The second season is ready to begin at Clarion, as the Golden Eagles prepare to host #4 ranked Indiana University of Pa. (IUP) on Saturday, October 4th at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2pm for the PSAC-West opener and a game that will also serve as the 2003 Homecoming Game during Autumn Leaf Festival Week in Clarion.

The game can be heard on WCCR-FM, 92.7 and on the internet at Redzonemedia.com with Mike Kalinowski and Dave Katis describing the action.

EAGLES 1-3 OVERALL/LUKE 49-53 IN 10 YEARS AT CLARION

Clarion enters the game with a 1-3 overall record having lost a gut-wrenching 20-19 game against Kutztown last Saturday night in Clarion. Prior to that game the Eagles defeated Glenville State by a 23-20 margin, lost a tough 13-10 overtime game to Millersville, and in the season opener, Clarion lost to East Stroudsburg 31-21. Head coach Malen Luke has a ten year record of 49-53 at Clarion and is in his 16th year overall as a head coach with a record of 86-74. Clarion has won the PSAC-West in 1996 and 2000 under Luke, while the 1996 squad advanced to the NCAA semifinals.

INDIANS 4-0 OVERALL/CIGNETTI 164-41-1 IN 18 YEARS AT IUP

IUP, ranked fourth last week in the AFCA NCAA Division II Poll, enters the game with an impressive 4-0 overall record. The Indians opened 2003 with a come-from-behind win over Nebraska- Omaha (28-26), then defeated West Virginia Tech (42-0), won at New Haven (28-7) and dropped Millersville last week 35-13. Veteran head coach Frank Cignetti is in his 18th season as head coach at IUP and has an overall record entering the game of 164-41-1, or a winning percentage of 79.9%. Cignetti has led IUP to 12 PSAC-West titles and 13 invitations to the NCAA Division II Playoffs, having advanced to the NCAA title game twice (1990, 1993).

CLARION TRAILS OVERALL SERIES 22-48-3

The two schools have played a total of 73 times dating back to 1926 with IUP holding a 48-22-3 lead. Since 1996 Clarion is 3-4 against the Indians having defeated IUP 49-15 in 1996, 21-6 in 1997 and 21-13 in 2000. IUP defeated Clarion in 1998 52-14, 1999 26-0, 2001 35-34 in overtime and last year 28-14.

CLARION OFFENSE #4 IN RUSHING IN PSAC

Clarion's offense is getting a total of 307 yards per game (#7 in PSAC), including a #4 ranking in rushing with 213 yards per game and 13th ranking in passing with 94 yards per game.

Directing the offense is Felton Woulard. The true freshman leads the running game with 274 yards and 2 td's on 84 carries, while also completing 23 of 45 passes for 344 yards and 1 td.

The top receiving targets include wideouts Ron Rivage (7 catches, 130 yards), Pierre Odom (6 catches, 111 yards, 1 td) and Ed Rivers (3 grabs, 25 yards).

The running game will be led by halfbacks Brandon Sweeney and Glenn Lovelace, with fullbacks Jason Warner and Marcus Lowe also toting the pigskin. Sweeney has 169 yards and 3 td's on 31 tries (5.5 p/c), and combined with last year, now totals 673 career yards and 7 td's on 113 rushes (6.0 p/c). Lovelace has 115 yards on 25 carries and now totals 925 career rushing yards and 7 td's on 147 carries (6.3 p/c). Warner has 115 yards this season on 23 carries, while Lowe has 88 yards and 1 td on 28 rushes.

CLARION DEFENSE #4 AGAINST THE RUN

Clarion's defense has played steady this season. The Golden Eagles are giving up 317.8 yards per game (#9 in the PSAC), including only 125.2 against the run (#4 in the PSAC) and 192.5 in the air (#10 in the PSAC).

Leading the way up front is All-America noseguard Troy Bowers. Named the PSAC-West Player of the Week last week and the 2002 PSAC-West Defensive "Player of the Year", Bowers has made 28 tackles including 5 qb sacks and 10 tfl's. In his career he now totals 172 tackles, 63 tfl's and 29 qb sacks. He is joined up front by Tim Connolly (23 hits, 5 tfl's, 3 sacks), Ben Heisel (11 stops, 4 tfl's, 2 sacks), Matt Niedbala and Corey Shaner (1 sack).

