2006 Clarion Football

CLARION TRAVELS TO LOCK HAVEN SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Clarion will travel to Lock Haven this Saturday for a PSAC-West gridiron clash at Hubert Jack Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1pm.

            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 is 1-7 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC-West entering Saturday’s game. The Golden Eagles played highly regarded Edinboro tough last Saturday before losing 13-0. Clarion also led East Region #7 ranked IUP two weeks ago 7-6 at halftime before bowing 33-7. Three weeks ago on Homecoming Day Clarion defeated Cheyney 21-18 for its first win of the year. 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 (#2 in East Region) and led the Huskies 10-7 at halftime before losing in the fourth quarter 24-10. Clarion lost the PSAC-West opener to Slippery Rock by a 31-7 margin.

            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.

LOCK HAVEN COACH JOHN KLACIK IN SECOND SEASON

            Lock Haven is in its second season under former player, now head coach John Klacik. The Bald Eagles enter Saturday’s contest with a 1-7 overall record and an 0-4 mark in the PSAC-West. Lock Haven opened the 2006 season losing 49-0 to NCAA I-AA #17 ranked Southern Illinois. Returning to the PSAC the Eagles lost 45-14 to East Stroudsburg and 35-0 to Millersville, before defeating Mansfield 24-21 on the road. After a 51-7 loss at California and a 23-14 loss at Indiana, LH returned home and nearly defeated a pretty good Shippensburg squad. The Raiders won the game 20-17 in overtime. Last week Slippery Rock downed the Bald Eagles 35-0.

            In 2005, Klacik’s first season, the Bald Eagles were 2-9. Klacik came to Lock Haven from Youngstown State where he was the offensive coordinator for four seasons. Prior to that he was a position coach at YSU for 12-years under current Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and was part of four national championship Penguin teams. Klacik was a standout receiver at Lock Haven with 1,976 receiving yards before graduating in 1988.

CLARION LEADS SERIES 40-14-1 DATING BACK TO 1928

            Clarion leads the overall series between the two schools by a 39-14-1 margin, dating back to 1928.

Last year Clarion won 16-0 at Memorial Stadium. Two years ago the Bald Eagles won a 16-13 overtime decision, while Clarion won in 2003 by a 22-9 margin. Clarion has an 8-3 record in the last 11 seasons. Other Clarion wins came in 2002 (34-31), 2001 (13-0), 2000 (42-20), 1999 (44-41 overtime), 1996 (57-3) and 1995 (49-32). Lock Haven wins came in 2004 (16-13 ot), 1998 (35-28) and 1997 (33-32).

CLARION OFFENSE LOOKING FOR BALANCED ATTACK

            The Golden Eagles will try and get back to a balanced offensive attack this week. The Golden Eagles are getting 249.4 (#11 in PSAC) yards of total offense per game in 2006. Clarion is getting 117.8 rushing yards (#11 in PSAC) and 131.6 passing yards (#12 in PSAC) per game.

HUETHER & RUPERT CALLING THE SIGNALS

            The Golden Eagles will starter either true freshman Tyler Huether (Fr. Penn Trafford) or red-shirt freshman quarterback Mark Rupert (Knoch). Huether started the last two games. He was 9 for 26 fo 119 yards against Edinboro and at IUP and completed 14 of 30 for 191 yards and 1 td. In 2006 he has connected on 31 of 77 passes for 394 yards and 2 td’s. Rupert owns a 302 yard, 2 td performance against West Chester. This season he has completed 43 of 108 passes for 647 yards and 5 td’s.

            The running game is spearheaded by junior Eddie Emanuel (Hempstead, N.Y.). Emanuel had a career high 170 yards versus SR and also went for 150 against Cheyney. He has 141 rushes for 701 yards and 3 td’s, plus caught 2 passes for 13 yards. Also running is Keith Gruber (Jr. Baltimore, Md.; 16 carries, 59 yards). The fullback position is manned by Kevin Brady (Middletown, N.Y.) .

ODOM LEADS CLARION RECEIVERS

            Junior wideout Pierre Odom (Trenton, N.J.) heads the 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 34 catches for 617 yards and 2 td’s this season and 95 career catches for 1,301 yards and 7 td’s. Also ready to latch onto the pigskin are Dane Williams (So. Penn Hills – 5 catches, 40 yards, 1 td) and  Herb Carraway (Jr. Darlington, S.C.; 9 catches, 135 yards). Clarion also has tight ends Matt Foradora (So. Falls Creek, Brockway; 16 catches, 199 yards, 4 td’s) and Jason Glass (Fr. Greensburg C.C.; 2 catches, 19 yards).

