HOMECOMING GAME
CLARION HOSTS #3 E. STROUDSBURG SATURDAY
With a 2-3 overall record, Clarion
returns home this Saturday to host #3 East Stroudsburg in a PSAC crossover game
that will also serve as the 2005 Homecoming Game.
Kickoff at Clarion’s Memorial Stadium
is set for 2pm. It is ALF week in Clarion.
The contest can be heard on the
Golden Eagle football network which includes WCCR-FM, 92.7 and WKQW-FM, 96.3, as
well as on the internet at Redzonemedia.com with Mike Kalinowski describing the
action and Pat Kahle providing the color commentary.
CLARION 2-3 IN 2005
Clarion enters the game with a 2-3
overall record and an 0-2 mark in the PSAC-West. The Golden Eagles have lost two
straight including last week’s 44-0 loss at #21 Edinboro and two weeks ago on
the road by a 43-7 margin at Cal. Clarion opened the season with a 43-14 loss at
#7 ranked West Chester, then returned home to defeat Kutztown 29-23 in a PSAC
record four overtime game, and won he next Saturday over Mansfield 15-12 when
running back Dave Murzynski scored on a 1-yard run with 22-seconds remaining to
claim victory.
LUKE IN HIS 12TH YEAR AT CLARION
Clarion head coach Malen Luke is in
his 12th season directing the Golden Eagle football team. He has a career record
of 56-69 at Clarion while leading the Golden Eagles to PSAC-West titles in 1996
and 2000. The 1996 squad finished 11-3 and lost in the NCAA D-II semifinal game
to Northern Colorado 19-18 in the final seconds. The 1996 team was the Lambert
Cup winner in the East and finished the season ranked 8th in the country. Luke’s
Eagles were also a strong 7-4 in 2000 and in 2002, while Malen was voted the
PSAC-West “Coach of the Year” in 1996 and 2000. Luke’s 18-year collegiate record
stands at 93-90.
EAST STROUDSBURG 4-1 OVERALL/DENNY DOUDS IN 32ND YEAR
East Stroudsburg, ranked #3 in last
Week’s AFCA & D-2 Football.com poll before losing in overtime to Bloomsburg, is
off to a 4-1 start in 2005. The explosive Warriors opened the year with a 72-17
win over Bentley, a 23-21 win over Edinboro, a 66-49 victory over C.W. Post and
a 17-13 decision over Millersville. Last week ESU lost a 31-24 overtime decision
to Bloomsburg.
Head coach Denny Douds is in his 32nd
season at East Stroudsburg at has an overall record of 192-128-3. His teams have
won 9 PSAC-East titles, including being co-champs in 2002 and 2003, and 4 PSAC
team titles before the team championship was eliminated back in 1987. Last
year’s team was 10-2 overall and were 1-1 in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
ESU LEADS SERIES 5-3 DATING BACK TO 1978
East Stroudsburg and Clarion have
played some important games in their history, twice playing each other for the
PSAC championship. East Stroudsburg won the first meeting in 1978 by a 49-4
margin in the PSAC title game. In 1983 the two teams played again for the PSAC
Championship and Clarion won that game 27-14. That game was the first PSAC
“State Game” held at a neutral site - Hershey. The games, which are always
exciting, saw Clarion win 37-34 in 1986 and 25-3 in 1987. The Warriors won 37-33
in 2000, 33-27 in
2001, 31-21 in 2003 and 38-24 last year.
CLARION OFFENSE AVERAGING 257 YARDS T.O.
Clarion enters Saturday’s game
against East Stroudsburg ranked #12 in the PSAC in total offense getting 257
yards per game and #12 in scoring with 13 points per game. The Eagles rank #11
in rushing offense with 114.8 yards per game and #12 in passing with 142.2 yards
per contest.
BRANDON DANDO READY TO START AT QB
Junior qb Brandon Dando will likely
start at qb on Saturday, while sophomore Erik Yonish, who started against West
Chester and left the game with an injury, and played some against Mansfield and
California, will also likely be ready for duty.
Dando, the PSAC-West “Offensive
Player of the Week” against Kutztown, has completed 56 of 155 passes for 567
yards and 1 td. He has also run for 66 yards and 2 td’s.
Yonish meanwhile has connected on 11
of 24 aerials for 138 yards and 1 td. He has also rushed for 40 yards this
season.
