ERIE, PA – Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton) threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns and Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) caught 13 passes for 193 yards but IUP couldn't convert on third down, helping Gannon defeat the Crimson Hawks 31-21 in the division finale on Saturday afternoon.
 
Haslett and Pegues helped the Crimson Hawks outgain Gannon, one of the top offenses in Division II, 464 yards to 454 on the day. Haslett completed 19-of-34 passes, including 55 yard pass plays to Pegues and tight end C.J. Jackson (Gibsonia, Pa. /Pine-Richland).
 
It was a career game for the freshman Pegues, as both reception and yardage totals were season-highs. Along with a 19-yard rush and 70 kickoff return yards, he totaled 282 all-purpose yards on the day.
 
It was Gannon, however, that struck first with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Brock Jones to help put the Golden Knights on top 7-0.
 
IUP put together a long drive as a response, but a bad snap on 24-yard field goal attempt gave the Golden Knights the ball back at their own eight yard line midway through the first quarter. The Crimson Hawks' defense came up big by forcing a Gannon punt, which gave IUP the ball at its own 27-yard line.
 
After two connections with Pegues and a couple of rushes by running back Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley), Haslett found a wide open Jackson on a third-and-two play for a 55-yard touchdown pass. The extra point by Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) tied the score at 7-7 heading to the second quarter.
 
It was a the beginning of the second quarter that Haslett's hot hand found receiver Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox) in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown to help give the Crimson Hawks a 14-7 lead. The Golden Knights tied the score on their next drive with a 38-yard hookup from Liam Nadler to Justin Caliste. Each team would have two more chances with the ball in the first half, but neither would be able to get across midfield as it went to the half tied at 14-14.
 
The only score of the third quarter came from the Golden Knights, who took a 17-14 lead with a 37-yard field goal by Karch Holland. Gannon extended its lead to 24-14 with a Nadler to Jesstin Hamm 18-yard touchdown pass at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Crimson Hawks came back with a seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive that resulted in a five-yard pass play from Haslett to Pegues to cut Gannon's lead to 24-21 with 10:28 to go in the game.
 
The Golden Knights scored on their very next drive, using a 59-yard pass from Nadler to Hamm on the first play of the drive to extend their lead to 10 points at 31-21 with 9:14 still to play.
 
The Crimson Hawks could not do anything with their next few drives, going three-and-out and then getting intercepted on its next drive to give the ball back to Gannon with four minutes left in the game. IUP would get the ball back quickly as Jerell McFadden (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) forced a Golden Knights fumble, but the Crimson Hawks took too long to do anything, keeping the ball for 18 plays and 3:47, but didn't score to end the game with a 31-21 loss.
 
IUP converted just 5-of-17 third downs while Gannon was 11-of-18. The Crimson Hawks also committed 11 penalties for 97 yards on the day.
 
Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley) was IUP's leading rusher with 82 yards on 17 carries. Carswell caught three passes for 44 yards. Karon Gibson (Sicklerville, N.J./Woodbury) had a team-high 12 tackles to go along with a sack, while Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) had 11 tackles and McFadden added 10 with two forced fumbles and a pair of pass breakups.
 
The Crimson Hawks, now 6-4 on the year, will wrap up the season next Saturday when they host No. 18 West Chester at 1 p.m.