Maleek Toran (far left) has been in Mercyhurst's shoes./Erie Times-News

Maleek Toran knows what it feels like to be in Mercyhurst’s shoes.

He was a true freshman in 2009 at Edinboro when the Scots needed Gannon to help them get in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

In the final regular-season game, the Knights beat Bloomsburg in overtime, 10-7, to open the  door for Edinboro to play in the postseason.

Today, Mercyhurst needs to beat No. 22-ranked California (Pa.) and have Gannon upset No. 14  Indiana (Pa.) to play in next week’s PSAC title game. The game would be played at Tullio Field as it’s the PSAC West champ’s turn to play host to the title game.

When asked if the Mercyhurst players should call their rival Knights and encourage them to to beat IUP, Toran said the Lakers should pass on that idea.

“I’d probably just let it play out and hope for the best,” said Toran, an Erie native. “If the man upstairs have a playoff berth in store for you, then you’ll get it.”

– Duane Rankin

After having an extra week to prepare for the 2012 season, Edinboro University will play its opener Saturday at No. 19-ranked Bloomsburg.

Out of the PSAC West, the Scots are playing an PSAC East power in Bloomsburg, which opened its season with a 44-28 win at Stonehill College.

Former University of Iowa linebacker Bruce Davis will play for Edinboro this season, Scots coach Scott Browning confirmed this morning. Edinboro opens the season Sept. 8 at PSAC East power Bloomsburg.

Last season, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Davis, an Cleveland, Ohio, native left the Hawkeyes last season for “personal reasons” three games into the 2011 season.

Davis, who attended Glenville High, which has become known for producing NCAA Division I talent, had an ACL knee injury against Arizona three games into the 2010 season and missed the rest of the year.

The 6-foot, 232-pound Davis had 25 tackles in his 25 career games at Iowa. Known for his play on special teams, Davis played three games in each of his last two years with the Hawkeyes.

Davis, 23, was scheduled to graduate in December of last year. His major was Interdepartmental Studies.

– Duane Rankin

Get all the basics in one place — rosters, game notes, season results, videos and more — for the eight teams competing in the Division II Women’s Basketball Atlantic Regional at Edinboro:

No. 3 Edinboro

No. 21 Indiana (Pa.)

No. 22 Gannon

No. 25 Bloomsburg

West Chester

Johnson C. Smith

Shaw

West Virginia Wesleyan

Get live stats from all games, and watch Edinboro games online or listen at WFSE-FM/88.9 FM. Friday’s noon Gannon game is available on WJET-AM/1400

West Chester will have a courtside live chat going Friday at 2:15 p.m.

Previews:

Seniors power Edinboro

Edinboro photo gallery

Regional quarterfinal game previews

Gannon light on postseason experience, but not talent

Gannon photo gallery

Division II national bracket

If Akeem Satterfield and Slippery Rock lose Saturday, they will have three loses and most likely won't make the playoffs./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News

This is the deal.

The winner of Saturday’s PSAC title game between Slippery Rock (8-2) and Kutztown (9-1) will likely make the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The loser? Uh oh.

In the past three years since the PSAC reinstated the championship game, the winner and loser has made it to the playoffs, but the odds of the loser getting in this time aren’t high.

Now both coaches – Slippery Rock’s George Mihalik and Kutztown’s Raymond Monica – are both griping about the loser not getting in.

Focus should solely be on winning, but I see their point and so does the PSAC.

Commissioner Steve Murray said he’ll look into the game if the loser doesn’t make the playoffs, but doesn’t plan on making a knee jerk reaction and cancel the game.

Still, looks like Murray better find some magnifying glasses.

Read the rest of this entry »

Senior Bryan Kelly and the Gannon defense did the job in helping the Knights shock No. 14-ranked Slippery Rock, 33-27, at Gannon University Field./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News

What a day of college football in the PSAC. Here are some highlights from the games.

