2005 FB Season Opener
                                            CLARION TRAVELS TO #7 WEST CHESTER FRIDAY NIGHT
        Fall camp is history. Let’s don the pads.
        The 2005 football season is ready to get underway this Friday night when Clarion travels to West Chester to kick off the new gridiron campaign.
        The season opener is set for Friday, August 26th at West Chester’s John A. Farrell Stadium. Kickoff between the two schools with strong football traditions is set for 6pm. Tickets will be available at the door.
        The game 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 and Dave Katis describing the action.
                                                    LUKE BEGINS 12TH YEAR AT CLARION
        Clarion head coach Malen Luke begins his 12th season directing the Golden Eagle football team. He has an eleven year record of 54-66 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.
                                                2004 EAGLES 3-8 OVERALL/1-5 IN PSAC-WEST
        Clarion was 3-8 in 2004 and 1-5 in the PSAC-West, but six of the Eagle losses were to nationally ranked teams, four of which went to the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
        The 2003 season opened with tough 20-17 loss in the final minutes to West Chester, and was followed with a 25-14 loss to Kutztown. Three wins followed over Mansfield (34-20), Glenville State (21-7) and California (35-34). The Cal win featured qb Brandon Dando hitting Joe Farkas on a 47-yard “Hail Mary” pass on the game’s final play to win. Clarion lost ints final 6 games against Edinboro (21-10), East Stroudsburg (38-24), Lock Haven (16-13 ot), Shippensburg (44-0), IUP (30-20) and Slippery Rock (31-14).
        Clarion led in the second half of three losses to NCAA Playoff opponents including West Chester, Edinboro and East Stroudsburg, giving Eagle fans hopes that the team is ready to emerge in 2005 with another quality season.
                                        2004 RAMS 11-4 OVERALL/NCAA SEMI-FINALIST
        West Chester’s 2004 season was a complete success. Head coach Bill Zwaan led the Golden Rams to an 11-3 overall record, the PSAC-East title with a 6-0 mark, The Northeast Region Championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Valdosta State 45-21.
        After the Rams defeated Clarion in the opener 20-17, they lost to NW Missouri State (38-7), defeated Glenville State (62-3) and lost to Delaware (24-6) in the first four games. West Chester caught fire and reeled off six straight victories over Cheyney (70-0), Kutztown (51-9), Millersville (31-16), Mansfield (49-0), East Stroudsburg (38-37), and Bloomsburg (35-24). After dropping a 24-21 decision to Shippensburg in the season finale, the Rams went into the NCAA D-II Playoffs and defeated C.W. Post (35-3), Shippensburg (33-28) and East Stroudsburg (48-38), before being eliminated by Valdosta State (45-21).
        West Chester head coach Bill Zwaan begins his third season with the Golden Rams in 2005 and has a two-year record of 19-7. Zwaan came to WC from Widener where in the previous six seasons he compiled an impressive record of 54-14 and took Widener to the NCAA Division III Playoffs the last three seasons and the Division III Semi’s in 2000.
                                        WEST CHESTER LEADS OVERALL SERIES 15-3
        The series between the two schools has West Chester leading 15-3 in games dating back to 1960. West Chester won that first game in 1960 by a 49-14 margin. Clarion defeated West Chester in 1966 in the PSAC Championship game 28-26, then lost to the Rams the next season 27-7 again in the PSAC title game. Clarion defeated West Chester in 2000 (28-21) and in 2002 (34-28). West Chester has won the last two games including a 35-17 win in 2003 and last year’s 20-17 victory at Memorial Stadium.
                                            CLARION OFFENSE RETURNS 6 STARTERS
        The offense returns 6 starters and 14 lettermen from a unit that averaged 269.5 yards and 18.4 points per game. The 2004 Eagles averaged 149.9 rushing yards and 119.5 passing yards per game.
                                        DANDO/YONISH BATTLE FOR STARTING JOB
        The quarterback spot is up for grabs between junior signal caller Brandon Dando (131 carries, 192 yards, 5 td’s; 113 of 227 passing, 1,185 yards, 7 td’s) and sophomore qn Erik Yonish (35 rushes, 133 yards, 2 td’s; 15 of 33 passing, 130 yards). Dando’s top game in 2004 was against Cal when he passed for 226 and the game-winning td on the last play of the game, plus running for a touchdown. Yonish started the West Chester game and was 12 for 17 passing with 111 yards, while running for a touchdown. Both qb’s are quality athletes with running and passing abilities.
