Mercyhurst Game Notes
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ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University football team will resume its rivalry with its crosstown rival, the Gannon Golden Knights, in a special Thursday night game at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The game will serve as a fundraiser to raise money and awareness for the ALS Association. One dollar from every ticket purchased to the game on October 17 will go towards the ALS Association. Admission prices for the contest are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Mercyhurst and Gannon students will receive free admission with their student identification. Children under the age of 12 and grade school/parochial school football players (up to eighth grade) will also be admitted free when they wear their team jersey.
Tickets are available at both the Mercyhurst University and Gannon University athletic department offices, the Mercyhurst University bookstore, and at the Erie Sport Store on upper Peach street. Fans can purchase tickets from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Mercyhurst's athletic office. Tickets to the game are available during store business hours at the Mercyhurst bookstore and at the Erie Sport Store.
Tickets will also be available at the stadium the night of the game.
Mercyhurst will serve as the home team in the 10th annual Battle For The Niagara Cup. It will mark the first time the two programs have played each other at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium since October 11, 1997 - a 35-18 victory by Mercyhurst in Gannon's home game.
The Lakers are 10-5-1 lifetime against their cross-town rivals from Gannon. In the previous nine battles for the Niagara Cup, Mercyhurst has won five times, including four in-a-row from 2006 to 2009. Last season, the Lakers snapped a two-game losing streak against the Golden Knights with a 38-29 victory at Gannon University Field.
Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday - in time for a pre-game acoustic concert by The Romantic Era. The local band will be performing from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The Lakers (3-3, 1-2 PSAC West) enter the contest on a two-game winning streak, defeating Cheyney 63-14 two weeks ago before knocking off Seton Hill 50-19 last Saturday. It marks the first time in the history of the program that Mercyhurst has scored at least 50 points in back-to-back contests. The 113 points over the last two games are the second-highest total in school history - the 1985 Lakers scored 127 points in a two-game stretch that season, including a school-record 82 points against Niagara.
Redshirt junior quarterback
Alec Swartz made his first collegiate start last Saturday and threw for 168 yards and three touchdowns in the Laker victory. Redshirt sophomore
Brandon Brown-Dukes recorded his fourth 100-yard game of the season, and 10th of his career, finishing with 127 yards rushing on just 13 carries. He scored on a 51-yard touchdown run in the third quarter - his sixth rushing touchdown of the season.
The Golden Knights (4-2, 3-0 PSAC West) enter the contest all alone in first place in the PSAC Western Division. They are five days removed from a convincing 55-14 victory against Edinboro last Saturday. The Golden Knights fell one point shy of the school's all-time scoring record. The squad did break school records for rushing touchdowns (7), total plays (95) and passing first downs (18).
Gannon leads the division by one game over three teams tied for second, California (Pa.), Indiana (Pa.) and Slippery Rock. Mercyhurst is two games back.
Gannon is on pace to shatter the school's scoring record of 347 set in 2003. The Golden Knights' current average of 38.2 points per game would result in 420 points through 11 contests.
Jansen Jones and Liam Nadler lead the Gannon offense. Jones has rushed for 935 yards and ten touchdowns on the season while Nadler has thrown for 1,737 yards and 11 scores.
