2006 Clarion Football

CLARION HOSTS CHEYNEY IN HOMECOMING GAME

It’s ALF (Autumn Leaf Festival) week in Clarion. The Golden Eagles will be looking for their first win of the 2006 season this Saturday as the Golden Eagles entertain Cheyney at Clarion’s Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2pm, with the ALF Parade starting at noon.

            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 calling the play by play and Pat Kahle providing the analysis.

FOSTER IN HIS FIRST YEAR AT CLARION

            Clarion has started the 2006 season with a deceiving 0-5 record. The 2006 season opened at Tiffin with the Dragons posting a 21-13 win. Game two, also on the road, saw Clarion drop a 27-10 decision at Kutztown. After losing to West Chester 49-21, the Eagles traveled to #10 ranked Bloomsburg and threw a scare into the Huskies before bowing in the fourth quarter 24-10. Last Saturday Clarion lost the PSAC-West opener to Slippery Rock by a 31-7 margin. The Eagles have been in every game at halftime, leading Bloomsburg 10-7, trailing Kutztown and Slippery Rock by three, and Tiffin and West Chester by a touchdown.

            Foster is certainly no stranger to the PSC and NCAA Division II football. Foster coached for 18 seasons at Slippery Rock before coming to Clarion, and was the defensive coordinator at the Rock for 17 of those years. While at Slippery Rock Foster helped those teams compile a 120-73-4 record, make 3 NCAA D-II Playoff appearances and earn four straight PSAC-West crowns (1997-2000). A native of Berwick, Maine, Foster is a 1985 graduate of Plymouth State and coached two seasons under Danny Hale at West Chester before going to SRU.

CHEYNEY ENTERS SATURDAY AT 0-5

            Cheyney, under second year head coach Tim Newsom, enters the game with an 0-5 record. The Wolves opened 2006 losing 33-20 to Clark Atlanta, then lost 33-6 to IUP, 43-8 to California, 28-6 to Edinboro and 53-12 last Saturday to West Chester. Newsom has a 2-14 record at Cheyney. He was a defensive coach (1997-98) and defensive coordinator (1999-2004) at Johnson C. Smith before becoming Cheyney’s head coach in the Summer of 2005.

CLARION LEADS OVERALL SERIES 6-1

            Clarion leads the overall series between the two schools by a 6-1 margin in games dating back to 1948. Clarion’s six wins were in 1948 (33-6), 1949 (41-0), 1957 (20-7), 1958 (28-0), 1959 (40-6) and 1985 (36-8). Cheyney’s win came in 1984 by a 20-10 margin.

CLARION OFFENSE GAINING BALANCE

            The Golden Eagles are getting 268.6 (#11 in PSAC) yards of total offense per game in 2006. Clarion is getting 141.6 rushing yards (#7 in PSAC) and 127 passing yards (#13 in PSAC) per game.

RUPERT & HUETHER CALLING THE SIGNALS

            Clarion will likely start freshman red-shirt quarterback Mark Rupert (Knoch), who will make his sixth career start, but true freshman Tyler Huether (Fr. Penn Trafford) may also see some action.  Rupert owns a 302 yard, 2 td performance against West Chester. This season he has completed 40 of 100 passes for 604 yards and 5 td’s. Huether got his first action against Slippery Rock and completed 3 of 10 for 19 yards.

            The running game is spearheaded by junior Eddie Emanuel (Hempstead, N.Y.). Emanuel had a career high 170 yards versus SR last week and now has carried 98 times for 499 yards and 2 td’s, plus caught 2 passes for 13 yards. Also running are Keith Gruber (Jr. Baltimore, Md.; 12 carries, 49 yards); Dan Grazier ( Jr. Tyrone; 5 rushes, 24 yards) and Randy Mengel ((Fr. Asheville, N.C.; 2 carries, 16 yards). The fullback position is manned by Kevin Brady (Middletown, N.Y.) .

ODOM LEADS CLARION RECEIVERS

            Junior wideout Pierre Odom (Trenton, N.J.) heads a talented receiving corps. Odom was a D-2 football.com national co-player of the week after his tremendous performance against West Chester. Odom grabbed 6 passes for 246 yards and 1 td. His 246 yards was the second highest in Clarion history behind Terry McFetridge’s 251 in 1982 versus Kutztown and the 8^th highest in PSAC history. Odom now has 20 catches for 380 yards and 2 td’s this season and 81 career catches for 1,064 yards and 7 td’s. Junior Clint Brown (Hyannis, Mass.) is also talented and has grabbed 3 aerials for 21 yards , plus has returned 6 kickoffs for 146 yards (24.3 avg.) Also ready to latch onto the pigskin are Dane Williams (So. Penn Hills – 3 catches, 33 yards, 1 td) and  Herb Carraway (Jr. Darlington, S.C.; 5 catches, 91 yards). Clarion also has tight ends Matt Foradora (So. Falls Creek, Brockway; 8 catches, 77 yards, 2 td’s) and Jason Glass (Fr. Greensburg C.C.).