                                            NEW RUNNING BACKS DOT BACKFIELD
        The running game will likely fall on the shoulders of sophomores Tyrone Buckner and Josh Province, along with freshman Dave Murzynski. Buckner (4 carries, 6 yards) and Province (4 carries, 6 yards) saw limited playing time in 2004, and with veteran Marcus Lowe (742 yards, 8 td’s) out for the season with an injury, will have to step up and pick up the load.
The fullback position will likely see senior Dave Coyle (5 carries, 14 yards - 2003) back after sitting out last season, along with talented sophomore Michael Byrd also vying for time.
                                YOUNG RECEIVING CORPS READY TO CONTRIBUTE
        The receiving corps will likely have junior Jewell Stephens, red-shirt freshman Anthony Easterling, transfer Vince Kirk and freshman Matt Foradora all ready to catch passes. Senior tight end Greg Mahaffey (2 catches, 34 yards) and junior John Dominic (4 grabs, 64 yards in 2003) expect to see time.
                                                “O” LINE LED BY SNYDER & DELIERE
        Clarion’s “O” line looks very strong up front with the return of All-Region center Zack Snyder (Jr. 6-5, 310) and All-Region guard Eric Deliere (Sr. 6-2, 305). Starting tackle Steve McCartney (Sr. 6-4, 275) and sophomore tackle Bill Johnson (6-5, 310) expect to start up front, along with guard Michael O’Brien (So. 6-5, 280) who moved over from the defensive line. The projected starting line would average 6'4" and 296-pounds.
                                            RUGGED DEFENSE RETURNS 9 STARTERS
        Nine starters and 14 lettermen return for a tough Clarion defense that has led the PSAC in tfl’s for the past five seasons. Clarion had 110 tfl’s in 2004, 106 in 2003, 113 in 2002 and 102 in 2001 and 128 in 2000.
Overall the defense limited opponents to 330 yards of offense per game (#4 in PSAC), including only 153.3 rushing yards (#5 in PSAC) and 177 passing yards (#5 in PSAC).
                                            NIEDBALA ANCHORS DOWN LINEMEN
        Up front the loss of All-American Ben Heisel and Tim Connolly at the down linemen spots will be filled by senior Matt Niedbala (22 tackles, 1 sack), red-shirt freshman Deonte Cooley, plus sophomores Cedric Bowling (14 hits, 1 tfl) and Matt Ritter (3 tackles).
                                            RIGBY LEADS OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
        Guarding the perimeters will be junior Kevin Rigby (54 stops, 10 tfl’s, 6 sacks), senior Conrad Warner, red-shirt freshmen Doug Woodruff, Jim McHale, Corey Giles and sophomore transfer Jimmy Simmons. Ribgy was a third team All-Region selection in 2004 and was PSAC-West “Player of the Week” for his 10 tackles, 3 qb sack performance against IUP last season.
                                    MORRIS, GOURLEY & LUKE PROVIDE LB STRENGTH
        The inside linebacking spots are talented with the return of juniors Matt Morris (88 tackles, 17 tfl’s, 2 int’s) and Zach Gourley (71 stops, 16 tfl’s) and senior Brock Luke (23 jolts, 3 tfl’s). In two seasons Morris has accumulated 147 tackles, 23 tfl’s, 5 fumble recoveries and 2 int’s. Gourley has two year totals of 92 hits, 16 tfl’s, 2 fumbles caused and recovered) and Luke has 49 hits, 4 tfl’s, 1 sack in his career.
                                            BUSCH HEADS VETERAN SECONDARY
        Senior free safety Bo Busch (119 tackles, 2 int’s, 4 fumbles caused), a third team AP and Football Gazette All-American, leads a very strong secondary. In three seasons he has outstanding numbers including 277 tackles, 10 fumbles caused, 6 int’s and 5 tfl’s.
        Senior Jordan Hicks (39 hits, 3 tfl’s) returns at strong safety, while senior James Charles (22 tackles, 2 int’s), junior Dwaon Woodard (53 hits, 3 int’s, 11 break-ups) and sophomore Herb Carraway (10 tackles) are back at the corners. Charles, a three-year starter, has 76 tackles, 5 interceptions and 17 break ups at Clarion, while Woodard in two seasons has 75 tackles, 14 break-ups and 4 interceptions.
                                            SNOKE READY TO BOOT PIGSKIN
        Junior placekicker Kyle Snoke, who connected on 6 of 7 field goals last year including a 46-yarder against West Chester, returns to lead the special teams. Freshman punter Nick Perla has shown a strong leg in the pre-season.
