Clarion is riding and two-game winning streak and Cal is off to a 3-0 start. The two teams open PSAC-West play on Saturday, September 25 looking to get a leg up on a run at the 2004 PSAC-West title.

Held at Clarion= s Memorial Stadium, the pigskin is scheduled to start flying at 6pm.

Dwaon Woodard, a 5-10, 170-pound, sophomore defensive back from Erie (Central HS) was named today as the PSAC-West defensive A Player of the Week@ for the second straight week. He had 4 pass break-ups, a 44-yard interception return for a td and 3 punt returns for 46 yards in Clarion= s 21-7 win over Glenville on Saturday.

The game can be heard on WCCR-FM, 92.7 and on the internet at Redzonemedia.com with Mike Kalinowski and Dave Katis describing the action.

Clarion is riding the crest of a two-game winning streak as the PSAC-West schedule prepares to open. Last Saturday Clarion defeated Glenville 21-7, and two weeks ago he Golden Eagles traveled to Mansfield and won by a 34-20 margin. Clarion opened 2004 with a tough 20-17 loss in the final minutes to highly regarded West Chester and then dropped a 25-14 encounter at Kutztown. Coach Luke is in his 11^th season at Clarion and has a 53-60 record at Clarion and a 27-33 mark in the PSAC-West. During his career he has led Clarion to PSAC-West titles in 1996 and 2000, while the 1996 squad advanced to the NCAA semifinals. In his 17^th years as a collegiate head coach, he has an overall record of 90-81, including a 37-21 record at Defiance.

California head coach John Luckhardt is in his third season with the Fire Gods and has an overall record of 13-12 entering Saturday= s contest. Coach Luckhardt had a great 17-year career at NCAA Division III Washington & Jefferson (1982-98) before being hired at Cal. He led W&J to a 137-37-2 record while winning 13 PAC titles, 5 Regional Championships and 11 NCAA appearances. W&J also was the D-III runner-up in 1992 and 1994. Luckhardt= s 20-year career record currently stands at 150-49-2. Cal enters the game with an impressive 4-0 record. Cal is coming off a big 40-33 win over West Virginia Wesleyan (WVIAC Champs last two years) last Saturday. The Vulcans opened 2004 with a whopping 63-6 win over Mansfield and a 35-15 win over Fairmont State.

Clarion leads the overall series between the two schools by a 37-33-3 margin dating back to 1927. In the last ten seasons Clarion leads by a 6-4 margin and has won the last four of the last five meetings. Clarion wins over that span came in 1995 (20-10), 1996 (45-14), 1999 (28-14), 2000 (32-28), 2001 (29-22) and 2002 (31-6). Cal wins came in 1994 (41-31), 1997 (30-0), 1998 (30-28) and 2003 (13-7).

Clarion= s offense sputtered a bit last week, but will need to get back on track this Saturday if the Eagles want a positive start. After four games the Eagles are averaging 286.5 (#9 in PSAC) yards per game, including 190 rushing yards (#5 in PSAC) and 96.5 passing yards (#12 in PSAC) per game.

Clarion sophomore Brandon Dando has started the last three games and has completed 29 of 55 passes (52.7%) for 275 yards and 3 td= s, plus has rushed for 75 yards and 1 td. Freshman Erik Yonish started against West Chester and played in the fourth quarter against Mansfield. He has completed 12 of 17 passes for 111 yards and has 18 carries for 67 yards and 1 td.

The running game features the hard running of tailback Marcus Lowe and halfbacks Glenn Lovelace and Lance Fink. Lowe had 109 yards vs Glenville and 170 yards and 3 td= s at Mansfield. He now has 74 carries for 424 yards and 6 td= s on the season and is ranked #7 in the PSAC in rushing. Lowe also has 5 receptions for 37 yards and 1 td. Lovelace has 33 carries for 128 yards and now has 1,207 career rushing yards at Clarion on 217 carries with 7 td= s. Fink meanwhile has 12 carries for 49 yards and 5 catches for 35 yards.

The receiving corps will be led by Pierre Odom (9 grabs, 126 yards, 1 td), Ron Rivage (5 catches, 34 yards) and Joe Farkas (6 grabs, 96 yards) at the wideouts, with Dan Tucker (9 catches, 56 yards, 1 td) at tight end.

Clarion= s defense is giving up 18ppg (#5 in PSAC) and 258.2 yards of total offense per game (#4 in the PSAC). The Eagles rank #5 in the PSAC in pass defense (159 ypg), #5 in rushing defense (99.2 ypg). Unfortunately, three of the 7 td= s scored against Clarion have not come against the A D@ . Cal will send the #1 scoring and #1 total offense against the Eagle defense.

The defensive line will be led by noseguard Tim Connolly (10 hits, 5 tfl= s) who has 114 career tackles, 29 tfl= s, 10 sacks, 3 fumbles caused and recovered, plus 4 break-ups. Also leading the way up front are Ben Heisel (18 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 tfl= s), Corey Shaner (9 stops, 2 tfl= s), Mike O= Brien (2 hits, 1 tfl) and Matt Niedbala (5 jolts).

The linebacking corps will feature Matt Morris (25 stops, 2 tfl= s, 1 int.), Zach Gourley (25 jolts, 6 tfl= s) and Brock Luke (5 stops, 1 tfl) in the middle, with Kevin Rigby (14 stops, 3 tfl= s, 1 int) and Brandon Whitman (14 tackles, 1 sack, 4 tfl= s) on the outside.

