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.
Erie Times-News photographers are making the rounds of preseason basketball practices at the Erie-area PSAC-member gyms. Check out a few here, and watch for more to come.
Mercyhurst College has now lost its last four games after falling in overtime, 32-26, at California (Pa.) today.
In a game that had missed PATs, blocked kicks, the biggest play seems to have happened in overtime when Mercyhurst third-year sophomore quarterback Anthony Vendemia threw an interception in the end zone on a 1st-and-10 play from the Cal 10-yard line.
Cal (6-2, 4-1) took possession and scored as Jeff Knox punched it in from four yards out. The Vulcans can still win the PSAC West if they beat IUP and Edinboro and Slippery Rock losses its last two games.
Slippery Rock (7-1, 5-0) plays Mercyhurst at home next week and ends PSAC West play at Gannon, which lost by 28 points at IUP today.
In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing area college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Indiana (Pa.) senior strong safety Andre Henderson to talk about several topics.
A Strong Vincent graduate, Henderson has returned from a serious right arm injury that cost him the 2010 season and is having a big senior year for IUP (4-2, 3-1), which faces Gannon (3-4, 2-2) in a 1 p.m. PSAC West game at George P. Miller Stadium in Indiana.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Henderson returned a blocked field goal 83 yards for a touchdown in IUP’s 38-7 win against Clarion last week. This season, Henderson has 34 total tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. Talking to Henderson on the phone this week, Rankin asked the playmaking safety about his 83-yard return, coming back from injury and new IUP coach Curt Cignetti
When was the last time you ran 83 yards for a touchdown? Ah man. I had to have been in a uniform playing for Strong Vincent. Against Thomas Jefferson in the Western finals. It’s been that long. Back in 2005.”
Junior Tim Reynolds and the Knights travel to Indiana (Pa.) for Saturday's PSAC West game against the Crimson Hawks./ETN file photo.
When Gannon straps it up for Saturday’s 1 p.m. PSAC West game at Indiana (Pa.), junior right tackle Tim Reynolds said the Knights can’t play the Crimson Hawks’ “game.”
“They like to play after the whistle,” That can get us in trouble. Got me in trouble last week (against Lock Haven). I think that’s the hardest part.”
The Knights (3-4, 2-2) have won their last two games against IUP (4-2, 3-1) after losing their first game ever against the Crimson Hawks when they joined the PSAC before the 2008 season.
“There is always a chance after the tackle is made or after the touchdown is made for someone on the opposing team to come and basically try to get in your head,” Reynolds said. “Whether it’s putting words in your ear. Putting hands in your face.
“There is always that opportunity for the other team to try and one up what they did the last play. Try and get in your head that way so you’re flustered going into the next play and not thinking clear. From what I’ve experienced the last two years playing them, it’s certainly not far from what they do.”
Reynolds said the IUP-Gannon game has become a rivalry.
“Just like with Mercyhurst, beating them the past two years, it’s a rivalry,” Reynolds said. “For some reason, we like to step up for games like this. I’m hoping for the third year in a row we can do it again. I know we’re going into their house, which is always hostile territory. They love their football team, but this is something I want for our seniors.”
Trevor Kennedy is having a special season, but as a team, Mercyhurst College is not./ETN file photo.
Trevor Kennedy slapped the ground after catching a 26-yard pass a yard short of the end zone on the game’s final play today.
He’s hurting.
The Mercyhurst College senior receiver has caught 13 touchdowns this season, but the Lakers (3-4, 1-3 PSAC West) lost their third straight game, 30-20, to Edinboro today at Tullio Field.
“We’re a better football than what we show,” said a tearful Kennedy after today’s 10-point loss to the rival Scots. “On Saturdays, we never come out on the right end. There are no words to put it in. We work hard. We go practice every day. We work hard. Things are just not hitting our way right now.”
Kennedy set a single-season school record for receiving touchdowns by catching two against the Scots. He had 13 touchdown catches total heading into this season.
He now needs just three more touchdown catches to pass Ed Bailey and become the school’s all-time leader in that department. Bailey (1997-2000) finished his career with 28 touchdown grabs.
Against Edinboro today, Kennedy caught eight passes for 147 yards. For the season, Kennedy has 50 catches for 944 yards in seven games.
Last season, Kennedy had 75 catches for 924 yards in 13 games.
Third-year center Steve Reinhardt has started all 18 career games he's played at Mercyhurst College.
In a continuing series of Q&As with local players who are playing local college football, Duane Rankin caught up with Mercyhurst College sophomore center Steve Reinhardt to talk about several topics.
