Eyvar Robles vs. Northwood
Bryce Dolak

Football Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Football Game Preview: Golden Knights Play Final Road Game with Trip to Clarion

GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS at CLARION GOLDEN EAGLES
DATE/TIME: Saturday, November 9, 2024 | 12 noon
STADIUM/LOCATION: Memorial Stadium l Clarion, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
GAME NOTES


THE GANNON-CLARION SERIES
Gannon leads 8-7
Gannon has won the last four meetings Clarion to take a slim lead in a series that began in 2008.

Last Meeting: Sept. 23, 2023 – Gannon 27, Clarion 20 | RECAP
Gannon staged one of the biggest comebacks in team history after trailing 20-0 late in the first half. The Golden Knights held Clarion scoreless while scoring ten points in both the third and fourth quarters. Two touchdown passes from Nate Mikell (Summerfield, Fla./Wildwood) to Donell "Tank" Mason pulled the Golden Knights close, and an Eric Scarpino (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) field goal made it 20-17 entering the fourth quarter. When Kam Snell (Owings Mills, Md./Good Counsel) stepped in front of a Clarion pass and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown in the first minute of the fourth quarter the comeback was complete. Scarpino added a second field goal later in the quarter.
  
RECORDS
Gannon: 2-6; 2-3 in PSAC West
Clarion: 3-6; 1-4 in PSAC West
 
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon plays its final road game of 2024 on Saturday, November 9 with the trip to Clarion. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is 12 noon. Gannon comes in at 2-6 overall and 2-3 in PSAC West play while Clarion is 2-6 and 1-4, respectively.
 
Both teams are coming off losses last week and looking to finish strong. The Golden Knights put together an impressive opening drive against Indiana (Pa.) to take a 7-0 lead but did not threaten again until late in the game. IUP took control with 21 points in the second quarter and went on to beat Gannon 35-7.
 
Clarion played Slippery Rock on Halloween but there were no treats for the Golden Eagles in a 38-22 loss. The Golden Eagles opened the season with back-to-back wins but have since lost six of their last seven games and two straight.

The combination of a brutal early schedule and a myriad of injuries have left head coach Erik Raeburn and his staff scrambling all year. They have persevered despite starting ten different defensive backs and playing an extended period without three starting defensive backs. Six of Gannon's eight opponents have winning records with three showing a loss or less.

Gannon will return home on Saturday, November 16 for its final game of 2025. The Golden Knights host Lock Haven in their final PSAC crossover game. Prior to the game Gannon will hold its Senior Day festivities, with 22 seniors to be honored.
 
Rosters:  
Gannon 
Clarion

Schedules:   
Gannon  
Clarion

Statistics:   
Gannon  
Clarion

Head Coaches:  
Gannon's Erik Raeburn
Clarion's Raymond Monica

Golden Knights to Watch
QB Jayden Whitaker – a redshirt freshman, Whitaker has accounted for 13 of Gannon's 15 touchdowns this season. He has thrown for seven scores and run for six more. Two weeks ago at Edinboro he ran for a career-high 68 yards with 3 TDs and threw for 191 yards and the game-winning touchdown in a 25-21 win. He has completed 113-of-195 passes for 1,439 yards with 7 TDs and 5 INTs and leads the team in rushing with 187 yards.
 
WR Donell "Tank" Mason – the 2022 PSAC West Freshman of the Year, Mason leads Gannon with 35 receptions for 528 yards. He has climbed into a tie for ninth place in career receptions with 101 and is now eighth in career receiving yards with 1,474.

LBs Trey Baker (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmont) and Hayden McDonald (Tigard, Ore./Tigard) – Baker, a redshirt senior, was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week for his play against Seton Hill. He registered the first turnover of the year for Gannon, an interception in the second quarter that was returned 68 yards. He then recovered a fumble at the GU 36 on Seton Hill's last drive. Baker has boosted his career total to 224 tackles, good for 17th all-time. McDonald is also a redshirt senior and has been a steady performer all year. He leads the Golden Knights with 68 tackles, including a career-high 17 in the season opener vs. Northwood. He had 11 stops at Edinboro.

P/PK Bryson Costa (Windber, Pa./Windber Area) (Windber, Pa./Windber Area) – a true freshman, Costa has handled the dual role of placekicker and punter. He is averaging 43.6 yards on 35 punts, with 12 covering 50+ yards. Costa ranks second in the PSAC and While head coaches don't necessarily want to showcase their punters, Saturday's Gannon-Clarion game will feature the top two punters in the PSAC. In fact, both rank among the Division II leaders. Clarion's Hunter Robertson leads the PSAC with a 43.8 yard average on 43 punts. Bryson Costa (Windber, Pa./Windber Area) has excelled in his first season for the Golden Knights. The freshman is averaging 43.6 yards on 35 punts with 12 punts of 50-or-more yards. Costa is second in the PSAC and 12th in Division II in punting. He made three field goals against Seton Hill. He made his first career field goal from 24 yards out, then added 27 and 45-yard field goals. He is 12-for-14 on extra points and 4-for-6 on field goals.
 
DB Ty Tiggs (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) – a graduate student, Tiggs has started all eight games in the secondary. He stands second on the team in tackles with 58.
 
Scouting Clarion: Clarion opened the season with wins over Millersville and Lincoln (Pa.), but the Golden Eagles have since lost six of their last seven games. They come in with back-to-back losses following a 38-22 loss to Slippery Rock on Halloween. That left the Golden Eagles at 3-6 overall and 1-4 in PSAC West action. Third-year head coach Raymond Monica has turned programs around at Kutztown and Arkansas Tech and is looking to do the same at Clarion. The Golden Eagles possess some of the top talents at their respective positions. Senior wide receiver Trevon Tate leads the PSAC in receptions (55) and yards receiving (1,017). Quarterback Anthony Guercio is a dual threat, throwing for 1,644 yards with 7 TDs and 7 INTs while leading the Golden Eagles in rushing with 490 yards and 10 TDs. On the defensive side, Jake Tarburton is the PSAC leader in tackles for losses (13) and sacks (7). Finally, punter Hunter Robertson leads the PSAC and stands eighth nationally in punting, averaging 43.8 yards on 43 punts.

Next for the Golden Knights:  Gannon will look to celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, November 16 hosting Lock Haven at McConnell Family Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 noon. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Nate Mikell

#6 Nate Mikell

QB
6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
Eric Scarpino

#94 Eric Scarpino

PK
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Mechanical Engineering
Kam Snell

#1 Kam Snell

DB
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Trey Baker

#50 Trey Baker

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Hayden McDonald

#4 Hayden McDonald

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Ty Tiggs

#2 Ty Tiggs

DB
6' 0"
Graduate Student
Bryson Costa

#33 Bryson Costa

PK
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Nate Mikell

#6 Nate Mikell

6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
QB
Eric Scarpino

#94 Eric Scarpino

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Mechanical Engineering
PK
Kam Snell

#1 Kam Snell

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Trey Baker

#50 Trey Baker

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Hayden McDonald

#4 Hayden McDonald

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Ty Tiggs

#2 Ty Tiggs

6' 0"
Graduate Student
DB
Bryson Costa

#33 Bryson Costa

6' 0"
Freshman
PK