Kam Snell vs. Clarion
Bryce Dolak
Kam Snell celebrates after his pick six gives Gannon a 24-20 lead
20
Clarion CLA 1-3 , 0-1
27
Winner Gannon GAN 1-3 , 1-0
Clarion CLA
1-3 , 0-1
20
Final
27
Gannon GAN
1-3 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CLA Clarion 17 3 0 0 20
GAN Gannon 0 7 10 10 27

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

Depleted Golden Knights Celebrate Homecoming with Come-from-Behind Win over Clarion

Gannon posts largest comeback win in school history

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 27, Clarion 20
Records: Gannon (1-3, 1-0 PSAC West), Clarion (1-3, 0-1 PSAC West)
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023
Location: Erie, Pa. – McConnell Family Stadium
 
ERIE, Pa. – To say things looked bleak in the early going of Saturday's Homecoming game against Clarion would be an understatement. Having lost three games already in the latter stages of the fourth quarter, Gannon found itself trailing the Golden Eagles in the PSAC West opener 17-0 just over ten minutes into the game. Clarion's lead would grow to 20-0 with just under five minutes remaining in the first half before Gannon got on the board with the first of two Nate Mikell (Summerfield, Fla./Wildwood) to Donell "Tank" Mason touchdown passes. That score ended up being the start of a run of 27 straight points as head coach Erik Raeburn's squad staged thecomebacks in school history while thrilling the large crowd at McConnell Family Stadium. The duo combined for a second touchdown pass on Gannon's first possession of the third quarter, an 80-yard catch and run touchdown into a strong wind. Eric Scarpino's (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) 32-yard field goal pulled the Golden Knights to within 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter. The comeback was complete when Kam Snell (Owings Mills, Md./Good Counsel) stepped in front of an out pattern at the Clarion 16 and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown with 14:09 left in the game. Scarpino's 30-yard field goal in the final three minutes provided some insurance as Gannon won for the first time in 2023 and for the fourth straight time vs. Clarion. It was Gannon's sixth straight win on Homecoming.   
 
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Box Score:  Click Here
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
A strong wind blowing from east to west would play a factor all day, and Clarion took advantage in the first quarter, pinning the Golden Knights back in their own territory. After a three-and-out for Gannon a short punt gave the Golden Eagles the ball at the GU45. Five plays later Paul Newton sprinted around left end into the end zone from 16 yards out for a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

Not only did Gannon fail to get a first down on its next possession, but Clarion stuffed a 4th-and-1 run and took over at the GU 32. The Gannon defense held and forced a 22-yard field goal by Andrew Kurtas for a 10-0 deficit with 6:42 left in the first quarter.

Gannon had the ball for just one play, with a fumble giving the Golden Eagles the ball at the GU 26. Four plays later Clarion was up 17-0, reaching the end zone on a one-yard run by Anthony Guercio with 4:52 remaining in the opening period.

The score remained that way until a quarter later. With 4:50 left Gannon trailed 20-0 after Kurtas kicked his second field goal of the afternoon, this one from 25-yards out. It was set up after Gannon again failed to convert on a 4th-and-1, this time at midfield. The Golden Knights defense stepped up though after Clarion reached the Gannon two. Hayden McDonald (Tigard, Ore./Tigard) and David Francis Jr. (Van Nuys, Calif./Ulysses S. Grant) sacked Guercio for a six-yard loss and an incomplete pass followed on 3rd-and-goal.

Gannon's next possession resulted in a three-and-out, but Donovan Warren's (Santa Cruz, Cal./Santa Cruz County Office of Education) 69-yard punt flipped the field with a touchback. On the next play Joseph "Joe" Loiseau forced a fumble with Reginald Hamlette Jr. (Temple Hills, Md./Oxon Hill) pouncing on it at the CU 19. After an eight-yard pass play Donell "Tank" Mason, the 2022 PSAC West Offensive Freshman of the Year, made a leaping catch of a Nate Mikell (Summerfield, Fla./Wildwood) pass in the left side of the end zone cut the deficit to 20-7 with 2:35 left in the half. The comeback was on!

Clarion had the win to start the third quarter, but the Gannon defense forced a three-and-out and took possession at its own 18. After a short run netted two yards Mikell stepped back and lofted a long pass into the wind to Mason. A Clarion defender stumbled just a bit and Mason hauled the ball in at the CU 45 and sprinted the rest of the way for an 80-yard TD pass. Scarpino's PAT made it 20-14 with 12:50 left in the third quarter.

A banged-up Gannon defense was now taking control of the game. The unit sacked Guercio three times on the next series, which was extended by a roughing the punter penalty. Facing another long field after Clarion punted to the GU 14, the Golden Knights drove 72 yards on nine plays but were forced to settle for a 32-yard field goal from Scarpino. The three-pointer with 4:47 left in the quarter pulled Gannon to within 20-17.

It was the defense that accounted for the game-winning score. Warren's punt was downed at the CU 8 just before the end of the quarter. Three plays later and two plays into the fourth quarter Kam Snell (Owings Mills, Md./Good Counsel) stepped in front of a Guercio pass in the left flat at the CU 16 and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown.
The next play for scrimmage for the Golden Eagles also resulted in an interception, this one by Zaire Allen (Johnson City, Tenn./Archbishop Spalding (Md.)) at the CU 31. Gannon came up empty on a 4th-and-2 conversion attempt.   

