PSAC-WEST GAME
CLARION HOST IUP SATURDAY NIGHT
With a 3-5 overall record and a 1-3
mark in the PSAC-West, Clarion returns home this week to host IUP in a PSAC-West
game. Kickoff at Clarion’s Memorial Stadium is set for 6pm.
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 (3-5/1-3) IN 2005
Clarion enters the game with a 3-5
overall record and a 1-3 mark in the PSAC-West. The Golden Eagles are coming off
a 37-0 loss at Shippensburg last Saturday. Two weeks ago Clarion had a strong
performance at Memorial Stadium downing Lock Haven 16-0. Clarion started the
2005 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 the next
Saturday over Mansfield 15-12 when running back Dave Murzynski scored on a
1-yard run with 22-seconds remaining to claim victory. The Golden Eagles then
lost three straight games including a 43-7 loss at Cal, a 44-0 loss at #21
Edinboro and a 56-0 loss to #14 East Stroudsburg.
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 57-71 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 94-92.
IUP (4-4/3-1)/CIGNETTI IN 20TH YEAR AT IUP
Indiana started the 2005 season with
two losses to Millersville (28-9) and West Chester (30-20), then bounced back to
defeat #13 ranked Catawba (16-13) in overtime. After a 27-0 loss to Bloomsburg,
the Indians charged back with wins over Shippensburg (20-15) and Slippery Rock
(38-17), then lost a PSAC-West showdown against Edinboro 20-10. Last week’s
28-23 win over Lock Haven still leaves IUP with a chance for a PSAC-West first
place finish (tie) if they win their final two games.
Veteran head coach Frank Cignetti is
in his 20th season as head coach at IUP and has an overall record entering the
game of 181-49-1, or a winning percentage of 78.6%. Cignetti has led IUP to
first place in the PSAC-West (including ties) 14 times, along with 13
invitations to the NCAA Division II Playoffs, having advanced to the NCAA title
game twice (1990, 1993).
CLARION TRAILS OVERALL SERIES 22-50-3
The two schools have played a total
of 75 times dating back to 1926 with IUP holding a 50-22-3 lead. Since 1996
Clarion is 3-6 against the Indians having defeated IUP 49-15 in 1996, 21-6 in
1997 and 21-13 in 2000. IUP defeated Clarion in 1998 52-14, 1999 26-0, 2001
35-34 in overtime, 2002 28-14, 2003 24-20 and last year’s 30-20 win.
CLARION OFFENSE AVERAGING 241.8 YARDS T.O.
Clarion enters Saturday’s game ranked
#12 in the PSAC in total offense getting 241.8 yards per game and #13 in scoring
with 10.1 points per game. The Eagles rank #10 in rushing offense with 119.0
yards per game and #12 in passing with 122.8 yards per contest.
YONISH/FORADORA READY TO PLAY AT QB
Sophomore Erik Yonish and true
freshman Matt Foradora will be ready to call the offensive signals on Saturday.
Yonish has hit on 35 of 81 passes for 365 yards and 1 td. He has also rushed 43
times for 214 yards and 1 td. Against Ship he ran for 76 yards and passed for
109. He also ran 50-yards for a touchdown against Lock Haven.
Foradora, who started against Lock
Haven, has completed 4 of 8 aerials for 27 yards. He has also played at wideout
and caught 3 passes for 33 yards.
BYRD, BUCKNER & MURZYNSKI CLARION’S TOP RUNNERS
The running game will likely fall on
the shoulders of sophomores Michael Byrd, Tyrone Buckner and freshman Dave
Murzynski. Byrd has started the last two games at tailback. Against Lock Haven
he ran 39 times for 90 yards. His 39 rushes tied Buckner for the second most
attempts in a single game. Former great Mickey Catello had 41 rushes in 1966
versus IUP. Byrd has 113 yards and 1 td on 53 carries, plus 21 catches for 224
yards and 1 td. Buckner leads the way with 266 yards and 2 td’s on 92 attempts,
while Murzynski has 209 yards and 2 td’s on 53 attempts. Also expected to tote
the pigskin will be Josh Province (21 rushes, 55 yards, 21 catches,141 yards).