BUCKNER & MURZYNSKI CLARION’S TOP RUNNERS
The running game will likely fall on
the shoulders of sophomore Tyrone Buckner and freshman Dave Murzynski. Buckner
leads the way with 228 yards and 2 td’s on 79 attempts, while Murzynski has 173
yards and 2 td’s on 45 attempts. Also expected to tote the pigskin will be Josh
Province (19 rushes, 57 yards, 9 catches, 67 yards).
The fullback position will see either
senior Dave Coyle or talented sophomore Michael Byrd in the game. Byrd leads the
Golden Eagles in receiving with 18 catches for 201 yards and 1 td. Coyle has 4
rushes for 20 yards.
YOUNG RECEIVING CORPS READY TO CONTRIBUTE
The receiving corps will likely have
red-shirt freshman Anthony Easterling (15 catches, 192 yards, 1 td), junior
Jewell Stephens (9 catches, 76 yards), transfer Vince Kirk (2 grabs, 23 yards)
and freshman Matt Foradora (3 receptions, 33 yards), all ready to catch passes.
Junior John Dominic (2 catches, 20 yards) and senior Greg Mahaffey (4 grabs, 37
yards) expect to see time at tight end.
CLARION DEFENSE BRACES FOR EAST STROUDSBURG
In 2005 Clarion’s defense is ranked
#12 in total defense giving up 434 yards per game, while ranked #12 in scoring
defense yielding 33 points per game. The Eagles are permitting 195.8 yards per
game rushing (#10 in PSAC) and 238.2 passing yards (#13 in PSAC) per game.
NIEDBALA ANCHORS DOWN LINEMEN
Up front senior Matt Niedbala (13
tackles, 2 tfl’s), red-shirt freshman Deonte Cooley (6 hits, 1 tfl), plus
sophomores Cedric Bowling (5 stops) and Matt Ritter (26 tackles, 5 tfl’s, 2
sacks) are ready to lead the way.
RIGBY LEADS OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Guarding the perimeters will be
junior Kevin Rigby (29 stops; 1 int, 4 break-ups), senior Conrad Warner,
red-shirt freshmen Jim McHale (4 stops, 1 int), Corey Giles (22 stops, 6 tfl’s,
4 sacks) and sophomore transfer Jimmy Simmons (5 stops). Ribgy was a third team
All-Region selection in 2004.
MORRIS, GOURLEY & LUKE PROVIDE LB STRENGTH
The inside linebacking spots are
talented with the return of juniors Matt Morris and Zach Gourley and senior
Brock Luke . Morris is the team’s leader with 47 tackles and 12 tfl’s. Gourley
has 34 stops and 4 tfl’s, while Luke has 16 tackles.
SECONDARY MISSING BUSCH
Senior free safety Bo Busch will miss
the remainder of the season due to a leg injury. He had 15 stops and 1 break-up
this season. In 2004 he led the PSAC with 119 tackles, 2 int’s, 4 fumbles
caused, and was a third team AP and Football Gazette All-American. In three
seasons he has 292 tackles, 10 fumbles caused, 6 int’s and 5 tfl’s.
Replacing Busch in the secondary will
be Elijah Evans, who has 9 tackles and 1 break up this season.
Senior Jordan Hicks (43 tackles, 4
tfl’s) returns at strong safety, while senior James Charles (15 hits, 1 int),
junior Dwaon Woodard (19 tackles, 4 break-ups, 4 blocked kicks, 1 int) and
freshman Brian Edwards (5 stops) are back at the corners.
EAST STROUDSURG #1 RANKED OFFENSE IS VERY POTENT
The East Stroudsburg offense is
ranked #1 in the PSAC with 518.2 yards per game and #3 in scoring with a 40.4
point per game average. The Warriors are getting 143.6 yards rushing per game
(#6 in the PSAC) and 374.6 passing yards (#1 in PSAC) per contest.
TERWILLIGER RUNS THE OFFENSE
Junior quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger
directs the offense. The All-America quarterback is ranked #1 in the PSAC in
total offense and QB Efficiency. In 2005 Terwilliger has completed 97 of 170
passes for 1,793 yards and 19 td’s,plus rushed for 187 yards. In two and a half
seasons Terwilliger has thrown for 8,706 yards and 82 td’s.
LUCAS & CARFAGNO RUN THE PIGSKIN
Senior tailback Derek Lucas and
senior fullback Anthony Carfagno make strong contributions offensively. Lucas
leads the Warriors with 240 rushing yards and 1 td on 57 carries. Carfagno
meanwhile has 235 rushing yards and 4 td’s on 35 tries, plus is second on the
team with 22 carries for 317 yards and 5 td’s.
