Box ScoreEAST STROUDSBURG - Sophomore cornerback David Castillo had a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown to break a 7-7 tie in the second quarter and senior quarterback Tim Roken and redshirt sophomore Jeff Giglio connected for a pair of touchdowns as East Stroudsburg University defeated Gannon 23-10 on a rain-soaked Saturday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
Castillo's touchdown was one of many highlights for a Warriors defense that has allowed just 10.5 points and 263.5 yards of total offense through the first two weeks. Redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Matt Freed had 15 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions one week after a 13-tackle outing in his first career start, a 14-11 victory over No. 25 Virginia Union.
Giglio had five catches for 88 yards and scored on plays of 25 yards in the first quarter and 33 yards in the fourth, and Roken was 11-of-20 for 171 yards.
Gannon tailback Jon Richardson ran for 138 yards in the Golden Knights' first game against a PSAC opponent, but quarterbacks Bob Bartley and Zach Boedicker combined to throw three costly interceptions.
ESU ran the football on 13 of its 16 plays in a wet opening quarter, with senior tailback Joe Partridge gaining 45 yards on 10 carries, and Roken's only completion was a 25-yard strike to Giglio on a crossing pattern to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead.
Gannon responded with an eight-play, 69 yard drive that culminated in an eight-yard touchdown pass from Bartley to Matt Davis on the first play of the second quarter. ESU went three-and-out on its next possession, but Castillo stepped in front of a pass early in Gannon's series and went 64 yards uncontested down the sideline to put the Warriors in front 13-7 after senior kicker Greg Knauss missed the extra point.
Richardson ripped the Warriors for gains of 19, 14 and 12 yards on Gannon's opening possession of the second half and Jeremy Ditzler made a 27-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 13-10.
Ditzler had an opportunity to tie the game at 13-all on the final play of the third quarter, but he pushed his 28-yard attempt to the left and Gannon came up empty on a 10-play, 69 yard march.
Roken and ESU capitalized to take a 20-10 lead on its next possession, as the senior quarterback threw for 79 of the Warriors' 80 yards culminating in a 33-yard scoring toss to Giglio, who broke a tackle at the 25-yard line and did the rest himself to find the end zone for the second time in the game.
Kendall Brown returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for an apparent touchdown, but an illegal block backed the Golden Knights up to their own 11-yard line and they never threatened again as Freed had interceptions to end the final two possessions.
Knauss made a 30-yard field goal with 6:15 remaining in the game to set the final margin.
Senior linebacker Fred Rice, the reigning PSAC East defensive player of the week, made 11 tackles and Castillo and fellow defensive backs Nicholas Artinger and Lionel Mitchell both made six stops.
Senior wide receiver Doug Ogden had three catches for 54 yards one week after going over the 1,000-yard mark for his career for an ESU offense that gained 312 yards, 141 rushing and 171 passing. Partridge finished the night with 83 yards on 20 carries and redshirt freshman Russell Johnson carried 10 times for 31 yards.
ESU will look for its fifth 3-0 start since the 2000 season next Saturday with a 4 p.m. kickoff at Clarion.
