Moon Township, Pa. - The Colonials of Robert Morris scored two early first quarter touchdowns and went on from there to down Mercyhurst 55-28 in a Northeast Conference contest on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Joe Walton Stadium. Both teams ended play with identical 1-2 records. The contest was the first between the two squads since 1997.
 
Highlights
 
RMU took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in nine plays, capped by a 14-yard pass from senior QB Anthony Chiccitt to junior WR Noah Robinson. Senior Jason Jenkins converted. On the Lakers's initial possession, senior QB Adam Urena threw his first interception of the season and, two snaps thereafter, junior RB D.J. Moyer ran three yards to paydirt. Jenkins' PAT was good and, with just six minutes gone in the quarter, Mercyhurst trailed 14-0. Mercyhurst settled down and neither team did damage for the remainder of the first stanza.
 
The second quarter produced 34 points. The Colonials stretched the lead to 21-0 five minutes in when Chiccitt threw his second TD pass, this one to Chaz Middleton. The Lakers answered with back-to-back scores. QB Adam Urena hit WR Cameron Barmore from five yards out, finishing a 13-play, 75-yard drive. It was Urena's sixth TD toss of the season and Barmore's fifth TD reception. Mercyhurst then intercepted an RMU pass deep in enemy territory and junior RB Ayron Rodriguez scored on a one-yard plunge. The Lakers went for two after missing the initial point-after and Urena connected with Rodrigez to slice the deficit to 21-14. But Chiccitt threw his third and fourth TD passes of the half late in the quater to widen the lead to 34-14. The first went 63 yards to Robinson and the other, 17 yards to Trenell Ridgley. By halftime, Chiccitt was 15 of 19 for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Urena was 9 of 18 for 46, one TD and one pick.
 
Both teams produced touchdowns in the third.  Mercyhurt RB Earnest Davis tallied his first rushing TD of the season finishing a 9-play 75-yard march, from a yard away. But Chiccitt answered with his fifth touchdown pass, this one of two yards to Ethan Shine. The Colonals burnt a lot of the third quarter clock, navigating 85 yards in 15 plays.
 
The RMU lead grew to 55-21 in the fourth on a 4-yard run by Tyvon Edmonds and a 14-yard strike from QB Zach Tanner to TE Trevor Wilson. Urena and Barmore connected for the game's final score - from a yard away - with 1:56 left.
 
The final stats showed RMU with 536 total yards of offense to the Lakers 297. The Colonials had 171 on the ground and 365 in the air. Mercyhurst totaled 93 and 204. Time of possession was just about even at 30-minutes apiece. Each team threw an interception. 
 
Notes:
* Robert Morris and Mercyhurst played each other in four successive seasons in the mid-90's (1994-1997) and each won twice on the other's field.
 
*In fact, the Colonials played the first-ever game at Tullio Field (at the time; named after long-time Erie mayor Lou Tullio) in September 1996. The game was played on grass. Artificial turf was installed in 1998 and the field was renamed Saxon Stadium a few years ago. John and Patty Saxon made significant contributions to the university's athletic program and stadium renovations.
 
*The Robert Morris football field is named after Joe Walton who played in the National Football League for eight seasons and later was head coach of the New York Jets for seven. Walton went on to serve as head coach and creator of the Robert Morris football program. Walton, a native of Beaver Falls, Pa., died in August of 2021.
 
Next Game
 
The Lakers will continue their season-opening four-game road trip next Saturday when they cross the Mississippi for the first time to play Montana State on September 21. The Lakers won't play at home until Saturday, September 28, when Mountain East Conference member Frostburg State comes to Erie for a 1:00 pm kickoff. That will be the first contest between the schools on the gridiron since October 16, 1995.
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