeney is a redshirt senior who had 45 tackles and three interceptions. Jack Stagaard started Millersville's final three games of 2021 at quarterback and led the team with 823 yards passing with 7 TDs and 5 INTs. The 6'3", 215 lb. redshirt junior opened the season with 108 passing and 78 yards rushing at Saint Anselm. Mekhi Alexander caught 5 passes for 65 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown reception.
 
UP NEXT
Gannon returns home for a second straight PSAC crossover contest, hosting West Chester on Saturday, September 17. Kickoff at McConnell Family Stadium is 12 noon. The two teams meet for the first time since 2019 when the No. 19 West Chester defeated Gannon 48-14. The Golden Rams have won all four meetings with Gannon.
 
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Players Mentioned

Melvin Blanks

#2 Melvin Blanks

RB
6' 1"
Senior
Business
Kory Curtis

#7 Kory Curtis

QB
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Obi Ezeigbo

#33 Obi Ezeigbo

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Antonio Wright

#11 Antonio Wright

RB
5' 10"
Sophomore
Criminal Justice
Myron Green

#97 Myron Green

DL
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Melvin Blanks

#2 Melvin Blanks

6' 1"
Senior
Business
RB
Kory Curtis

#7 Kory Curtis

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
QB
Obi Ezeigbo

#33 Obi Ezeigbo

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
DL
Antonio Wright

#11 Antonio Wright

5' 10"
Sophomore
Criminal Justice
RB
Myron Green

#97 Myron Green

6' 1"
Freshman
DL