CLARION DEFENSE READY FOR WEST OPENER

            Clarion’s defense hopes to be ready for the Cheney challenge. Clarion is giving up 365.6 yards per game (#10 in PSAC) including 182.4 rushing yards (#10 in PSAC) and 183.2 passing yards (#9 in PSAC) per game.

SIMMONS LEADS CLARION DEFENSE UP FRONT

            Clarion’s defensive front has been led in 2006 by Jimmy Simmons (Jr. Huntland, Tn.). Simmons has 27 total tackles, including a team-leading 11 tfl’s. Also strong up front are Jim McHale (So. Cortland, Oh – 10 stops, 2 tfl’s), Corey Giles (So. Cochranton), Rich McCune (Slippery rock – Laurel; 18 tackles, 2 tfl’s), Kyle Cathcart (Jr. Clarion – 11 hits, 2 tfl’s), Kory Kusick (Fr. East Brady – 7 hits, 2 tfl’s) and Nate Griffin (So. San Antonio, Tx.- 6 hits).

LINEBACKERS ANCHOR CLARION DEFENSE

            Clarion’s second line of defense is strong across the row. 2005 third team All-American Matt Morris (Sr. Boiling Springs) anchors the middle. He has 37 stops, 4 tfl’s and 2 break-ups this season. He now has 286 career stops and 49 tfl’s. Guarding the outside are Zach Gourley (Sr. McIntyre – Apollo Ridge) and Kevin Rigby (Sr. Cortland, Oh.). Gourley leads the team with 47 hits and 4 tfl’s, while Rigby has managed 32 stops, 5 tfl, 2 int. Gourley has 217 career tackles and 28 tfl’s, while Rigby has 163 career stops and 18 tfl’s. Also set to see time will be Colin McDonough (Fr. State College, 2 jolts) and Josh Rytel (Fr. Beaver Falls-Blackhawk; 5 stops).

WOODARD & BRAZIL LEAD SECONDARY

            Anchoring the secondary will be corners Dwaon Woodard (Sr. Erie- Central) and Quintin Brazil   (So. Pgh. Oliver). Woodard has 18 tackles this year and 1 int, and in his career has 144 career tackles, 7 int’s and 20 break-ups. Brazil has 14 stops and 1 int.  this season. Brian Edwards (So. Cincinnati, Oh.; 6 hits, 2

break-ups) will also see time at corner, while the safeties include Tom Schreppel (So. Shenandoah; 25 jolts) and Erik Yonish (Jr. Bethel Park; 20 tackles. 1 int.).

CHEYNEY #6 IN PASSING OFFENSE IN PSAC

            Cheyney’s offense is #12 in the PSAC in total offense getting 223.8 yards per game. The Wolves are  getting 18.6 rushing yards (#14 in PSAC) and 205.2 passing yards (#6 in PSAC) per game.

            The offense is directed by quarterback Derrick Murry. He has completed 70 of 132 passes (53%) for 807 yards and 6 td’s with only 5 interceptions. He has also rushed for 1 td. Murry had a solid performance against West Chester last week completing 21 of 35 aerials for 191 yards and 1 td.

            The receivers are led by Dominique Curry. Curry has latched onto 34 aerials for 543 yards and 3 td’s. Against WC he grabbed 10 passes for 169 yards and 1 td. Also catching passes are Lamar Hyson (15 grabs, 220 yards, 1 td), Ray Feamster ( 5 grabs, 45 yards, 2 td’s), and Chris Flournoy (8 catches, 41 yards).

            The backfield has Billy Mitchell at tailback who has rushed for 44 yards on 17 carries while catching 9 passes for 52 yards.

CHEYNEY #13 IN PSAC IN TOTAL DEFENSE

            Cheyney’s defense ranks 13^th in the PSAC giving up 403.2 yards pre game, including 254.2 rushing yards (14^th in PSAC) and 149 (#2 in PSAC) passing yards per game.

            Up front the Wolves have Darryl Wilkins at noseguard (5.5 tackles, 1 tfl), Leon Miller at tackle (6.5 hits) and Jamel Felder (26 stops, 2 tfl’s) and Jamar Johnson (17 jolts, 3 tfl’s) at the ends.

            The linebacking corps features top tacklers Brandon Hawkins (29 stops) and Justin Allen (27.5 hits, 2.5 tfl’s) and Joseph Okafor (24.5 tackles).

            Free safety Tyree Cooper is talented. He has 26.5 stops and 1 int, along with 5 punt returns for 29 yards and 11 kickoff returns for 188 yards. Strong safety Robert Edwards (22 hits, 2 tfl’s) and corners Elijah Bynham (15 hits) and Brandon Roberts (14 tackles) round out the secondary.