Erie, Pa. – The Edinboro football team saw their fourth quarter comeback bid come up just short in a 23-12 loss to host Gannon Saturday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium.
 
The Golden Knights opened the scoring taking the opening kickoff and going 75 yards on eight plays capped by a Nate Mikell to Donnell Mason five-yard touchdown pass.
 
The Scots moved the ball on the following drive taking the ball to the Gannon 12-yard line before an incompletion on fourth down gave the ball back to the Golden Knights. Gannon extended the lead with a 29-yard field goal on the ensuing possession to make it 10-0.
 
After an exchange of punts, the Scots took over at their own 14. Edinboro used a mix of Matt Carlisle with his arm and his legs to push the ball to the Gannon 33. On first-and-10 Carlisle dumped the ball off to Aaron Hopkins, but Hayden McDonald forced the ball out and the Golden Knights recovered ending the drive and sending the teams into the half with a 10-0 Gannon advantage.
 
The second half got off to a sloppy start with the Scots turning the ball over on a sack fumble. The Golden Knights gave the ball right back with a second-down interception in the end zone.
 
After the Scots punted, the defense stood tall again forcing another Gannon turnover when Tristian Waldier forced a Donny Marcus fumble and CJ Waldier fell on it setting the Scots up with the ball on the Gannon 35. Edinboro was unable to capitalize on the turnover and punted pinning the Golden Knights inside the 20.
 
The teams traded punts until Mikell found KeJohn Batiste for a 53-yard touchdown at the 12:18 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
The Scots offense came back with four first downs on the first five plays of the ensuing drive. Isaac Bernard would convert a third-and-17 for 23 yards to Mike Watkins to extend a drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Brian Trobel cutting the lead to 17-6.
 
The Scot defense forced a three-and-out giving Edinboro the ball back at their own 16. Bernard again marched the Scots down the field finding Mike Watkins on a 22-yard touchdown pass to trim the lead to 17-12 with 2:01 to play.
 
Edinboro did not recover the onside kick and forced a Gannon punt with 27 seconds left. On the final play of the game the Scots attempted to lateral and advance the ball, but Sir Giles pounced on a loose ball and returned it for a touchdown to set the final at 23-12.
 
Bernard finished the game 18-of-26 for 171 and a touchdown. Trobel was the leading rusher wth 37 yards and a score. Watkins hauled in eight passes for 93 yards and a score.
 
CJ Waldier was a tackling machine with 16 stops, 1.5 for a loss, .5 sack and a fumble recovery. Malcolm Johnson added eight stops. Tristian Waldier recorded seven tackles, an interception and forced fumble.
 
The Scots are back in action on Saturday when they travel to IUP for a 2 p.m. kickoff against the Crimson Hawks.