Miller Helps Clarion Stay Unbeaten on Senior Night

Shane Lux

Shane Lux

Published October 21, 2017 4:20 am
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CLARION, Pa. (D9Sports) – Clarion scored touchdowns on its first six possessions and rolled to a 47-0 win over Union/A-C Valley Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

(Photo: Keeven Weaver had a touchdown for Clarion Friday night. Photo by Bruce Lux)

Bobcats quarterback Spencer Miller shined as he accounted for 184 total yards of offense while scoring four times and adding an interception on defense.

“The last three games, he’s really done some great things running the ball,” said Clarion head coach Larry Wiser. “He is one of our faster kids running the ball. He adds a great aspect running the ball. He has good vision, and, when he takes off, he doesn’t dance he goes straight ahead.”

Miller methodically led the ‘Cats on three first-half possessions, all for touchdowns as Clarion took a 20-0 lead into locker room rushing for two of the scores himself with Keeven Weaver adding the other one. Meanwhile, Logan Minich had 93 first-half yards on 15 carries and finished the night with 92 yards rushing.

Clarion’s opening possession followed a Falcon Knight punt and saw the Bobcats eat up 6:55 of game clock capped off with Miller’s 5-yard run as Clarion converted two fourth downs on rushes by Logan Minich and Miller from the Union-ACV 49 & 28-yard lines respectively.

“Offensively tonight there weren’t any big plays, but we moved the ball downfield,” said Wiser. “We had long, time-consuming drives which were nice because it kept our defense off the field.”

Weaver’s 24-yard touchdown came one play following the Bobcats converting their third fourth down of the game on Miller’s 3-yard completion to Sterling Conner that helped finish off the 6-play, 46-yard drive.

A 10-play, 96-yard drive with 45 seconds remaining in the first half all but put the game away for Clarion. Miller’s 40-yard completion to Thomas Hearst set up his 14-yard keeper for the score.

Thomas Hearst of Clarion. Photo by Bruce Lux.

Thomas Hearst of Clarion. Photo by Bruce Lux.

Union/A-C Valley was able to threaten before halftime, as they took over at their 37-yard line and reached the Bobcat 16 before Lucas Bowser’s pass fell incomplete ending the half.

“Coming in, we knew we were facing a powerhouse team, so we wanted to come in strong,” said Union-A-C Valley head coach Dave Louder. “I couldn’t have been happier only being down 20-0 at halftime to this team. We had some opportunities in that first half, we just didn’t convert.”

Clarion (8-0) immediately took control in the second half scoring three touchdowns in the first 9:46 of the third quarter to take a 40-0.

“Our defense tightened up when we had to tonight,” said Wiser. “We had two interceptions. That was great because it gave us a short field. That’s what happened in that second half.”

Miller scored his third and fourth rushing touchdowns of the game from seven and 21 yards out.

Logan Minich scored on a 5-yard offensive fumble return as Miller completed the first-and-goal pass from the 10-yard line to Weaver at the 5-yard line who fumbled an attempted hook-and-ladder to Minich who scooped and scored with the loose ball.

Hunter Craddock scored on a 2-yard run with 41 seconds left in the game tallying the final points for Clarion.

Union/A-C Valley (1-8) was limited to just two yards of total offense in the second half with no first downs.

Lucas Bowser led the Falcon Knights going 5-for-15 for 57 yards.

“We had some things to build on tonight,” Louders said. “We moved the ball at times and came out injury free.”

Clarion finishes the regular season at St. Marys, while Union/A-C Valley ends its season at Ridgway. Both games are at 7 p.m. Friday.

CLARION 47, UNION/A-C VALLEY 0

Score by Quarters

Union/ACV — 0 0 0 0 — 0
Clarion — 7 13 20 7 — 47

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

C — Spencer Miller 5 yd run (Archer Mills), 2:46

Second Quarter

C — Keeven Weaver 24 yd run (kick blocked), 10:54

C — Miller 14 yd run (Mills pat), 0:45

Third Quarter

C — Miller 7 yd run (Mills pat), 7:41

C — Logan Minich 5 yd offensive fumble return (Mills pat), 5:27

C — Miller 21 yd run (kick failed), 2:54

Fourth Quarter

C — Hunter Craddock 2 yd run (Mills pat), 0:41

Team Stats

U C
First Downs 6 26
Rushes-Yards 22-41 41-308
Passing Yards 57 98
Comp-Att-Int 5-15-2 10-15-0
Total Yards 98 406
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-0
Penalties-Yards 7-35 4-40
Punts-Avg. 4-29.2 1-34

Individual Stats

Rushing: Union/ACV — Jeffery Ginn 9-35 Jonathan Powell 6-5, Tony Thompson 5-11, Lucas Bowser 1-0, Team 1-(-10). Totals: 22-41. Clarion — Logan Minich 18-92, Sam Minich 2-1, Camden Boggess 3-33, Miller 7-76, Weaver 2-34, Cutter Boggess 5-42, Colton Zacherl 3-28, Hunter Craddock 1-2. Totals: 41-308.

Receiving: Union/ACV — Quinton Weaver 1-25, Isaac Yoder 1-4, Ginn 1-(-6), Powell 2-34. Clarion — Thomas Wurster 1-8, Sterling Conner 4-38, Sam Minich 1-12, Thomas Hearst 2-45, Weaver 2-(-5),

Passing: Union/ACV — Lucas Bowser 5-for-15 57 yards, Luke Bowser 0-for-1. Clarion — Miller 9-for-12 108 yards, Mills 1-for-3 (-10) yards.

Interceptions: Clarion — 2 — Conner, Miller.

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