FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2001
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Eagles Riding Two Game Win Streak
CLARION GRIDDERS AT EDINBORO FOR SCOT HOMECOMING
Fresh of two impressive home victories, the Golden Eagles look to keep their PSAC-West hopes alive this Saturday as Clarion travels to Edinboro for a key divisional game. Kickoff at the Boro's Sox Harrison Stadium is set for 2pm and will serve as the Homecoming Game for the Fighting Scots.
Clarion, under eighth year head coach Malen Luke, is coming off its top two performances of the season, both in the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium. Two weeks ago Clarion knocked off Kutztown (36-7) who was ranked 7th in the Region and 17th in the nation in several polls. Last Saturday the Eagles edged previously undefeated California (29-22), who was ranked 6th in the East Region. Clarion enters the game with a 3-3 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the PSAC-West. All three losses have come on the road versus East Stroudsburg (33-27), Div. I-AA Youngstown State (44-0) and Shippensburg (34-29). The other home win was a 27-14 victory over Tiffin. Coach Luke enters the game with a 40-42 record at Clarion, and a 14-year coaching record of 77-63. His PSAC-West mark is 21-23.
Edinboro, under second year head coach Lou Tepper, is also still in the PSAC-West hunt with a 2-1 league mark and a 3-2 overall record. The Scots opened 2001 with a 27-9 loss at Ashland, then defeated Gannon 37-21 and Slippery Rock 14-7, lost at California 34-24, but bounced back to defeat Lock Haven 23-3 last Saturday. Tepper's two year Edinboro record is 8-8, and his PSAC-West mark is 4-5. Including his five years as head coach at Illinois, Tepper has a collegiate record of 33-39-2.
In the history between the two schools, Clarion leads the series 37-32-2 dating back to 1926. In the last ten meetings Edinboro leads 6-4. Clarion won last year's "Defensive" game 7-0, while in 1999 Edinboro scored a td with 1:08 left in the game to win 30-29. That td came on an 8-yard pass from Jack Davis to Chris Buehner. Clarion's last win at Edinboro came in 1994, Luke's first season. The Eagles won 24-20 on An 18-yard td pass from Craig Ray to Marlon Worthy on third and goal with 18 seconds left in the game.
Clarion enters the game averaging 336.2 yards of total offense (7th in PSAC) per game including 241.7 rushing yards (#2 in PSAC) and 94.5 passing yards (#14 in PSAC) per game.
Directing the offense is versatile qb Adam Almashy. The Clarion junior has completed 31 of 91 passes for 502 yards and 4 td's. He has also rushed a team leading 95 times for 284 yards and 2 td's. In his career he has now completed 248 of 560 passes for 3,440 yards and 32 td's. He has rushed 353 times for 663 yards and 10 td's.
The running games is also led by halfbacks Robert Walker and Glenn Lovelace, along with fullback Demetric Gardner. Walker leads the team with 423 yards and 9 td's on 58 carries and now has 133 career carries for 1,057 yards and 14 td's. He is averaging 7.9 yards per carry.
Lovelace has 41 rushes for 229 yars and 2 td's, while Gardner has 411 yards and 3 td's on 75 tries. He is 11th in career rushing at Clarion with 1,389 yards on 274 runs with 10 td's.
The receiving corps will be paced by wideouts Mike McCullum (13 catches, 238 yards, 2 td's) and Ed Rivers (4 grabs, 79 yards, 1 td), along with tight end Andy Pore (6 receptions, 134 yards, 2 td's).
Clarion's defense is yielding 347.5 yards per game (10th in PSAC), including 179.5 rushing yards (7th in PSAC) and 168 passing yards (12th in PSAC) per game.
Leading the way up front are noseguard Doug Diegelman (29 hits, 4 sacks, 7 tfl's), George O'Brien (31 tackles, 7 tfl's), Tom Pore (31 stops, 3 tfl's) and Tim Connolly (13 hits, 2 tfl's).
