Eric Scarpino mobbed at IUP
© Cameron Horning
Eric Scarpino is mobed after game-winning kick. (Photo by Cam Horning / IUP Athletic Communications
16
Winner Gannon GAN 5-4 , 5-1
15
Indiana (PA) IUP 4-5 , 2-4
Winner
Gannon GAN
5-4 , 5-1
16
Final
15
Indiana (PA) IUP
4-5 , 2-4
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GAN Gannon 3 3 0 10 16
IUP Indiana (PA) 9 6 0 0 15

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

Scarpino Kicks Game-Winning Field Goal for Second Week in a Row as Gannon Rallies for 16-15 Win at IUP

THE GAME FACTS
Score:  Gannon 16, Indiana (Pa.) 15
Records: Gannon (5-4, 5-1 PSAC West), Indiana (Pa.) (4-5, 2-4 PSAC West)
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023
Location: Indiana, Pa. – George P. Miller Stadium
 
INDIANA, Pa. – For the second week in a row freshman quarterback Jayden Whitaker (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) produced a game-winning drive and Eric Scarpino (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) capped it with the winning kick. Scarpino matched the longest field goal in Gannon history to boost the Golden Knights to a 16-15 win at Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday afternoon. The left-footed kicker boomed a 51-yard field goal, with the kick hitting off the right post and tumbling over the bar, as time expired. Whitaker drove the Golden Knights 37 yards in the final seconds, completing five passes, the last a 12-yarder to a diving Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) with four seconds remaining to set up Scarpino's winning kick. It was the third field goal of the day for Scarpino, who is now a perfect 14-for-14 on the season. Whitaker, making his first career start, accounted for Gannon's lone touchdown with a four-yard run early in the fourth quarter as Gannon rallied from a 15-3 deficit.   
 
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Box Score:  Click Here
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Let's jump to the final minutes with Gannon trailing 15-13 and IUP with the ball at its own 36 and just under five minutes left to play. After a slow start the Gannon defense was dominant in the second half and had allowed just two first downs in the second half to this point. The Crimson Hawks repeatedly gave the ball to Dayjure Stewart, seven of the eight ensuing plays, with Stewart picking up a pair of first downs to run down the clock. His seven-yard run gave IUP a 3rd-and-1 at the GU 29 with 1:52 remaining. Kam Snell (Owings Mills, Md./Good Counsel) threw Stewart for a one-yard loss and Gannon used its last timeout with 1:47 left. On 4th-and-2 Stewart swept around left end and was met by a host of Golden Knights at the line of scrimmage, led by Reginald Hamlette Jr. (Temple Hills, Md./Oxon Hill) and Daquan Stevenson (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy).
  
Gannon took over at its own 30 with 1:42 remaining and out of timeouts. A week ago at Mercyhurst Jayden Whitaker (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) directed the game-winning drive that ended with a Eric Scarpino (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) field goal with six seconds left. The freshman completed a short pass on first down, then found Donny Marcus (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) on the left sideline for a gain of 10 to the 42. A scramble lost a yard and a completion to Marcus netted just four yards with the clock running. Whitaker calmy found Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) for a gain of ten yards to the IUP 45 but the Crimson Hawks tackled Batiste in bounds. After a clock, an incompletion made it 3rd-and-10 with 11 seconds to go. Batiste made a diving catch for a 12-yard gain along the left sideline with four seconds showing. Scarpino stepped in to attempt a career-long 51-yard field goal. The kick hit the right crossbar and tumbled over the bar as he was mobbed by his teammates. It was his 14th consecutive field goal made this season.    

Gannon jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead thanks to a long kickoff return by Joshawn Lewis (Lorton, Va./South County). The junior wide receiver returned the opening kickoff 76 yards to the IUP 19. The Golden Knights were unable to register a first down, but Scarpino made the first of his three field goals, a 32-yarder just 2 minutes, 17 seconds into the game. 

IUP answered with a methodical 14-play, 69-yard drive that ate up over eight minutes in the quarter. But the Gannon defense, one of the best in Division II and first in the PSAC in the red zone, stopped the Crimson Hawks inside the one-yard line on third and fourth down. Gannon took over but on the very first play Marcus was tackled in the end zone for a safety.

The Crimson Hawks had a short field to work with following the free kick and drove 48 yards on seven plays to take a 9-3 lead with 12 seconds remaining in the first half. Stewart scored on a seven-yard run.

After a first quarter dominated by IUP, Whitaker directed an impressive drive that moved from the 25 to the IUP 5. On 2nd-and-goal Whitaker's pass went in and out of the hands of a Gannon receiver and was intercepted.

IUP returned the ball to the 23, and proceeded to drive 77 yards, most coming on a 61-yard scramble by freshman QB Nico Marchitelli on a 3rd-and-13 play. One play later Marchitelli completed a 17-yard TD pass to Quinn Zinobile. Reginald Hamlette Jr. (Temple Hills, Md./Oxon Hill) turned in what would be a key block of the extra point leaving IUP with a 15-3 lead with 7:30 remaining.

