Box Score

INDIANA, PA – Javon Rowan (Erie/Cathedral Prep) had 111 receiving yards and a touchdown and the Crimson Hawks defense forced four turnovers as IUP rolled to a 35-7 victory over Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action Saturday afternoon. With the win the Crimson Hawks now have 499 in program history.

IUP (5-2, 4-1) was sparked by three plays that went for over 30 yards and scores including a punctuating 73-yard pass from Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) to Pat Brewer (Coatesville/Coatesville) with under two minutes to play in the game that sealed the win for the Crimson Hawks. Rowan also caught a 59-yard strike from Smith for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) had a 33-yard scamper as time ran out in the third quarter.

After a Gannon fumble on its opening drive left IUP with great field position at the Gannon 41, Smith hooked up with a wide open Rowan for 37 yards down to the Golden Knights four-yard line. Tuck would punch it in two plays later to give the Crimson Hawks a 7-0 lead with 12:10 to play in the first quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Gannon's fantastic kick returner Justin Caliste coughed up the football after being hit by Brandon Kerstetter. Zach Severance (Columbus, OH/Reynoldsburg) dove on the loose ball to give IUP possession at the Golden Knights 22-yard line.

A pair of one yard runs by Tuck and an 11-yard completion from Smith to Ben Simmen (Oakdale/West Allegheny) set up a second-and-goal for IUP at the nine-yard line, but the drive would stall from there. Smith rushed for four yards and Tuck bowled ahead for four more to set up fourth-and-one on the Gannon one-yard line, but Chris Cook slashed into the backfield and stood up Tuck to force a turnover on downs.

Gannon would punt the ball back to the Crimson Hawks after a three-and-out with 7:05 to play in the first, where IUP would continue to move the ball with ease. Brewer rushed for 12 yards and a first down on an end-around to start the drive, and after a pair of four-yard runs by Tuck, Smith found Rowan for eight more yards down to the Gannon seven. Smith would show off his legs next, darting through the heart of the Golden Knights defense and into the end zone to give IUP a 14-0 lead.

The first spark for Gannon came on defense midway through the second quarter when Errick Clark Jr. picked off Smith, igniting a 14-play, 60-yard drive by the Gannon offense. Unfortunately for the Golden Knights the drive was abruptly ended when Errol Brewster (Harlem, NY/Springbrook (MD)) knocked the ball away from Daniel Tapscott and Larry Gooden (McKeesport/McKeesport) secured the loose ball for IUP with just seconds remaining in the first half.

The score would remain 14-0 until late in the third quarter, when Tuck broke free for the 33-yard score with :05 seconds left in the third. Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall)'s extra point would make it 21-0 IUP heading into the fourth.

Gannon would get on the board midway through the fourth quarter when Tapscott found Lawrence Coleman on a fade route in the back corner of the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown with 6:05 to play in the game, but IUP would respond in big way.
On the Crimson Hawks next play from scrimmage Smith hit Rowan in stride down the sideline for a 59-yard touchdown that took just ten seconds off the clock. Ullman knocked in the extra point to give IUP a 28-7 lead with 5:49 to play.

The Golden Knights would put together another solid drive on their next trip down the field, but Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone) snatched his fourth interception of the season on the IUP one yard line.

On the ensuing drive Teddy Blakeman (Penn Hills/Penn Hills) would go to work, rushing for two, 16 and eight yards on three consecutive carries to put the ball on the IUP 27-yard line. Two plays later Smith would drop a beautiful pass into the hands of Brewer, who galloped 73 yards for the score with just over two minutes to play.

Smith was 10-of-15 for two touchdowns and an interception through the air, and added 32 yards and another score on the ground. Tapscott was 21-of-38 for 188 yards and touchdown for Gannon.

Tuck had 17 carries for 72 yards and two scores, while Blakeman had seven carries for 45 yards. Papson got the lion's share of the carries for Gannon, rushing for 34 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, Jerrell McFadden had a game-high 11 tackles for the Crimson Hawks, while Mark Jackson (Canton, OH/McKinley) had 10 tackles. Chris Cook had 11 tackles and a forced fumble for Gannon, while Randy Colling added 10 tackles.

Today's win sets up a PSAC West showdown with Cal next weekend at Miller Stadium in the third annual “Coal Bowl", with both teams vying for a spot in the NCAA regional playoffs. IUP will have extra incentive, looking for win number 500 in program history. Kickoff for next week's game is set for 1:00 p.m.