CLARION DEFENSE READY FOR LH

            Clarion’s defense hopes to be ready for the Bald Eagles. Clarion is giving up 337 yards per game (#8 in PSAC) including 162.4 rushing yards (#9 in PSAC) and 174.6 passing yards (#8 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 49 total tackles, including a team-leading 20 tfl’s. Also strong up front are Jim McHale (So. Cortland, Oh – 14 stops, 2 tfl’s), Corey Giles (So. Cochranton- 6 hits), Rich McCune (Slippery Rock – Laurel; 22 tackles, 2 tfl’s), Kyle Cathcart (Jr. Clarion – 22 hits, 4 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 leads the team with 69 stops, 6 tfl’s, 3 break-ups this season and 1 interception. He now has 318 career stops and 51 tfl’s. Guarding the outside are Zach Gourley (Sr. McIntyre – Apollo Ridge) and Kevin Rigby (Sr. Cortland, Oh.). Gourley is second on the tackle chart with  63 hits and 5 tfl’s, while Rigby has managed 55 stops, 7 tfl’s, 2 int. Gourley has 233 career tackles and 29 tfl’s, while Rigby has 186 career stops and 20 tfl’s. Also set to see time will be Colin McDonough (Fr. State College, 13 jolts, 1 tfl) and Josh Rytel (Fr. Beaver Falls-Blackhawk; 8 stops, 1 tfl).

WOODARD & BRAZIL LEAD SECONDARY

            Anchoring the secondary will be corners Dwaon Woodard (Sr. Erie- Central) and Quintin Brazil   (So. Pgh. Oliver). Woodard has 29 tackles this year and 4 int’s, and in his career has 155 career tackles, 10

int’s and 23 break-ups. Woodard had 3 int’s against Cheyney, including a 54-yard return for a touchdown. Brazil has 23 stops and 1 int.  this season. The safeties include Tom Schreppel (So. Shenandoah; 32 jolts) and Erik Yonish (Jr. Bethel Park; 42 tackles. 2 int.).

LOCK HAVEN #14  IN PSAC IN TOTAL OFFENSE

            Lock Haven’s offense ranks 14^th in the PSAC in total offense getting 168.6 yards per game, including a  running game that ranks #14 in the PSAC with 38.2 yards per game. The passing game nets 130.4 yards per game which ranks #13 in the PSAC.

            Calling the signals for the Bald Eagles will be freshman quarterback Ilio DePaolo. He has connected on 101 of 189 passes for 930 yards and 4 td’s with 10 interceptions. He has also rushed for 1 td.

            The receiving corps has four main receivers including Troy Wile Jr. (23 grabs, 268 yards), Adam Lawrence (21 receptions, 224 yards), Rafael Smith (18 clutches, 236 yards, 1 td) and Neil Herman (4 grabs 40 yards). The tight end is Corey Cicilioni (3 catches, 39 yards).

            The running game is headed by Chris Hawkins and Perry Smith. Hawkins is the team’s leading rusher getting 116 yards on 53 attempts, plus has 12 catches for 59 yards and 2 td’s. Smith has 36 yards on 30 tries.

LOCK HAVEN #11 in PSAC IN TOTAL DEFENSE

            Lock Haven ranks #11 in the PSAC in total defense yielding 368.6 yards per game and is 13thin scoring defense yielding 34.9 points per game. The Eagles give up 191.1 rushing yards (# 11 in PSAC) and 177.5 passing yards (#9 in PSAC) per game.

            Up front Lock Haven will look to noseguard Brian Tomasovich (17 stops, 2 tfl’s) and ends Demetrius Wilson (33 hits, 8 tfl’s) and Ali Malone (22 jolts, 4 tfl’s) to stop Clarion’s running game.

            LH will have four linebackers in its second line of defense including Derek Harsh (66 stops, 5 tfl’s), Luke Ellison (36 yackles), Corey Gildea (55 hits) and Jonathan Nalewak (36 stops).

            The secondary features top tackler David Show (68 tackles, 2 int’s) at strong safety, along with Shane Barie (25 jolts, 1 int) at free safety. The corners are Kyle Crane (2 int’s) and Dean Tortorice (34 hits, 2 int’s).