Gannon put together its second straight drive into IUP territory, once again featuring the ground game. Marcus carried three times for 28 yards and David Morgan Jr. (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) added a 16-yard run. The drive stalled at the IUP 22 but Scarpino came in and converted 40-yard field goal to make it 15-6 with 4:13 left in the half.
The score would remain 15-6 at the half with IUP outgaining Gannon 195 yards to 129 while having the ball for over 18 minutes. It was a different story in the second half as the Gannon defense stifled the IUP offense and Gannon's offensively repeatedly opened big holes for Marcus.

Following a scoreless third quarter Gannon pulled to within 15-13 with 11:40 left in the game. The Golden Knights drove 75 yards on 12 plays, eating up 6 minutes and 7 seconds with the drive. Marcus carried six times for 63 yards, including a 12-yard scamper on a 3rd-and-10 play. Facing a 3rd-and-goal at the four, Whitacre followed Marcus into the end zone from four yards out behind left tackle Dylan Wilson (Garrettsville, Ohio/Garfield).
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon defeated Indiana (Pa.) for the second straight year following last year's 43-36 win over the 11th-ranked Crimson Hawks at McConnell Family Stadium. It's the first time since 2009-10 that Gannon has won back-to-back games against IUP. It's also just the second win ever for the Golden Knights at IUP. That last also came in 2009.

The Golden Knights are now 11-2 in PSAC West games over the last two years. The only losses have come to Slippery Rock.

IUP held a 195-to-129 advantage in yards at the half but the Gannon defense stepped up and limited the Crimson Hawks to just 73 yards in the second half as IUP finished with 268 total yards. IUP ended the day with 189 yards rushing, but just 46 came in the second half. Gannon, meanwhile, rode an outstanding performance by the offensive line to finish with 202 yards on the ground and 331 total yards. IUP held a huge time of possession after one quarter, but by the end of the game held the edge 30:29 to 29:31. In addition, Gannon made good on 7-of-13 third-down conversions while holding IUP to 4-of-11.

Donny Marcus' (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) run of outstanding games continued with the redshirt sophomore posting his third straight 100-yard game and fourth in the last five contests. The transfer from Ball State ended the day with 171 yards on 28 carries. Over the last five games he has carried the ball 125 times for 726 yards. It's his third game in that stretch with 170-or-more yards. Marcus added three receptions for 27 yards. He entered the game ranked fourth in the PSAC in rushing and now has 829 yards on 154 carries, adding 19 receptions for 156 yards.

Jayden Whitaker (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) made his first start at quarterback. The freshman from Indiana saw his first action of the season a week ago and guided Gannon to a win at Mercyhurst. On Saturday he completed 12-of-22 passes for 129 yards with 2 INTs, one on a ball that was in and out of a receiver's hands. He also scored second touchdown rushing on a four-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) led Gannon's receivers with four catches for 41 yards, two coming on the game-winning drive. David Morgan Jr. (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) added 24 yards rushing on five carries, including a key six-yard run that led to Whitaker's TD run.

The game featured a pair of freshmen starting at quarterback, with IUP starting redshirt freshman Nico Marchitelli. He completed 9-of-18 passes for 79 yards with a TD, adding 76 yards rushing on nine carries. Quinn Zinobile caught five passes for 51 yards and a score. Dayjuan Stewart carried 24 times for 86 yards to lead IUP's rushers.

A pair of linebackers led the Golden Knights in tackles, with Hayden McDonald (Tigard, Ore./Tigard) finishing with a career-high 11 tackles, including two for losses. Trey Baker (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmont) followed up a 12-tackle effort at Mercyhurst, with nine stops at IUP, including 1.5 TFL and a sack. Diego Bremer (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) also matched his career high with nine tackles.

Reginald Hamlette Jr. (Temple Hills, Md./Oxon Hill) made several big plays during the day. The redshirt junior defensive back made five tackles along with breaking up a long pass inside the ten and blocking the extra point after IUP's second touchdown. That proved to be the difference at the end of the day. He also led the charge when the Gannon defense stopped IUP's Dayjure Stewart short on fourth down late in the game.

THE RECORD BOOK
Eric Scarpino (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) has yet to miss a kick in 2023. The redshirt senior is 14-for-14 on field goals and 23-for-23 on PATs. For the second straight week the left-footer accounted for the game-winning points, this time kicking the game-winning 51-yarder as time expired at IUP. That boot matched the school-record for longest field goal. Karch Holland kicked a 51-yard field goal in 2016 – against Indiana (Pa.). Scarpino tied Holland for second place in career field goals with 31 and is sixth in career field goals attempted with 37. In addition, he is sixth in career points with 208. The three field goals on Saturday give Scarpino 14 on the season, one shy of Jeremy Ditzler's season record of 15.

Donny Marcus (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) has boosted his season rushing total to 829 yards, the majority of that coming in the last five games. The redshirt sophomore ranks 16th in rushing yards in a season.

Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) led Gannon with four receptions for 41 yards at IUP. The redshirt senior now has 107 career receptions, which moves him into seventh all-time. In addition his 1,524 receiving yards stand seventh. He also caught his 13th career touchdown pass last week to move into fifth in career touchdowns receiving.

Joshawn Lewis (Lorton, Va./South County) returned the opening kickoff 76 yards at IUP. That is the seventh-longest kickoff return ever at Gannon.

UP NEXT
Gannon hosts California (Pa.) for its final home game of the 2023 campaign. Kickoff is set for 12 noon at McConnell Family Stadium. Senior Day festivities will take place prior to the kickoff. 
 
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