EAST STROUDSBURG – Nico Marchitelli threw three touchdown passes to Jared Frantz to lead Edinboro to a 29-14 win over East Stroudsburg University in the 2025 season opener for both schools, a non-conference crossover matchup, on Thursday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
Redshirt senior quarterback
Sean McTaggart had 11 carries for 38 yards and both ESU touchdowns, and was 14-for-27 for 170 yards passing with two interceptions. The Warriors, coming off their second straight NCAA Division II Playoffs appearance following a 10-2 season, narrowly lost the yardage battle, 273-248, but were 2-for-4 in the red zone while Edinboro converted all four trips.
Marchitelli was 19-for-25 for 178 yards, three TD's and two interceptions, for Edinboro. Frantz had six catches for 78 yards and his three scores, and DaeDae Allen had six catches for 43 yards.
McTaggart's top targets were redshirt senior wide receiver
Evan Roche (5 catches, 67 yards), sophomore wide receiver
Jaylen Andrews (3 catches, 52 yards) and redshirt senior wide receiver
Randy Fizer (3 catches, 47 yards).
Redshirt junior safety
Everette Dingle led ESU with 11 tackles. Redshirt sophomore safety
Raquane Matthews and redshirt freshman defensive back
Harold Hill IV both had interceptions.
Both punters had strong games, redshirt sophomore
Adam Noll (3 punts, 51.7 average) for ESU and Ricco Sastoque (3 punts, 52.0 average) for Edinboro, each landing two of their three inside the 20-yard line.
Marchitelli and Frantz connected twice on 11-yard TD passes in the first quarter, the second giving the Fighting Scots a 15-0 lead with a minute left in the period following an interception and 27-yard return by Logan Dexter. Edinboro converted a two-point conversion after its opening score.
Backup quarterback Bo Swartz made it 22-0 with a seven-yard TD run midway through the second quarter.
ESU got on the board with 33 seconds left in the half on a 17-yard run by McTaggart, cashing in on a 10-play, 75-yard drive.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Edinboro extended the lead to 29-7 on a 12-yard TD from Marchitelli to Frantz with 12:41 remaining, driving 17 plays, 88 yards and erasing 12:04 off the second-half clock after taking over at the 9:45 mark of the third quarter.
McTaggart led a 5-play, 69-yard scoring drive that started with a 26-yard pass to Fizer followed by a 19-yard run by redshirt junior fullback
Matt Frame. McTaggart finished it with a 16-yard TD run, his second of the game, to close within 29-14.
Edinboro's next two drives ended with a punt and an interception, and ESU moved inside the Fighting Scots' 20-yard line on both subsequent possessions, but came away empty with an interception by
Taquan Brittingham and a turnover on downs.
ESU hosts Pace next Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