The second pickoff signaled the end of the day for Guercio, with Zach Benedek entering the game at quarterback. Obi Ezeigbo's (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) sack of Benedek forced a punt and Gannon followed with a time-consuming drive that resulted in a 30-yard field goal by Scarpino with 2:39 remaining. The drive covered 15 plays and 59 yards and featured two third down and a fourth down conversion.

Clarion's last possession ended with three incompletions as Gannon took over with 1 minute, 50 seconds remaining and ran out the clock.  
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon posted the biggest comeback win in school history while celebrating Homecoming with a 27-20 against Clarion. The Golden Knights found themselves trailing 20-0 with just under five minutes remaining in the second quarter. The rally began with a touchdown late in the half. Gannon pulled to within 20-17 after three quarters then took the lead on an interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Prior to the 20-point comeback Gannon had previously rallied from 17-point deficits on four occasions: at Shippensburg on Sept. 20, 2016; vs. Slippery Rock on Nov. 5, 2011; vs. Tiffin on Nov. 6, 2004; and vs. Walsh on Nov. 2, 2002 

Gannon has now won four straight games against Clarion to take an 8-7 lead in the all-time series. The Golden Knights have defeated the Golden Eagles three times in Homecoming games since 2019. Gannon has won six straight Homecoming games.

After pulling ahead in the fourth quarter all four of Gannon's games have been decided in the fourth quarter. In fact, Saturday's win was the first that wasn't decided until the final five minutes.

Gannon finished with 292 yards while the defense limited Clarion to just 244 yards. Most of Clarion's came on the ground as the Golden Eagles ran for 148 yards on 42 rushes. The Golden Knights were never able to get the ground game going, totaling 25 yards on 29 attempts. Gannon threw for 267 yards and limited Clarion to 96 yards through the air.

Despite patching together a front six the Gannon defense forced four turnovers -- two interceptions and two fumbles – and registered five sacks. The Golden Knights were guilty of just one turnover and allowed three sacks. Gannon had nine TFL.

Both teams struggled to convert on third and fourth down. Gannon was 2-of-14 third down plays, coming on the final field goal drive, and was 1-of-4 on fourth down. Clarion was held to 2-of-13 and 0-of-1, respectively.

Donell "Tank" Mason enjoyed a career-best day. Last year's PSAC West Offensive Freshman of the Year hauled in six catches for a career-high 164 yards, his second 100-yard career day. He caught touchdown passes of 11 and 80 yards.

After an uneven start Nate Mikell (Summerfield, Fla./Wildwood) ended the afternoon with a career-high 267 yards and 2 TDs. In his fourth career start, the redshirt sophomore completed 22-of-32 passes.

David Morgan Jr. (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) is fourth on the depth chart at running back, but with Antonio Wright (Palm Bay, Fla./Melbourne) Jr. out with an injury and Braxton Todd (Martinsburg, W. Va./Martinsburg) and Donny Marcus (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) both bottled up the redshirt senior finished as Gannon's leading rusher with three carries for 26 yards.

Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey) paced the defense with a season-high 11 tackles. Defensive end Obi Ezeigbo (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) added eight tackles, with 2 TFL and a pair of sacks for minus 17 yards. Fellow defensive end David Francis saw his most extended action of the season and finished with a career-high eight stops and a TFL.

Kam Snell (Owings Mills, Md./Good Counsel) intercepted his third pass of the season and scored his first career touchdown. The redshirt junior pulled Gannon ahead at 24-20 with a 16-yard pickoff for six points early in the fourth quarter.The pick six was the first interception returned for a touchdown by Gannon since Martell Davis' 100-yard return vs. Seton Hill in 2018.
Zaire Allen (Johnson City, Tenn./Archbishop Spalding (Md.)) added his second career interception, and first since 2019, while making his first start at defensive back since 2019.
 
THE RECORD BOOK
Donell "Tank" Mason finished with team-highs of six receptions for 164 yards and 2 TDs. The sophomore gained 102 of those yards after the catch. The 164 yards is tied for the ninth-highest total in a game. Lee Castana caught seven passes for 164 yards against St. Francis (Pa.) in 1996. The 80-yard touchdown reception is tied for the seventh-longest reception in school history.

Senior defensive back Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey) finished with a season-high 11 tackles vs. Clarion, seven of those solo. The two-time All-PSAC West honoree has moved into a tie for 20th in career tackles with 217.

After posting a huge game against Clarion last year Ke'John Batiste (Covington, La./Covington) was limited to four receptions for 30 yards. However, his 11-yard reception on a 4th-and-7 play in the fourth quarter helped set up Gannon's clinching field goal. The redshirt senior is now 11th in career receptions with 90 and his 1,240 yards receiving are good for ninth place.

Eric Scarpino (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) has yet to miss a kick in 2023. The redshirt senior is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts and 11-for-11 on PATs. The redshirt senior made field goals of 32 and 30 yards with his brother Adam watching from the Clarion sideline as a member of the Golden Eagles. Scarpino ranks fourth in career field goals made (22) and is sixth in career field goals attempted (28). He has made 103 career PATs, good for third place, while also standing third in attempts with 110.  

UP NEXT
It will be another Homecoming for the Golden Knights as Gannon plays at Seton Hill on Saturday, September 30. The Griffins celebrate Homecoming with a 4:00 p.m. kickoff at Offutt Field. Seton Hill comes in at 1-3 after dropping its PSAC West opener to No. 12 Slippery Rock 35-14 on Saturday.
 
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