                            OSUNDE/SIMMONS LEAD A POTENT RAM OFFENSE
        The 2004 West Chester offense averaged 35.1 points per game and 410.9 yards of offense per game. The Rams rushed for 185.3 yards per game and passed for 225.6 yards.
        QB Rob Findora has graduated. Expected to lead the Ram offense is junior QB Matt Burdalski, after a strong Spring practice. Burdalski completed 4 of 12 passes for 41 yards and 1 td last season.
        The running game should be strong with junior Osagie Osunde back, along with Brent Steinmetz and fullback Josh Fidler. Osunde is an explosive back who rushed for 1,151 yards and 17 td’s last year on 241 attempts. He also caught 22 passes for 260 yards and 1 td. Steinmetz was second on the team with 696 yards and 6 rushing td’s, while Fidler gained 348 yards and rushed for 7 td’s.
        The Ram receiving corps will be led by All-American Brandon Simmons who had a tremendous 2004 campaign. Simmons caught 74 passes for 1,534 yards and 20 td’s. Also looking for time will be Youngstown State transfer Cody Clark, Luther Bowen, Mike Washington and Eric Ruffenbach.
                                            SOLID RAM DEFENSE READY FOR 2005
        The Ram defense was very solid last year giving up 20.4 points per game (#3 in the PSAC) and a total offense of 337 yards per game (#6 in the PSAC). On the ground the Rams yielded 159.2 yards per game, while opponents gained 177.8 yards through the air.
        Up front the Rams will be led by defensive ends Jared Souders (57 tackles, 8 tfl’s) and Dave Montgomery (21 hits, 6 tfl’s), plus tackle Shawn Bealla (11 tackles, 2 tfl’s).
        The linebackers appear very strong with top tacklers Lateef Ferguson (79 stops, 6 tfl’s) and Dan Faubel (76 hits, 10 tfl’s) anchoring the inside. Outside linebackers Randy Reinert (43 stops, 5 tfl’s) and Jimmy Lewis (23 tackles, 4 tfl’s) guard the perimeters.
        The secondary has lost starters Joe Brooks, Isaiah Harrison, Amel Odom and Tyrik MacKall. Ready to start at the corners are Anthony Gallup and James Etheridge, who did not play a year ago. The free safety will be veteran Mike Mignogno (52 hits, 1 int), while the strong safety will be Angel Santana (24 stops, 1 int).
West Chester will have Rocky Davis (Clarion Limestone), who red-shirted a year ago, back in the lineup at placekicker. Davis booted 43 PAT’s in 2003. The punter will be Anthony Belasco, a transfer from Michigan State, who will also backup at corner.
CLARION NOTES: Clarion has a football record of 355-293-17 since 1926... Over the last 44-years Clarion has a record of 258-172-6 (60%) from 1961-2004... Clarion had a 27-year non-losing season streak from 1961-1987... The Eagles have won 10 PSAC-West titles ... West Chester has a career football record of 487-222-17 dating back to 1920 ... The Rams have won 17 PSAC-East titles since 1960... West Chester is ranked #7 in the pre-season by Lindy’s and 11th by Street and Smith Magazines... Clarion’s first home game will be on Saturday, September 3 at 6pm against Kutztown... Clarion defeated West Chester 28-21 in 2000... Clarion rushed for 378 yards and passed for 141 for a total offense of 519... Robert Walker ran for 211 yards and 1 td in that game .... WC was held to 191 yards, including only 56 rushing ... Clarion also won 34-28 over the Rams in 2002 ... The Eagles again rushed for 344 yards and passed for 94, for a total offense of 438 ... Glenn Lovelace ran for 181 yards and 2 td’s, while Adam Almashy rushed for 100 yards ... Both games were in Clarion ... West Chester won in 2003 by a 35-17 score ... Clarion had 303 yards of offense (175 rushing), while WC had 384 (151 rushing)... Osagie Osunde scored on a 78 yard punt return and a 78-yard run for td’s ... He had 96 yards on 7 carries ... Last year, in Clarion, the Rams edged Clarion 20-17 ... Clarion had 200 yards of offense and WC had only 258 ... WC was led by Osunde who rushed for 88 yards and 1 td on 25 carries... Clarion’s Marcus Lowe rushed for 59 yards and 1 td, and freshman qb Erik Yonish completed 12 of 17 passes for 111 yards and rushed for 39 yards and 1 td.