ERIE, Pa. – Senior tailback
Eli Parks (Bristol, Conn.) registered his fourth touchdown of the game with 55 seconds remaining to give the Southern Connecticut State University football team the lead for good in a 35-32 triumph at Gannon this evening.
Parks' seven-yard run gave the Owls a 26-25 lead and was followed by a successful two-point run from
Vochan Fowler (Bridgeport, Conn.). Gannon got the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead, but
David Campbell (Bloomfield, Conn.) stepped in front for an interception and 40-yard pick six to put the game out of reach.
TEAM RECORDS: SCSU 1-0 | Gannon 0-1
THE KEY NOTES
- Parks finished with 127 yards on 17 carries and a career-high four touchdowns. He became the first Owl since John Moscatel in 2013 to rush for four scores in a game.
- Quarterback
Matt Sanzaro (Wethersfield, Conn.) completed 18-of-32 passes for 195 yards in his first start as an Owl.
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Izaiah Sanders (Stamford, Conn.) recorded six catches for 96 yards, while
Hunter Fluegel (New Bedford, Mass.) had a career-high five catches for 48 yards.
- Campbell also blocked a field goal for the Owls in addition to his pick six.
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Kyle Armour (Newington, Conn.) notched 10 tackles to lead the defense in that category.
Jhaaron Wallace (Hartford, Conn.) posted nine stops.
- The win was the first for the Owls over the PSAC school since 2007.
- The Owls improved to 36-34-1 all-time in season openers.
HOW THE SCORING HAPPENED
- Gannon scored the game's opening touchdown midway through the first quarter, but was unable to convert the PAT.
- In the closing seconds of the first quarter, Parks broke free from 27 yards out to tie the game.
Jose Conde (West Haven, Conn.) tacked on the point after for a 7-6 lead.
- Gannon carried a 13-7 lead into the half courtesy of a five-yard touchdown pass late in the first half.
- Parks' second score of the day, this time from a yard out, and the successful PAT by Conde, gave the Owls a 14-13 lead heading into the final quarter.
- The two teams combined for 40 fourth quarter points after posting just 27 combined points in the first three frames.
- Gannon regained the lead at 19-14 early in the fourth, only to have Parks answer again – this time from 33 yards out – to give SCSU the lead again at 20-19.
- The Knights regained the advantage at 25-20 after a touchdown run with 4:53 remaining.
- The eventual winning drive for the Owls was a nine-play, 80-yard march that was capped by Parks' fourth score of the day.
- After Campbell's interception return touchdown on Gannon's next offensive possession made it 35-25, the hosts added a touchdown on the final play of the game for a 35-32 final.
UP NEXT: vs. Bentley, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
