Video credits: Footage and production by Ethan Magoc
Music by Alex Pauken
Boxscore
ERIE, Pa. -- No. 23 Edinboro withstood a late rally from Mercyhurst to take a 32-22 decision in front of 1,427 fans on Senior Day at Tullio Field.
Against the league's sixth-ranked defense, the Fighting Scots totaled 412 yards of total offense thanks to quarterback Trevor Harris' 261 yards passing as Edinboro also used a steady ground game to control the time of possession, holding the ball for over 20 minutes in the first half.
It marked the most yards given up by the Lakers defense since allowing 413 yards against Edinboro a year ago when Mercyhurst upset then-ranked No. 15 Edinboro on the road, 24-21.
The Fighting Scots move to 7-2 overall, 5-1 in the PSAC West while Mercyhurst falls to 4-5 overall, 3-3 in the PSAC West.
Mercyhurst opened the scoring with a 23-yard strike to Josh Szeluga from Trevor Kennedy out of the Wildcat formation two plays after Andrew Bailey returned the opening kickoff 58 yards to the Edinboro 25-yardline. A two-point conversion with Garrett Kensy hitting Szeluga in the corner gave Mercyhurst an early 8-0 lead.
With an energized home crowd, the Lakers' defense kept the momentum going and stopped the Fighting Scots deep in Mercyhurst territory with Bryan Boyce dropping Edinboro running back David Bostic for a two-yard loss at the 14-yardline.
That would be all the scoring in the opening stanza as Edinboro's defense stopped a threatening Mercyhurst drive at the 42-yardline and forced the Lakers to punt.
The Fighting Scots answered on the ensuing possession with a six-yard rush by David Bostic to cap off a 92-yard, 12-play drive that took 5:48 off the clock. Harris completed a 20-yard pass to Shawn Walker on 1st-and-5 from the Mercyhurst 26-yardline to set up the score. On the drive, the versatile quarterback rushed 31 of his 40 total rushing yards.
Edinboro added another score on its next possession after holding the Lakers to a three-and-out situation. This time Harris connected with Josh Brown for 16 yards to cap off an 11-play, 80-yard drive that took 6:47 off the clock.
The Lakers had another chance to score before the close of the half thanks a great defensive play by Bryant Kimball.
With Edinboro looking to go deep, Kimball snagged the overthrown ball at the Lakers 24-yardline and returned it to the Fighting Scots 25-yardline as a series of penalty flags littered the field.
After a lengthy discussion by officials and a second meeting to confirm the call, the ball was finally placed at the Edinboro 40 as a result of a holding penalty against Mercyhurst and a personal foul against Edinboro.
Facing a fourth-and-10 with just under a minute in the half, Lakers quarterback Joe Laffey's pass was tipped midstream and fell into the arms of Edinboro's Branden Williams to stop Mercyhurst's last scoring threat in the first half.
In the second half, Edinboro came out firing and put 11 points on the board. Prior to today's game, Mercyhurst had given up just 10 points in the third stanza through 8 eight games.
Alex Romanias booted a 37-yard field goal before Mercyhurst got on the board with a 15-yard touchdown strike from Laffey to Kennedy to make the score 17-15 in favor of the guests.
On the Lakers scoring drive, Kennedy made Mercyhurst history with his reception. The sophomore is the only Laker to record both a passing and receiving touchdown in the same game.
The advantage grew to 25-15 when Michael Battles rushed for a 4-yard gain and Harris rushed for the two-point conversion to close out the third quarter. Battles would add another score early in the fourth with a 3-yard rush.
Mercyhurst rallied to a 10-point difference when Laffey hit Kensy for a 6-yard reception that capped off a 93-yard drive, but the Edinboro special teams pounced on the Lakers on-sides kick attempt to halt any thoughts of a Laker comeback.
Harris posted a game-high 261 yards on 20-of-26 passing and had one passing touchdown and an interception. Laffey completed 13-of-32 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Battles finished with a game-high 65 yards rushing on 13 carries and two touchdowns while Ben Jennings led the Lakers with 37 yards on 11 carries.
Marcus Johnson posted a game-high six receptions Fighting Scots and Josh Brown added five for a game-high 91 yards while Szeluga and Kennedy each finished with four catches. Szeluga had 73 yards while Kennedy posted 64 yards.
Defensively, Edinboro's Kenny Pettis registered a game-high with 10 tackles. For the Lakers, Ian Wild posted nine stops, including eight solo and a tackle for loss. Four other Lakers added seven tackles, led by Tim Herbener, who finished with 1.5 sacks.
Notes:
Sophomore wide receiver became the first player in Mercyhurst history to record a passing and a receiving touchdown in the same game. Kennedy connected with Josh Szeluga on the Lakers' first drive for a 23-yard strike before hauling in a 15-yard touchdown bomb from Joe Laffey in the third quarter.
Josh Szeluga, Trevor Kennedy and Garrett Kensy each posted a touchdown reception to mark the first time since Sept. 20, 2009 that three different Lakers recorded receiving touchdowns. In a 41-7 win over Clarion, Kensy completed TD passes to Dave Stallard, Kirk Campbell and Szeluga.
The Lakers had two players with passing touchdowns (Kennedy to Szeluga, 23 yds; Laffey to Kennedy, 15 yds). The feat is the first since Oct. 13, 2007 when Mitch Phillis connected with Szeluga and Laffey hit Neil Apfelbaum in a 38-22 loss at Findlay.
The 412 yards of total offense allowed is the most by a Mercyhurst opponent since giving up 413 against Edinboro a year ago in a 24-21 upset victory on Oct. 23, 2008.
The 32 points scored by Edinboro is a season-high for Laker opponents and the most since a 42-10 loss at IUP on Oct. 18, 2008
Mercyhurst thanked seniors Adam Brown, Charlie Gleisner, Josh Szeluga, Josh Nordin, Ben Jennings, Steve Telego,Ryan Taylor, Demond McDonald, #P.J. O'Connor#, Andrew Salamon, Dave Hetrick, Andrew Schuler and Mitch Lorig in a pre-game ceremony.