The secondary will have leading tackler Bo Busch (35 hits, 1 int, 2 break-ups) at free safety and Jhermel Goss (17 stops, 2 tfl= s, 1 fumble rec. 1 int) at strong safety. The corners will have James Charles (10 stops, 2 int), Dwaon Woodard (18 tackles, 2 int) and Elijah Evans (2 int= s) at the corners.

California has the #1 offense in the PSAC. The Fire Gods lead the PSAC with 46 points per game and 538.3 yards of total offense per game. Cal is #2 in rushing offense with 270.3 yards per game and #3 in passing offense at 268 yards per outing.

Sophomore quarterback Joe Ruggiero is the #3 passer in the PSAC with a 158.3 QB efficiency rating and 260.3 yards per game. He has completed 55 of 87 passes (63.2%) for 781 yards and 7 td= s with 3 int= s.

His top targets are wide receivers Claude Whitaker (16 grabs, 282 yards, 1 td) and Garvin Graves (16 catches, 230 yards, 5 td= s). Also catching passes are Marc Huddleston (4 grabs, 52 yards, 1 td) and Tony Hoskin (4 catches, 37 yards) and tight end Matt Gerger (5 catches, 79 yards).

The running games also features the #1 rusher in the PSAC in Antione Bagwell. The junior ran for an impressive 231 yards and 3 td= s vs WV Wesleyan last Saturday. Bagwell is averaging 167 yards per game, getting 501 yards and 6 td= s on only 67 carries (7.5 p/c).

Cal= s defense has vaulted itself to the #1 total defense in the PSAC permitting only 199.7 yards per game. Opponents are getting only 38.3 rushing yards per game (#1 in PSAC) and 161.3 passing yards (#6 in PSAC) per game. The Vulcans also rank #4 in scoring defense giving up 18 points per game.

Up front Cal is led by noseguard George Barron (8 hits, 3 tfl= s, 2 sacks) and tackles Anthony Rose (6 stops, 3 tfl= s) and Justin Tarovisky (13 hits, 5 tfl= s, 2 sacks).

The linebackers are strong with Brian Oddi (23 stops, 3 tfl= s) and T.J. Carden (10 tackles, 3 tfl= s) on the inside and Lloyd Price (14 jolts, 1 int) and Jason Ellis (10 stops, 4 tfl= s) on the outside.

The secondary features Jared Drumm (10 tackles, 2 int= s) at free safety and Jaison Cook (7 stops, 1 int) at strong safety. The corners are Demetrious Rich (5 tackles), Gerris Wilcox (5 hits, 1 int) and Jerry Ntakrah.

CLARION NOTES: Dwaon Woodard is the #1 punt returner in the PSAC averaging 17.6 per return ... Last year at Cal= s Adamson Stadium the Vulcans rallied in the fourth quarter for a 13-7 win over Clarion ... Wes Clemons scored on a 2-yard run with 11:09 left to win the game ... Clarion outgained Cal 316-160 and outrushed Cal 250-60, but 3 lost fumbles and an interception spelled defeat for Clarion ... Brandon Dando had his first collegiate start and rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries, and completed 9 of 22 for 66 yards... Brandon Sweeney and Marcus Lowe had 64 yards on 10 carries... Cal= s Wes Clemons had 47 yards, 1 td on 23 attempts ... QB john Aitken was 10 of 24 for 100 yards... In 2002 Clarion rushed for 265 yards, outgained Cal 351-136 and held the ball for 39:07 in the 31-6 win over Cal... Brandon Sweeney blocked a punt in the second quarter that teammate Brandon Whitman caught in mid-air and returned 5 yards for a td to give Clarion a 14-6 halftime lead... Clarion added 17 unanswered second half points ... Robert Walker rushed for 169 yards and 2 td= s on 27 carries... Adam Almashy hit 5 of 14 passes for 86 yards and 1 td... Cal= s Wesley Clemons gained 35 yards on 12 carries... QB Brandon LeDonne completed 3 of 26 passes for 81 yards... Three years ago Clarion topped the Vulcans 29-22 at Memorial Stadium ... The Eagles rallied from a 22-14 halftime deficit with a third quarter td from Glenn Lovelace and a 2-yard run in the fourth from Demetric Gardner with 9:01 left... Clarion outgained Cal 362-292 ... Adam Almshy ran for 120 yards and 2 td= s and completed 2 of 9 passes for 52 yards ... Cal QB LeDonne completed 7 of 20 passes for 80 yards, while Strayer came on and was 2 for 2 for 78 yards and 1 td... In 2000 at Cal the Eagles won 32-28... Clarion had 422 yards to Cal= s 350 ... Almashy completed 11 of 24 passes for 177 yards ... Mike McCullum grabbed 4 for 104, including a 75-yarder to the Cal 16 with about one minute to play, setting up Almashy= s game-winning 2-yard run with 46-seconds left... Clarion= s defense caused a critical Cal fumble in that game at the Clarion 6 yard line prior to the game-winning td drive... Dennis Yu recovered the fumble with 1:50 remaining in the game ... Cal All-America running back Wesley Cates rushed for a game high 182 yards and 2 td= s on 26 carries ... Clarion also won at Cal in 1999 by a 28-14 margin... Clarion is home next week, for the third straight week, for the annual Homecoming Day game against Edinboro on October 2^nd at 2pm.