LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Clarion football team survived a rain-soaked, turnover-filled game on Saturday, scoring 16 second-half points en route to a 30-21 win over Lock Haven at Hubert Jack Stadium.
(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)
The Golden Eagles (1-1) won their first road game since the 2016 season, setting the stage for back-to-back home games in the next two weeks.
It wasn’t always pretty for either team on Saturday, as the teams combined for 10 interceptions and three lost fumbles. Clarion’s six interceptions were the most for the Golden Eagles in a single game since 1999. Critically, the Golden Eagles solved their turnover woes after the halftime break while inducing three more interceptions against the Bald Eagles. Clarion ended Lock Haven’s first two drives of the second half with interceptions and halted their penultimate drive of the game with a pick that essentially sealed the win.
Defensive backs Sam Fareri and Dorian Johnson each came away with two interceptions, while Fareri also added six tackles and a forced fumble. Paul Blendinger had a team-high seven tackles to go with an interception and a fumble recovery, and Gus Schmitt rounded out the interception party with a pick of his own. One fumble was actually forced by an offensive player, as Maverick Kelsea turned around what had been a Lock Haven interception by knocking the ball loose from Javon Whitfield for Mylique McGriff to recover.
As for McGriff, he found little running room against the Bald Eagles, recording just 65 yards on 26 carries, but the sophomore running back was Clarion’s leading receiver with four catches for 76 yards. He and Devin Clark both punctuated drives with touchdown runs, with Clark putting Clarion ahead 7-0 with a score in the first quarter. McGriff’s run came in the fourth quarter to expand the Golden Eagles’ lead to two scores and put the Bald Eagles behind the eight-ball.
Marcus McCoy had a breakout performance, catching four passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns. His first score of the game put Clarion ahead 14-0 in the first quarter, while his second expanded the lead to 23-14 late in the third quarter. Jovante Seard entered the game at quarterback at halftime and had an efficient performance, going 8-of-12 for 126 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
The first three drives of the game ended in three-and-outs and the Golden Eagles started their second offensive drive with excellent position after a strong defensive stand. Jeff Clemens hit Jimmy Murphy for a 13-yard gain that put the Golden Eagles on the five-yard line, and Clark punched it in from there to put the team ahead 7-0. Fareri intercepted Cameron Tobias’s pass on the very first play of Lock Haven’s ensuing drive, and three plays later Clemens found McCoy for his first score of the game to make it 14-0.
Lock Haven knotted it up at 14 before the halftime break, but the Golden Eagle defense stood tall to put them back on top in the third quarter. Now with Seard at quarterback, Clarion methodically marched down the field to open the second half, including a 39-yard catch-and-run by McGriff to get into the red zone. James Metzgar finished off the drive with a field goal, booting it from 24 yards out to put Clarion ahead 17-14.
Fareri set up the next Clarion touchdown on the ensuing drive, picking off Ethan Persa on a 3rd-and-7 inside Clarion territory to put the Golden Eagles back on the attack. Seard connected with McCoy from 11 yards out to finish the seven-play, 67-yard scoring drive, though Lock Haven blocked the point-after try to keep it a nine-point game. The Bald Eagles pulled to within a score before the end of the third, but McGriff scored from five yards out early in the fourth quarter to set the final deficit at 30-21. Johnson halted Lock Haven’s last best attempt at a comeback with an interception inside his own red zone, allowing Clarion to eat the final few minutes of clock.