PRALL, STRENFEL & CULVER CATCH PASSES
East Stroudsburg’s passing game is
spread out with three quality receivers. Evan Prall leads the way with 31
catches for 688 yards and 9 td’s. Tim Strenfel (17 grabs, 343 yards, 4 tds), Ben
Culver (7 catches, 154 yards, 1 td) and LeRyan Dallas (8 catches, 102 yards)
will also see action.
EAST STROUDSBURG DEFENSE #11 IN PSAC
The ESU defense ranks #11 in the PSAC
in total defense yielding 427 yards per game, including 192.4 rushing yards (#9
in PSAC) and 234.6 passing yards (#12 in PSAC) per game.
The defensive front will be led by
tackles Andrew Marsteller (21 hits, 2 tfl’s) and Morris Jackson (22 stops, 3
sacks), and ends Thomas Meuser (28 tackles, 2 tfl’s) and Greg Thoman (27 jolts,
4.5 tfl’s).
The linebacking corps is solid with
Fred Rice (36 hits, 5.5 tfl’s) and John Vetter (42 tackles) anchoring the inside
as the team’s top tacklers. The perimeters are guarded by John Glenn (31 stops,
1 int) and Noel Nation (30 hits, 2 tfl’s, 1 int).
The secondary features safety Matt
Crispell (26 tackles, 2 int’s) and corners Tyree Townes (21 tackles, 4
break-ups) and Michael Wiggins (30 stops).
ESU field goal kicker Mark Brubaker
leads the PSAC with 7 field goals in 8 attempts.
CLARION NOTES: Last year Clarion lost at ESU 38-24, but the game was
really in doubt until the final minutes... Clarion jumped out to a 17-6 lead in
the second quarter... Dando’s 1-yard run, Kyle Snoke’s 43-yard field goal and
Marcus Lowe’s 71-yard run had the Eagles in front... ESU narrowed it to 17-14 at
halftime on a Carfagno 1-yard run... ESU tied the game, then took a 24-17 lead
on a 23-yard pass from Terwilliger to Culver... Clarion tied the game early in
the fourth 24-24 on a Dando 1-yard run... Lucas scored the go-ahead td with 7:04
left on a 27-yard jaunt... He iced the game with 1:48 left on a 39-yard run...
Clarion had 330 yards of offense.... Marcus Lowe 119 rushing yards, 1 td ...
Dando 18 of 30 for 160 yards ... ESU 507 yards ... Lucas 156 rushing yards and 2
td’s ... Terwilliger 15 of 28 for 219 yards and 2 td’s ... Clarion opened the
2003 season against ESU at Memorial Stadium in the first night game ... ESU
defeated Clarion 31-21... Clarion rushed for 241 yards including 84 from Frantz
Charles and 48 from Felton Woulard, both qb’s ... Carfagno rushed for 99 yards,
while Terwilliger, in his first college game, hit 11 of 28 passes for 188 yards
and 3 td’s... In 2001 at Stroudsburg High School, ESU scored with 1:53 remaining
on a 16-yard A. Castiglioni run to win 33-27... In the 1983 PSAC title game at
Hershey, Clarion rallied in the fourth quarter for its 27-14 win ... Clarion led
10-0 on a 1-yard run from Elton Brown and a 23-yard field goal from Eric
Fairbanks... ESU took a 14-10 lead in the third on a 44-yard punt return from
Chris Gerhard... With two qb’s (Pat Carbol & Kevin Hanlon knocked out during the
game) Dave Lammers came on and tossed an 85-yard td pass to All-American Terry
McFetridge with 11:02 left in the game, and a 50-yard td pass to Bob Green with
5:18 left to seal the win... Eric Fairbanks added a 24-yard field goal to round
out the scoring... Clarion had 344 yards in that game including 157 rushing and
187 passing ... All-American Elton Brown had 140 yards and 1 td on 30 carries
... Lammers was 3 of 7 passing for 142 yards and 2 td’s... McFetridge caught 3
for 103 yards and 1 td and Green had 2 grabs for 56 yards and 1 td... ESU had
-16 yards rushing and 100 yards passing for a total offense of 84 yards ... QB
Andy Baranek (2 of 2, 11 yards) was hurt in the first quarter and did not return
... Charlie Diskin was 11 of 24 passing for 89 yards ... Clarion’s “D” had a
PSAC Championship record 13 qb sacks in that game for a -95 yards ... John
Hughes and Jon Haslett had 4 sacks each, Kevin Ewing had 2 sacks...