The inside linebackers are paced by Dennis Yu (34 tackles, 4 tfl's, 3 fumbles caused), Tom Gaydosz (22 stops, 4 tfl's, 2 sacks) and Scott McGrady (20 jolts), while the perimeters are guarded Chris Janson (50 tackles, 7 tfl's, 3 sacks) and Kevin Platz (26 hits, 5 tfl's).
The secondary will be paced by corners Myron Hargon (17 jolts, 2 int's), Emil Johnson (40 stops) and Kevin McKeither (12 tackles, 1 int) and safeties Korey Eppinette (45 hits, 1 int), Jabari Weatherspoon (19 tackles) and Steve Devennie (10 stops).
Edinboro's offense is totaling 328.8 yards per game (9th in PSAC) including 186 rushing yards (7th in PSAC) and 142.8 passing yards (10th in PSAC).
Calling the signals will be senior qb Steve Tryon. He has completed 61 of 112 aerials for 714 yards and 5 td's with 6 interceptions. He ranks 6th in the PSAC with a qb efficiency rating of 112 and 7th in total offense averaging 153.6 per game.
The running game is very strong with John Williams, Brandon Munson and Alonzo Roebuck at tailback. Williams is the leading ground gainer with 465 yards and 3 td's on 99 carries, and is the second leading receiver with 10 catches for 100 yards and 1 td. Munson has 22 carries for 191 yards (8.7 per carry) and 3 td's, while Roebuck, who was the starter the first three games but has sat out the last two with bruised ribs, could also see action this week. Roebuck has 41 tries for 197 yards and 2 td's.
The receiving corps is also very talented with wideouts Michael Lowe (11 grabs, 146 yards, 1 td) and Josh Geis (8 catches, 91 yards, 1 td), plus tight end Chris Buehner (8 catches, 99 yards, 1 td).
Edinboro's defense is giving up 335.6 yards per game (8th in PSAC) including 168.8 rushing yards (6th in PSAC) and 166.8 passing yards (11th in PSAC).
Up front the Scots are led by noseguard Eugene Grooms (15 stops, 3 tfl's), tackle Justin Koi (23 tackles, 5 tfl's) and end Aaron Tucker (18 hits, 5 tfl's).
The perimeters are guarded by outside linebackers Dave Smith (26 jolts, 8 tfl's, 2 sacks), David Hart (21 stops, 2 tfl's) and Dave Holton (2.5 sacks).
The inside linebackers anchor the Scot defense. Foster Johnson (41 tackles, 8 tfl's, 3 sacks, 1 int) and Jermaine Hughley (38 tackles, 6 tfl's) rank as the #1 and #3 tacklers on the squad.
The secondary has Jeff Richardson (39 hits, 8 tfl's, 3 int's) at strong safety, Jason Gordon (15 tackles) at free safety and Tommie Virgies (18 jolts, 2 int's), Elliott Page (18 tackles) and James Cowart (3 tfl's) ready at the corners.
Edinboro has the #2 ranked punter in the PSAC in Sean McNicholas (41.6 avg). He also has made 4 of 8 field goal tries.
CLARION NOTES: In last year's game Clarion had 235 yards of offense to Edinboro's 152... The Eagles got 168 on the ground and 67 passing... Walker led the Eagles with 45 yards on 7 carries, and Almashy had 42 yards on 18 carries... He completed 6 of 22 passes for only 67 yards and was sacked 3 times... Edinboro had 50 rushing yards on 33 carries... Williams ran 20 times for 34 yards and Roebuck git 24 yards on 5 tries... Edinboro's Jack Davis completed 12 of 23 passes for 102 yards... tight end Chris Buehner had 2 catches for 33 yards... Clarion returns home to host Slippery Rock on October 20th, then hosts IUP on October 27th... Both games will start at 1pm... In its last two wins, Clarion's defense has yielded 194 yards of offense against Kutztown and 292 against California... Kutztown netted 53 rushing yards on 27 carries, while California ran for 134 yards on 44 tries... Combined, in the last two games, the Eagles gave up 187 yards on 71 carries, an average of 98.5 per game and 2.4 per carry.