DANDO MOVES TO WIDEOUT POSITION
Brandon Dando, who was Clarion’s
starting qb in five games, has moved to wideout. He has grabbed 6 passes for 70
yards. He could move back to qb if needed. He ran for 94 yards and 2 td’s on 52
tries, plus completed 60 of 129 passes for 590 yards and 1 td.
Also ready to catch passes will be
Anthony Easterling (16 catches, 199 yards, 1 td), Jewell Stephens (13 catches,
117 yards), transfer Vince Kirk (3 grabs, 29 yards) and tight ends John Dominic
(6 catches, 95 yards) and senior Greg Mahaffey (4 grabs, 37 yards).
CLARION DEFENSE READY FOR SATURDAY
In 2005 Clarion’s defense is ranked
#13 in total defense giving up 410.1 yards per game, while ranked #11 in scoring
defense yielding 32.2 points per game. The Eagles are permitting 190 yards per
game rushing (#10 in PSAC) and 220.1 passing yards (#13 in PSAC) per game.
NIEDBALA ANCHORS DOWN LINEMEN
Up front senior Matt Niedbala (23
tackles, 5 tfl’s, 2 sacks), plus sophomores Cedric Bowling (13 stops) and Matt
Ritter (37 tackles, 8 tfl’s, 4 sacks) are ready to lead the way.
RIGBY LEADS OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Guarding the perimeters will be
junior Kevin Rigby (48 stops; 1 int, 4 break-ups), senior Conrad Warner,
red-shirt freshmen Jim McHale (4 stops, 1 int), Corey Giles (24 stops, 6 tfl’s,
4 sacks) and sophomore
transfer Jimmy Simmons (16 stops, 6 tfl’s, 3 sacks). 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 77 tackles and 16 tfl’s. Gourley
has 61 stops and 6 tfl’s, while Luke has 31 tackles, 5 tfl’s and 1 int.
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 17 tackles and 1 break up this season.
Senior Jordan Hicks (66 tackles, 5 tfl’s) returns at strong safety, while senior
James Charles (29 hits, 1 int, 4 blocked kicks), junior Dwaon Woodard (31
tackles, 5 break-ups, 4 blocked kicks, 2 int’s) and freshman Brian Edwards (8
stops) are back at the corners.
INDIANA OFFENSE #8 IN PSAC
Indiana’s offense is ranked #8 in he
PSAC averaging 314.1 yards per game and 10th in scoring getting 18 points per
game. The Indians are getting 150.2 rushing yards (7th in PSAC) and 163.9
passing yards (8th in PSAC) per outing.
IUP will feature freshman quarterback Andrew Krewatch calling the signals. The
true freshman has completed 90 of 219 passes for 1,266 yards and 8 td’s with 13
interceptions.
The running game is led by tailback
Chris Morgan who has already gained 1,001 yards and 9 td’s on 220 carries.
Backup tailback Pat McDanel is next with only 19 carries for 158 yards and 1 td.
Top receivers include wideouts
Anthony Cellitti (23 catches, 296 yards, 3 td’s), CameronMobley (20 grabs, 432
yards, 1 td), Deanco Oliver (10 receptions, 183 yards, 2 td’s) and Fred Lee (10
catches, 88 yards).
INDIANA DEFENSE #9 IN PSAC
The Indiana defense is tough as usual
with a #9 ranking in total defense in the PSAC giving up 352.6 yards per game
along with a 8th ranking in scoring defense giving up 22 points per game.
Opponents are getting 223 rushing yards (#12 in PSAC) and 129.6 passing yards
(#2 PSAC) per game.
Up front tackles P.J. Yurt (23 hits)
and Matt Scott (38 tackles, 10 tfl’s), along with ends Rob Plowman (33 jolts, 7
tfl’s) and Anthony Guerra (42 tackles, 7 tfl’s) anchor the defensive line.
The linebacking corps is talented as
usual. Top tacklers Tye Desiderio (72 hits, 2 tfl’s) and Brandon Lawrence (65
hits, 2 tfl’s) guard the outside, while middle linebacker Terrence Jackson (37
hits, 6 tfl’s) anchors the inside.