Biggest upset: Gannon stuns No. 14-ranked Slippery Rock, 33-27. The Knights had just three wins, but got four touchdown passes from redshift freshman Daniel Tapscott and forced five turnovers to knock off the Rock (8-2, 6-1). The Rock will still play in next week’s PSAC title game, but Gannon sent them into it on negative momentum.

Biggest comeback: Mercyhurst College rallied from a 24-point, third-quarter deficit to win at Clarion, 42-38.  Anthony Vendemia picked up his first win as a starter to end Mercyhurst’s five-game losing skid. Richie Sanders’ 1-yard run with 32 seconds left put the Lakers up for good.

Two-minute rally: Down 20 points late in the fourth quarter, Edinboro scored two touchdowns and was an onside kick conversion away from having a chance to beat No. 22 California (Pa.).  Instead the Vulcans recovered the onside kick and edged Edinboro, 34-28.

Biggest beatdown: In a battle of Top 25 teams, No. 13 Kutztown destroyed No. 12 Bloomsburg, 52-14, to earn a spot in next week’s PSAC championship game. Kevin Morton threw three touchdowns, no interceptions and ran for another score to lead the Golden Bears to victory.

It’s official.

After barreling over No. 12 Bloomsburg (8-2, 5-2 PSAC East) by a 52-14 score today, No. 13 Kutztown (9-1, 6-1 PSAC East) has reached the PSAC title game.

The Golden Bears will play host to No. 14 Slippery Rock (8-2, 6-1 PSAC West) in next week’s conference championship game. Since Gannon was scheduled to play Kutztown in the regular-season finale, the Knights will play the team Slippery Rock was scheduled to play.

So Gannon (4-6, 3-4 PSAC West) will play at C.W. Post (6-4, 6-1 PSAC East), which won 42-27 today against Cheyney.

Left guard Rob Stoner has 45 career starts at Edinboro./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News

In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing area college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Edinboro senior left guard Rob Stoner to talk about several topics.

A General McLane graduate, Stoner has returned from a season-ending back injury in the 2010 opener to start every game this season. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 295-pound graduate student leads the Scots in career starts with 45.

A 2009 first-team All-PSAC West selection, Stoner will try to help the Scots (7-2, 4-2) end a six-game losing skid against No. 22-ranked California (Pa.) in Saturday’s PSAC West finale at Adamson Stadium. The Vulcans (7-2, 5-1) last lost to Edinboro in 2004.

Talking to Stoner this week at Edinboro, Rankin and him talked about last week’s Senior Day, being a veteran on the offensive line and facing Cal.

How has this season been for you coming back from the injury? “It’s been great. We’ve had our ups and downs as every team does, but overall, it’s a great group of guys. Every day, I come out and have fun and I think the team overall has fun, too. Couldn’t be happier.”

What was Senior Day like for you? (Last week, Edinboro had its Senior Day. The Scots won, 42-7, against Lock Haven) “It was different. Having mom and dad out there. Talking to them a little bit and told them I thought it was weird. It’s kind of winding down here with my career. It was a different feeling. Mixed emotions. It’s been great, but I’m going to miss it. It was something different.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Slippery Rock earned a spot in the PSAC title game after edging Mercyhurst College, 28-21, today at home.

The No. 18-ranked Rock (8-1, 6-0) will close out PSAC West play next week at Gannon (3-6, 2-4), which lost at Clarion (2-7, 2-4) by the same score today.

The irony of it all is the Rock punched their ticket into the conference championship game by beating the defending conference champions.The PSAC title game is Nov. 12.

Read the rest of this entry »

Coming off a 19-0 PSAC West win against No. 25-ranked Edinboro, Indiana (Pa.) will play Saturday at Mercyhurst College, the 2010 PSAC champions. Last season, the Lakers won at IUP, 28-27.

Below are highlights of IUP’s PSAC West win against the Scots (4-1, 1-1), who were ranked 18th in the AFCA Division II Top 25 poll heading into the game.

The Crimson Hawks (2-2, 1-1) have lost this season to No. 2 Bloomsburg and Slippery Rock. The Huskies and Rock have a combined 9-1 record.