An Bradford graduate, Reinhardt started in the 12 games he played for the Lakers as a redshirt freshman to help Mercyhurst win the 2010 PSAC title game and make its first ever trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
This season, Reinhardt has started all six games for the Lakers (3-3, 1-2), who head into Saturday’s PSAC West game against rival Edinboro (4-2, 1-2) having lost their last two games.
Talking to Reinhardt after a practice this week, Rankin asked the 6-foot, 2-inch 270-pound center about Mercyhurst’s current losing skid, wearing an Under Armour head band to keep his hair in place and sharing an apartment with teammates.
Make room for the futon.
How has it been for you being a starter as a freshman, having that year of experience and playing this season? “It’s nice to get that year under your belt. You’re more comfortable going out for each game because you’ve done it before. You kind of know what to expect. It’s not as bad as the previous year.”
Travis Rearick made the game-winning, two-point conversion pass to beat Edinboro last season./ETN file photo.
Last season, Mercyhurst beat Edinboro in overtime 22-21 at Sox Harrison Stadium on a two-point conversion pass from Travis Rearick to Trevor Kennedy. It was a tremendous finish to an incredible game.
Here are links to the first and second half/overtime of that game in Edinboro. Image Sports did the broadcast.
FYI. Hit the pause button and give it time to load before playing the videos to avoid stops and starts.
On Saturday, the Scots and Lakers will renew their PSAC West rivalry in a noon game at Tullio Field. Image Sports is broadcasting it live again.
In the last three years since Mercyhurst has joined the PSAC, the road team has won each game between the Lakers and Scots.
In a game that had a ton of big plays, none were bigger than Mercyhurst senior defensive end Dan Kruper forcing Edinboro senior David Bostic to fumble and senior safety Bryant Kimball recovering the ball at the Edinboro 31 in the fourth quarter with the Scots leading, 14-7. The Lakers scored on the ensuing drive to tie the game with 59 seconds left in the fourth quarter when Gerald Anderson scored on a 9-yard touchdown run.
In overtime, Edinboro scored first on a 1-yard run by sophomore quarterback Cody Harris. The Lakers responded with Rearick finding sophomore Terrence Coon for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
The Lakers decided to go for two instead of kick a PAT to tie the game and go into a second overtime session.
So they sent Kennedy in motion from left to right. Rearick took the shotgun snap, rolled to his right and hit Kennedy for the two-point conversion to win the game for Mercyhurst.
Tapscott missed today's game with an injury./ETN file photo.
Gannon was without redshirt freshman Daniel Tapscott for today’s PSAC West game at No. 15-ranked California (Pa.). The Knights (2-4, 1-2) lost, 33-6, to the Vulcans (5-1, 3-0).
Tapscott was coming off a three-touchdown performance in last week’s 30-27 win at rival Mercyhurst College, but during that game, he took a hit on his right hand or arm.
After that game, Tapscott was asked about it, but brushed it off by saying he was alright.
Apparently he wasn’t.
In his place, redshirt freshman Ty Watson made his first career start and went 15-of-28 for 155 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and was sacked six times by the Vulcans.
The crazy thing about this is Gannon, Edinboro and Mercyhurst all started new quarterbacks today.
Edinboro started true freshman Ty Stoldt in today’s 24-23 loss to Slippery Rock for sophomore Cody Harris, who was out from a concussion he sustained last week at Indiana (Pa.).
Mercyhurst started third-year sophomore Anthony Vendemia in today’s 35-28 overtime loss to IUP for senior Travis Rearick, who had a season-ending knee injury last week against Gannon.
Dustin Galich has 25 total tackles this season for Mercyhurst College./ETN file photo.
Credit big bro.
Before games, Mercyhurst College sophomore defensive end, Dustin Galich, applies black paint underneath his eyes that by the end of the game is running off his face from him sweating.
Why?
Thank his older brother, Nick Galich, for inspiring Dustin to dawn the war paint.
“I played football with my brother at McDowell (High),” Dustin Galich said. “I saw him do it when I was younger and I was going to copy him. So I do straight across (the bottom of his eyes) down to the little (beard) that I have. I saw him always do it.”
Nick attends Edinboro, but does not play football.
“He’s in the education program just living the dream,” Dustin Galich said.
Mercyhurst (3-2, 1-1) will try to bounce back from a 30-27 homecoming loss torival Gannon in Saturday’s PSAC Weset game against Indiana (Pa.). The Crimson Hawks (2-2, 1-1) are coming off a 19-0 win against No. 25-ranked Edinboro.
