Clarion Wins Third in a Row Thanks to 210 Yards of Penalties by Gannon; Strong Defense

Chris Rossetti

Chris Rossetti

Published September 23, 2018 4:20 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Helped by an undisciplined Gannon team that committed 21 penalties for 210 yards, Clarion won its third straight game with a 14-9 victory over the visiting winless Golden Knights.

(Alec Heldreth celebrates after recovering a fumble in the second quarter. Photo by Bri Nellis. Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

Thanks to the Gannon mistakes and a strong defensive performance, the Golden Eagles (3-1 overall, 1-0 PSAC West) were able to win a game in which the losing team had more yards in penalties (the 210) than Clarion had in offense (164). Heck, the Golden Eagles nearly had as many penalty yards (101 on nine penalties) as total yards.

The game-sealing play came in the final seconds when Alec Heldreth sacked Gannon quarterback Jason Dambach on a fourth-and-13 play from the Clarion 20-yard line with eight seconds left. But unsurprisingly it was a Gannon penalty that helped the Golden Knights stall themselves.

After a 24-yard Dambach to Joey Cox pass set up a first-and-10 at the Clarion 17, Gannon’s Jacardi Brooks was called for a crucial 15-yard offensive pass interference call that pushed the Golden Knights (0-4, 0-1) back to the Clarion 32.

Two incomplete passes were followed by a 12-yard Dambach to Marcus Jones completion to the Clarion 20 setting up the Heldreth game-sealing sack that came on a play that started with 17 seconds left to play. The sack gave Heldreth 2 1/2 on the day, and he also had a pair of quarterback hurries while making seven tackles.

One of his sacks, in the first half, set up a defensive touchdown on a crazy play that proved to be the difference in the game.

Trailing 7-0, Clarion tied the game at seven when Heldreth recovered a loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown with 11:14 left in the first half.

But it wasn’t an ordinary zero-yard fumble return, as the play started with the ball at the Gannon 31-yard line. Dambach dropped back to pass, but Heldreth broke free causing a strip sack of Dambach. A mad dash ensued as the ball was kicked around towards the end zone. Staying in the play, Heldreth sprinted towards the end zone falling on the ball for a Clarion touchdown.

Gannon’s defense got two of those points back in the third quarter when a botched snap by the Golden Eagles led to a Gannon safety with 6:10 left in the frame putting the Golden Knights back in front, 9-7.

But after Clarion’s defense rose to the occasion following the free kick, Clarion took over with just a little more than three minutes left in the third quarter.

A six-play, 86-yard drive that was capped by a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jovante Seard to Dana Jackson followed giving the Golden Eagles their first and only lead of the game at 14-9 with 16 seconds left in the third.

That was it for the scoring, as six consecutive drives ended in punts — three for each team — before Clarion’s defense came up with one last stop after Gannon had moved deep into Golden Eagle territory in the game’s final minute.

Gannon struck the game’s first blow when Dambach, the backup QB who entered the game in the first quarter when starter Jimmy Keefe got injured, found Alex Hutchings with a 17-yard scoring pass to cap a seven-play, 55-yard drive that ended 1:58 into the second quarter.

Clarion managed to run for just 10 yards on the day, although Scott Florence did lead the Golden Eagles with 31 yards on 11 carries. Sacks of Seard and Clemens resulted in Clarion losing 10 yards and Seard finished with negative seven yards rushing and Clemens with negative 21.

Seard was 11 of 20 passing for 129 yards and the touchdown with Clemens going 4 of 8 for 25 yards.

Jackson (45 yards), Devin Clark (21 yards) and Dervonn Holton (21 yards) each had three catches with Marcus McCory adding two grabs for a team-best 46 yards.

Dambach was 17 of 41 passing for 270 yards and a touchdown but was also sacked five times.

Dontae Owens caught four passes for 91 yards.

Clarion returns to action 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Seton Hill.

NOTES: The Golden Eagles have won three straight games for the first time since 2015 when it won the first seven games of the season before losing the final four … It should be noted that Clarion’s three victories have come against teams (Lock Haven, Lincoln and Gannon) with a combined record of 1-11 with the lone win being Lock Haven’s 44-41 shootout win over East Stroudsburg Saturday.

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