SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Edinboro football team dropped a 50-17 decision to Slippery Rock on Saturday.
Pinned at their own 8 after the opening kickoff return and penalty, the Scots went three-and-out and were forced to punt. The defense ended The Rock's first drive when
Shamarr Joppy and
Sunday Ikegwuonu tackled JayJay Jordan short of the marker on fourth-and-3 at the Scots 25 at 9:35. The teams traded punts through the middle of the quarter. The Rock broke through at 4:24 when DaOne Owens completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Telly Palmer, to make it 7-0. The Scots pushed the ball to the Slippery Rock 37 but, were forced to punt.
The Rock extended their lead with a JayJay Jordan 10-yard touchdown run at 14:53 of the second. The Fighting Scots moved from their own 29 to the Rock 37 behind completions from
Nico Marchitelli to
Evan Zankl and
Jacob Coburn and a 13-yard Marchitelli run.A sack and a holding penalty pushed the drive back before
Ethan Schlief's punt pinned The Rock at its 6. Slippery Rock later put together a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Owens' 9-yard touchdown pass to John Sabo with 35 seconds left in the half to send Slippery Rock into the break up 21-0.
The Fighting Scots defense forced a punt on The Rock's opening possession, and the offense went to work on a 10-play, 65-yard drive. On that drive,
Antwan Ceasar rushed for 22 yards and hauled in a 22-yard reception before
Tanner Bruzda hit a 32-yard field goal at 7:10 to cut the lead to 21-3.
Nick Rossi dropped Luke McCoy for a 5-yard loss and
Nathaniel Ewell hurried DaOne Owens into a third-down incompletion on the next series.
Bo Swartz kept the next drive moving with runs of 17 and 10.
Jerry Dinkins III added a 13-yard run, before Swartz connected with
Jaevon Parker for a 21-yard touchdown trimming the lead to 21-10. The Rock answered with a 75-yard drive capped by Owens' 15-yard touchdown pass to Carson Heckathorn to put The Rock ahead 28-10.
Swartz connected with
Drew Parker for 24 yards to set up
Jordan Theodore's 3-yard touchdown run at 12:04 of the fourthpulling the Scots within 28-17. The Rock responded with a 40-yard completion from DaOne Owens to Heckathorn before Jordan scored from the 1, pushing the score to 35-17. Jordan scored from three yards out 4:58 left to push the advantage to 42-17. The Rock added a 13-yard touchdown pass from Owens to Heckathorn and a Luke McCoy conversion for a 50-17 advantage that would be the final.
Swartz completed 7 of 20 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown while adding 51 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Jordan Theodore rushed four times for 30 yards and a touchdown and added one reception.
Drew Parker caught four passes for a team-high 63 yards. Joppy led the Fighting Scots with 13 tackles.
Owens completed 25 of 31 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns and added 71 rushing yards. Jordan rushed 24 times for 121 yards and three touchdowns and caught six passes for 52 yards. Heckathorn caught three passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Ben Lane led the defense with 10 tackles and added a sack.
The Fighting Scots close out the season hosting Shippensburg at noon on Saturday inside Sox Harrison Stadium.
