(WEST CHESTER, PA.): West Chester placekicker Dan Wilbourne booted a 26-yard field goal with 10:26 to go in the fourth quarter giving the Golden Rams a 16-14 win over visiting Clarion on Saturday at John A. Farrell Stadium.

The season finale for both teams, Clarion ended 2001 with a 4-7 overall record, while West Chester finished with a 5-4 overall mark.

Clarion held a 14-13 lead in the third quarter on the strength of fullback Demetric Gardner's two touchdowns. He caught a 29-yard touchdown pass with 3:47 left in the second quarter to tie the game 7-7 at halftime. He broke four tackles at the five yard line to get the pigskin into the endzone and capped an 11-play, 78-yard scoring drive.

In the third quarter Gardner galloped 8 yards up the middle to paydirt to give the Golden Eagles a 14-7 lead with 2:32 left in the third quarter. His go-ahead score was set up by Clarion's second blocked punt of the game by Chris Roberts. Roberts blocked a Ron Minck punt at the Ram 27 and Ed Rivers recovered at the West Chester 27. Glenn Lovelace ran for 11 yards, then Gardner had two, eight yard runs, the second was the td scamper.

The Rams bounced right back on the ensuing kickoff and drove 65-yards in five plays to get right back in the game. Mike Eckmeyer rambled 49 yards from WC 35 to the Clarion 16, and three plays later, scored on a one-yard run with :38 left in the third. Wilbourne's extra point try sailed wide right and the Eagles held a 14-13 lead, setting up Wilbourne's game-winning kick.

Clarion drove to the West Chester 18 yard line late in the fourth quarter, but a third down holding penalty moved the ball back to the 28. Jason Flora tried a 43-yard field goal with 3:55 remaining in the game, but his kick was low and wide right.

Clarion got the ball back at the Clarion 40 with 3:15 left, but turned the ball over on downs and West Chester held on for the victory.

Clarion totaled 260 yards of offense including 155 rushing yards and 105 passing.

Demetric Gardner finished the game with 78 rushing yards and 1 td on 15 carries. He finished the 2001 season with 983 yards, the fourth highest single season total in Clarion history. He also caught 1 pass for 29 yards and a td. Lovelace rushed 8 times for 76 yards.

QB Adam Almashy completed 7 of 16 aerials for 105 yards and 1 td, while Lovelace grabbed 3 passes for34 yards and Mike McCullum snared 2 passes for 28 yards.

West Chester had only 244 yards including 213 rushing yards and 31 passing yards. Mike Eckmeyer carried 23 times for 119 yards and 1 td. QB Robert Findora completed only 3 of 11 passes for 30 yards.

Clarion's defense was led by Chris Janson who had 13 tackles, 1 fumble caused and 2 sacks. He finished the year with 103 tackles 11 sacks and 19 tfl's. Linebacker Dennis Yu pitched in with 8 hits and 3 tfl's.

Box Score (Final)

Clarion University vs West Chester (Nov 10, 2001 at West Chester, PA)

Score by Quarters    1 2 3 4  Score

Clarion University.. 0 7 7 0 - 14 Record: (4-7)

West Chester........ 7 0 6 3 - 16 Record: (5-4)

Scoring Summary:

1st 03:38 WCU - Robert Findora 35 yd run (Dan Wilbourne kick), 2-77 0:40, CLAR 0 - WCU 7

2nd 03:47 CLAR - D. Gardner 29 yd pass from Adam Almashy (Jason Flora kick), 11-78 5:46, CLAR 7 - WCU 7

3rd 02:32 CLAR - D. Gardner 8 yd run (Jason Flora kick), 3-27 0:52, CLAR 14 - WCU 7

00:38 WCU - Mike Eckmeyer 3 yd run (Dan Wilbourne kick failed), 5-65 1:54, CLAR 14 - WCU 13

4th 10:26 WCU - Dan Wilbourne 26 yd field goal, 8-24 3:12, CLAR 14 - WCU 16

                              CLAR   WCU

FIRST DOWNS................... 12     9

RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 45-155 46-213

PASSING YDS (NET)............. 105    31

Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 16-7-2 12-4-0

TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 61-260 58-244

Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0     0-0

Punt Returns-Yards............ 6-46    1-8

Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 4-58    2-37

Interception Returns-Yards.... 0-0     2--4

Punts (Number-Avg)............ 5-34.0 10-28.9

Fumbles-Lost.................. 5-3     2-1

Penalties-Yards............... 6-45    5-43

Possession Time............... 30:45  29:15

Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 6-34    1-17

RUSHING: Clarion University-D. Gardner 15-78; Glenn Lovelace 8-76; Robert Walker 7-19; Chris Janson 1-15; Alan Miller 2-1; Chris Roberts 1-minus 5; Adam Almashy 11-minus 29. West Chester-Mike Eckmeyer 23-119; Don DeFilipo 11-71; Robert Findora 12-23.

PASSING: Clarion University-Adam Almashy 7-16-2-105. West Chester-Robert Findora 3-11-0-30; George Caroulis 1-1-0-1.

RECEIVING: Clarion University-Glenn Lovelace 3-34; Mike McCullum 2-28; D. Gardner 1-29; Ed Rivers 1-14. West Chester-A. Wilkerson 1-15; Joe Shay 1-9; Joe Bernatowicz 1-6; Brian Bradley 1-1.

INTERCEPTIONS: Clarion University-None. West Chester-D. Reifinger 1-0; S. Blackwell 1-minus 4.

Stadium: John A. Farrell Attendance: 4633

Kickoff time: 1:30pm End of Game: 4:10pm Total elapsed time: 2:40

Officials: Scorer: M. Schulte;

Temperature: 50 Wind: West Weather: Sunny and Clear

SACKS (UA-A): Clarion University-Doug Diegelman 1-1; Dennis Yu 1-1; Tim Connolly 1-0; Chris Janson 1-0. West Chester-D. Reifinger 1-0.

TACKLES (UA-A): Clarion University-Chris Janson 9-4; Dennis Yu 5-3; Korey Eppinette 6-1; Tom Pore 4-2; Doug Diegelman 3-2; Emil Johnson 3-0; Tom Gaydosz 0-3; Kevin Platz 2-0; S. Devennie 1-1; A. Shingleton 1-0; Tim Connolly 1-0; Kevin McKeither 1-0; D. Puchalsky 1-0; Chad Thompson 0-1; Erik O'Brien 0-1. West Chester-Brandon Neely 10-4; Brian Kersey 7-4; Calvin Braxton 3-4; G. Eggleston 3-0; Jim McCullough 2-1; James Brazill 2-1; Andrew Storck 2-0; Chad Weaver 2-0; Eric Engstrom 2-0; Duane Thomas 1-1; Jacob Walker 1-1; D. Reifinger 1-1; Joe Manley 0-2; Jim Dempsey 0-2; S. Blackwell 1-0; Tim Garman 1-0; Nate Lombardo 1-0; Clifton Orwick 1-0; Greg VanAlstine 1-0; Scott Linus 0-1.