The secondary has Victor Callahan (35
stops, 2 int’s) and Jerrell Jackson (45 tackles, 2 int’s) at the corners,
Quinton Cobb (40 jolts) at strong safety and Andre Henderson (57 tackles) at
free safety.
CLARION NOTES: Last year’s game saw Clarion’s second half rally came up short and IUP won 30-20... IUP led 21-0 at halftime... Clarion rallied to make it 21-13 in the third quarter, but IUP bocked the PAT and returned it for a 2-point conversion ... Clarion closed to within 30-20 in the fourth, but had three possession in IUP territory come up short... Clairon had 290 yards to IUP’s 195 ...The Eagles outrushed IUP149-35 and IUP held the edge in passing 160-141... Dando rushed for 51 yards and completed 10 of 21 for 128 and 1 td... IUP’s Chris Morgan gained 73 yards on 24 carries... Kevin Weidl completed 9 of 17 for 160 yards and 3 td’s ... Clarion lost the 2003 game 24-20 when IUP scored on a Weidl 64-yard td pass to Joe Slappy with only 2:54 left in the game... Clarion led 20-17 with 4:28 to go when Brandon Sweeney scored on a 5-yard pass from Felton Woulard on fourth and 2 from the 5 ... Clarion had 326 yards of offense (242 rushing) and IUP had 382 yards (148 rush, 234 pass) ... Sweeney gained 117 yards and 1 td on 10 carries ... Mike Jemison had 146 rushing yards and 1 td on 25 carries ... Three years ago at IUP the Indians won a 28-14 decision that was much closer than the final score ... Clarion led 7-0 in the first on a Robert Walker 3 yard run... IUP tied the game when Adrew Battle recovered a fumble and returned it 16 yards for a td in the second... The game was tied 14-14 at halftime on a Frantz Charles 5-yard run ... IUP led 21-14 into the fourth quarter when the Eagles made a costly fumble... Robert Walker was headed to the endzone for what appeared to be the game tying td, when Kairi Cooper caused Walker to fumble at the 2 and Walt Mosteller recovered at the IUP 5... Clarion had 281 total offense (224 rushing)... IUP had 230 rushing yards and 197 passing for 427 total ... In 2001 the teams played an exciting game that IUP won 35-34 in overtime at Clarion ... Clarion trailed 21-6 at halftime, but rallied to tie the game 28-28 on an Adam Almashy 1 yard run with 7:45 remaining... In the overtime, IUP’s Aamir Dew rushed for the go ahead td, then Clarion came back and scored on Demetric Gardner’s 2-yard run, but the PAT missed to the right and the Indians won 35-34 ... Clarion rushed for 264 yards in that game... Almashy had 111 yards and 2 td’s rushing and 1 td passing ... IUP ran for 135 yards... Aamir Dew gained 166 for IUP with 2 td’s ... In 2000, a year that Clarion tied for first in the PSAC-West with a 5-1 mark, Clarion won at IUP 21-13 ... Clarion scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as Cori Johnson grabbed a 55-yard td pass from Almashy, Andy Pore caught a 23-yard td pass from Almshy, and with 1-minute remaining, Almashy ran in from 9-yards out ... Clarion also defeated IUP 21-6 at IUP in 1997 in a rainstorm ... Clarion’s Kervin Charles scored on 3 td’s runs of 1, 27 and 3 to lead 21-0 ... Clarion led 7-0 at halftime and scored the final two td’s at 12:51 of the third and 3:23 of the fourth ... Clarion had 277 rushing yards and 63 passing yards in that game - IUP 65 rushing and 216 passing ... Keonte Campbell rushed for 120 yards on 14 carries, and Charles 71 yards and 3 td;s on 14 tries... Chris Janson was at qb and completed 8 of 15 ... Tink Stennett had 64 yards rushing for IUP, while Terry Throm was 16 of 27 for 183 yards and 1 td... Clarion finishes its season next Saturday when the Eagles host Slippery Rock at 6pm.