ERIE, Pa. -
Randy Colling (Arcade, N.Y./Pioneer) blocked a possible game-winning field goal at the end of regulation and forced a game-ending fumble in overtime as the Gannon football team upset 19th-ranked Bloomsburg 10-7 Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both squads.
Gannon ended the season with four consecutive victories, marking the program’s longest streak since winning its final nine games in 2003. In the process, the Golden Knights defeated a nationally-ranked team for the first time in school history and recorded their first winning season since 2003. The contest also marked Gannon’s first overtime game since a 26-23 home victory against Northern Michigan in 2005.
It was the defensive unit that came through for the third consecutive game as the Golden Knights allowed only 10 points in their final three games against Lock Haven, Indiana (Pa.) and Bloomsburg.
The two teams battled to a scoreless tie through the first two quarters, before both squads found the endzone once in the third stanza. Bloomsburg’s Brandon Real returned the second-half opening kickoff 62 yards to the Gannon 28-yard line. Four plays later, Dan Latorre connected with Cory Stiger from 25 yards out for the first score of the game.
Gannon took advantage of a poor punt to tie the contest. Jon Koenig’s 19-yard punt from the Bloomsburg nine-yard line set the Golden Knights up at the Huskies’ 28-yard line late in the third quarter.
Zach Boedicker (Northfield, Ohio/Nordonia) immediately hit
Tyler Batts (Homestead, Pa./Penn-Trafford) for a 25-yard gain. Boedicker then ran the ball in from three yards out on the next play to even the score.
Both teams had a chance to kick go-ahead field goals on their last possession of regulation. However, Gannon missed a 41-yard field goal with three minutes to play. Then, Colling blocked Bloomsburg’s 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
Bloomsburg won the overtime toss and elected to go on defense first. Gannon picked up one first down, before the Huskies forced the Golden Knights to settle for three points with a 31-yard field goal by
Jeremy Ditzler (Erie, Pa./Iroquois). The junior placekicker tied Brendan McNicholas’ school record of 27 career field goals with the conversion.
On the first play of Bloomsburg’s overtime possession, Latorre took off running and fumbled when he was hit by Colling.
Khayree Connors-McChristian (Sicklerville, N.J./Winslow Township) recovered the fumble and set off a large celebration on the Gannon sidelines.
Gannon produced advantages in first downs (18-13), total yards (286-247), rushing yards (182-142) and time of possession (34:36-25:24).
Boedicker generated 173 yards of total offense, going 13-of-20 for 104 yards through the air and rushing for 69 yards on 19 carries.
Jon Richardson (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) closed out his collegiate career with 77 yards on 24 carries. The senior tailback also hauled in three passes for 13 yards.
Levar Goff (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) led the receiving group with five catches for 20 yards.
Connors-McChristian led all tacklers with 10 stops, one tackle for a loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up. Colling recorded nine stops, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal.
Kevin Minor (South Euclid, Ohio/Shaw) chipped in seven tackles, three tackles for a loss, one fumble recovery, one interception and one pass break-up.
Gannon concluded the regular season with a 6-5 record. Bloomsburg, ranked 19th in NCAA Division II and fifth in the NCAA Division II Super Regional One Poll, dropped to 8-3 while ending the regular season with three straight losses.
For a complete box score from Saturday’s Gannon-Bloomsburg football game, please
click here.