Complete Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst football team allowed 27 points and lost their starting quarterback during a nightmare-ish second half, suffering a heartbreaking 30-27 loss to crosstown rival Gannon on a chilly and rainy Saturday afternoon at Tullio Field. The loss left the Lakers with a 3-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in PSAC West play, while the Golden Knights improved to 2-3 overall and a 1-1 record in the Western Division.

A year ago, however, the Lakers found themselves in the same exact situation after five games, then rattled off seven straight victories en route to their first-ever conference championship and first-ever trip to the NCAA playoffs.

Even with the loss, the most crushing blow on Saturday may be the situation with starting quarterback and fifth-year senior Travis Rearick. Rearick had to be carried off the field by teammates midway through the third quarter and had to watch the remainder of the game wearing a knee brace and being propped up by crutches. Before leaving, Rearick was having another fine afternoon, completing 14-of-24 passes for 173 yards and two more touchdowns. Sophomore Anthony Vendemia stepped in admirably for Rearick, completing 8-of-14 for 77 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked five times.

Senior wide receiver Trevor Kennedy had another career day, totaling a personal-best 295 all-purpose yards, including 10 more catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fourth consecutive week that Kennedy has eclipsed 200 all-purpose yards. His two receiving touchdowns gave him 10 for the season, one shy of the school record he set last season, with six regular season games remaining on the schedule. In addition to the receiving yards, Kennedy also ran two punts back for 53 yards and four kickoffs back for 85 yards.

Senior linebacker Ian Wild was also up to his old tricks, and even some new ones in the loss. Wild caught his first ever touchdown pass from Rearick with 6:58 left in the first quarter putting the first points of the game on the board. Wild lined up in a fullback formation and found himself wide open in the endzone from five yards out. In addition to the touchdown, Wild tied a career-high with 14 tackles (11 solo) and tied a career-high with four tackles for a loss. The senior also forced a fumble and blocked a punt that senior Linnell Robinson scooped up and ran in from 15 yards out for his first career touchdown.

After Wild's touchdown gave Mercyhurst a 6-0 lead (sophomore Steven Wakefield's point after was blocked), Gannon got on the scoreboard on a 21-yard field goal from placekicker Matt Szczupakowski midway through the second quarter, cutting the Laker lead in half. The Rearick-to-Kennedy connection then struck from six yards out with 39 seconds left in the first half, and the two teams went to their respective dressing rooms with Mercyhurst leading 13-3.

With 9:27 left in the third, Gannon got to within three points again, as quarterback Daniel Tapscott found wide receiver Lawrence Coleman on a 38-yard strike. It was the first of three touchdown receptions for Coleman in the second half.

Mercyhurst struck back again, with Wild blocking a punt by Chris Jahnke deep in Gannon territory. Robinson scooped it up and trotted in from 15 yards out to put Mercyhurst ahead 20-10 with 6:50 left in the third quarter.

The Golden Knights, however, would not go away all afternoon. Tapscott found Coleman on two consecutive touchdowns, which gave the visitors their first lead of the afternoon with 8:09 left in the fourth quarter. The two hooked up on a 22-yard pass play with 2:23 left in the third, and then from 12 yards out with 8:09 left in the fourth. Gannon would then cap off its afternoon on a 12-yard touchdown run by Alex Papson with 1:59 left, giving the Golden Knights a 30-20.

Vendemia marched the Lakers down the field, and then found Kennedy from two yards out for his first career touchdown pass with 50 seconds left, putting the Lakers down by just a field goal. On the onside kick attempt, Kennedy appeared to have recovered the kick from junior Josh Harold, but the Lakers were flagged for an offsides penalty. On the redo, Gannon recovered the kick and ran out the clock to complete the upset.

Mercyhurst outgained Gannon 337 to 275 in total offensive yards for the game. For the second consecutive week, sophomore Allen Jones II led the ground attack with 65 yards on 13 carries. As a team, however, the Lakers were held to 56 yards on the ground on 24 carries. The five sacks on Vendemia hurt that number. Gannon did not fare much better, rushing for 73 yards on 35 carries. Papson led the Golden Knights with 75 yards on 25 carries.

Mercyhurst threw for 281 yards on the day, 250 from Rearick and Vendemia, and 31 from freshman Garrett Wild, who found Todd Wingate down the right sideline on a fake punt in the second half. Kennedy, for the fifth consecutive game, led the way with 10 catches for 157 yards. Junior Paris Bruner had four receptions for 49 yards. Tapscott completed 14-of-27 for 202 yards and three scores. Coleman caught half of the completions and all three touchdowns. He finished with 127 receiving yards.

Wild again led the defense with 14 tackles, four tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, and a blocked punt. Senior linebacker Kevin Williams also had a strong afternoon with nine total stops (seven solo) and the Lakers only sack of the afternoon. Mike Phillips led the Golden Knights with six tackles, while Kevin Borton filled the stat sheet with five tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss, one fumble recovery, and an interception.

Mercyhurst will look to rebound next Saturday, October 8 at Tullio Field when the Crimson Hawks of IUP come to Erie for a 12 p.m. kickoff.

More Laker Notes

Kennedy became the third Laker in school history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards. He had 10 catches for 157 yards and now has 143 career receptions (second to Ed Bailey (201)) and has 2,064 receiving yards, trailing only Justin Siemon (2,225) and Ed Bailey (2,983) in that category. He also had two more touchdowns on Saturday, giving him 10 for the season and 23 for his career, which is five shy of tying Bailey's record of 28.

Kennedy also became the fourth player in school history to supass 3,000 career all-purpose yards. His career-high of 295 yards on Saturday gave him 3,065 for his career, trailing Scott Gorring (3,258), Bailey (4,026), and Richard Stokes (4,744).

Kennedy also moved closer to Rob Keefe's school record of 643 career punt return yards. Kennedy returned two punts for 53 yards on Saturday and now has 602 career punt return yards.

Wild continues his steady climb up on the all-time tackles list at the college. With 14 more stops on Saturday, Wild now has 273 total stops, moving into 12th place all-time. He needs 12 tackles to crack the top 10. Scott Platz holds the all-time mark with 383.

Senior Bryant Kimball had seven tackles, giving him 216 for his career, and moved him into 22nd all-time. Senior Kevin Williams had nine stops and now has 161 for his career, tying Jim Zank for 41st.

Before leaving in the third quarter, Rearick threw for 173 yards and now has thrown for 3,659 career yards, fourth all-time on the school's list. His two touchdowns gave him 37 for his career, which is third on the list. His 3,791 yards of total offense is now fifth all-time.

Wild caught his first touchdown pass of his career in the first quarter.

Vendemia threw his first career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

Robinson had his first career touchdown after Wild's blocked punt in the third quarter.

Mercyhurst is now 9-5-1 lifetime against Gannon.

The Lakers host Indiana (Pa.) next Saturday. Mercyhurst is 2-1 lifetime against the Crimson Hawks.

Mercyhurst is on the same exact path they took during last season's historic season. Mercyhurst defeated Notre Dame College, lost to Kutztown, then rattled off two straight victories against C.W. Post and Lock Haven, before losing to Gannon.