Who can get to 2-0? Area college football teams look to build off season-opening wins
Erie County's three college football teams enjoyed a perfect week with season-opening wins. Here's a look at the Week 2 matchups for Edinboro, Gannon and Mercyhurst:
Opening success: Erie County's college football teams go 3-0 on Division II's season-opening weekend
Lakers looking for first 2-0 start since 2015
Mercyhurst opened its third straight season with a win, and now look for its first 2-0 start since 2015.
Based on history, moving to 2-0 should not be much of a problem, as Mercyhurst holds a 7-0 all-time record against Lock Haven. The Lakers last played the Bald Eagles in 2017 when they pulled off a 23-10 victory. Saturday's game kicks off at 6 p.m. at Lock Haven.
Defensive lineman Camden White was a force in Mercyhurst's 45-28 win over Alderson Broaddus last week. He had two sacks, both resulting in forced fumbles. He recovered one of those loose balls. Defensive back Marquis Mauney made two interceptions.
Running back David Alize was the PSAC's leading rusher in Week 1, totaling 21 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow back Dustin Shoaf contributed to the ground game with 21 rushes for 62 yards and two TDs. As a team, Mercyhurst tied for the second-best rushing attack of the week in the PSAC with 192 yards.
Lock Haven escaped Post, in Waterbury, Connecticut, with a 35-34 season-opening win. The Eagles took a 35-28 lead with 7:31 to go on a 52-yard hookup from quarterback Easton Turner to Marquon Williams. Turner finished with three TD passes, two to Williams.
The Bald Eagles then held on because of a failed two-point conversion attempt after Post pulled within 35-34 with 57 seconds left.
Mercyhurst University football preview: Ryan Riemedio coaching era begins
Gannon heads out for first road game
The Golden Knights controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in their 47-13 home win over the University of Charleston (West Virginia) last week. They will look for their first 2-0 start since 2016 when they won their first three games. Kickoff is noon on Saturday when Gannon visits Millersville.
Gannon had a pair of rushers eclipse the 100-yard plateau in Week 1, led by Melvin Blanks who had 18 carries for 113 yards and one touchdown. Antonio Wright added 14 carries for 109 as the Knights finished with a PSAC-high 232 yards.
Blanks and Wright are ranked Nos. 5 and 6 in the PSAC. Blanks is also second in the all-purpose yards category with 185.
Kory Curtis showed off his multiple talents in the win against Charlton, throwing for a pair of TD passes, kicking four extra points and punting five times for a 42.6 average. He ranks second in the PSAC in points and punt average.
Defensive back Chris Farnsworth led the Knights' defense with 12 tackles last week, including a forced fumble. Lineman Obi Ezeigbo totaled 2½ sacks as Gannon led the PSAC with seven as a team.
Millersville is coming off a 28-10 loss to St. Anselm in Manchester, New Hampshire. Garrett Cox led the Marauders' defense with 14 tackles, including two sacks.
Gannon leads the all-time series with Millersville, 3-1. Millersville won the first meeting before Gannon won the next three. The Knights won the last meeting in 2017, a 39-7 decision in Millersville.
Gannon preview:Most starters are back. Their aim is the Knights' best record since 2015.
Edinboro has tough defensive matchup at Shepherd
Edinboro and Shepherd had two of the stronger defensive performances in Week 1, allowing only seven points each for best in the PSAC. Those same teams will match up for a noon kickoff on Saturday.
The Fighting Scots are coming off a 10-7 win at Franklin Pierce in Rindge, New Hampshire, last week. Reed Martin was honored as PSAC West Special Teams Player of the Week. He booted six punts for an average of 40.3 yards. Four of those kicks were pinned inside the opponents' 20-yard-line. Martin also converted the game-winning field goal, a 26-yard kick with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Congratulations to Reed Martin, your @PSACsports West Special Teams Athlete of the Week. Four punts inside the 20 helped @EdinboroFB hold Franklin Pierce to seven points.
Read More: https://t.co/WyLFK06TQT pic.twitter.com/UZcBTn31gq— Edinboro Athletics (@BoroAthletics) September 5, 2022
With the victory, Edinboro started 1-0 for the first time since 2016 when the Scots opened the campaign with three consecutive wins.
Strong special teams performances stretched into the return game, as well, for Edinboro. Amani Bailey ranks third in the PSAC with a 17.0 average and Thaddeus Stanfield is fifth in kickoff returns with an average of 29.5.
Edinboro linebacker Clay Cunningham led the PSAC in tackles through Week 1, finishing with 15 stops and two sacks.
Edinboro preview:Can the Scots pick up where they left off?
Shepherd, the lone PSAC school from outside of Pennsylvania — in Shepherdstown, West Virginia — rolled to a 48-7 victory last week against Southern Connecticut State. Quarterback Tyson Bagent fueled the offense, completing 33 of 43 passes for 394 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. The Rams, along with being tied with Edinboro for points allowed (7), leads the PSAC with 48 total points. Shepherd also moved the ball more than any other PSAC team with 586 offensive yards last week.
Contact Josh Reilly at jreilly@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNreilly.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Division II football: Edinboro, Mercyhurst, Gannon Week 2 previews