The perimeter is guarded by outside linebacker Jabari Weatherspoon. In 2003 Weatherspoon has 29 stops, 1 interception for a td, 2 break-ups and 1 tfl. Anchoring the inside are Matt Morris and Brock Luke. Morris has 28 jolts and 3 fumble recoveries, while Luke has 7 stops.

The secondary is led by corners Myron Hargon (9 hits, 2 tfl's, 4 break-ups), James Charles (13 stops, 1 int for a td) and safeties Bo Busch (31 tackles, 1 sack, 1 int, 3 fumbles caused) and Emil Johnson (19 stops, 4 tfl's, 1 int).

IUP OFFENSE #2 IN SCORING/#3 IN TOTAL OFFENSE

IUP's offense is very strong again this season. The Indians are averaging 33.2 points per game (#2 in PSAC), along with 419.2 yards per game (#3 in PSAC). They are getting 223.8 rushing yards (#2 in PSAC) and 195.5 passing yards (#4 in PSAC) per game.

Calling the shots for the offense is quarterback Kevin Weidl. The first year starter has completed 42 of 89 passes for 782 yards and 8 td's with only 5 interceptions.

The running game is paced by Mike Jemison at tailback and Justin Spence at fullback. Jemison, a transfer from Pitt, is #2 in the PSAC in rushing with 585 yards and 7 td's on 95 carries this season. He is averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Spence meanwhile has gained 121 yards on 22 rushes.

The receiving corps features LeRon McCoy (18 catches, 340 yards, 5 td's) and Derrick Smith (8 grabs, 154 yards, 3 td's).

Also leading the offense is placekicker Josh Telenko, who is 17 of 17 in PAT's and 2 of 4 in field goals, including the game-winner against Nebraska-Omaha with time running out. He is 19 of 34 in career field goals.

IUP DEFENSE #2 IN PSAC IN POINTS ALLOWED

The IUP defense is permitting only 11.5 points per game (#2 in PSAC) this season. They are yielding 125.2 rushing yards (#5 in PSAC) and 195.5 passing yards (#11 in PSAC) per game for a total offense of 321 yards per game (#10 in PSAC).

Leading the way up front are noseguard Craig Prince (14 tackles), tackle P.J. Hurt (11 hits, 3 tfl's, 2 sacks) and ends Andrew Battle (27 hits, 8 tfl's, 5 sacks) and Jamien Harvey (16 jolts, 3 tfl's, 2.5 sacks).

The linebacking corps is strong with Brad Potts (33 tackles, 4 tfl's) in the middle and Neal Wood (26 stops, 4 tfl's) and Tye Desiderio (30 hits, 5 tfl's, 2 sacks) on the outside.

The secondary has Jerrell Jackson (12 stops, 2 int's) and Victor Callahan (14 stops, 4 tfl's, 2 int's) at the corners and Chris Morgan (17 tackles, 1 int) at free safety and Trent Jones (25 hits, 3 tfl's) at strong safety.

CLARION NOTES: Clarion lost year's game 28-14, but the score was much closer than that... Clarion led 7-0 in the first on a Robert Walker 3 yard run... IUP tied the game when Adrew Battle recovered a fumble and returned it 16 yards for a td in the second... the game was tied 14-14 at halftime ... Clarion also scored on a Frantz Charles 5-yard run before halftme... IUP led 21-14 into the fourth quarter when the Eagles made a costly fumble... Walker was headed to the endzone for what appeared to be the game tying td, when Kairi Cooper caused Walker to fumble Walt Mosteller recovered at the IUP 5... IUP tacked on a final td with 4:50 left to clinch the game ... Clarion rushed for 224 yards and passed for 57 for 281 yards ... Sweeney had 83 yards on 10 carries and Charles gained 64 and 1 td on 13 tries ... IUP had 230 rushing yards and 197 passing for 427 total ... Elice Parker gained 129 on 18 carries and Aaron Cochran gained 110 on 11 carries ...Brian Eyerman completed 12 of 19 passes for 197 yards and 3 td's... In 2001 the teams played an exciting game that IUP won 35-34 in overtime ... Clarion trailed 21-6 at halftime, but rallied to tie the game 28-28 on an Adam Almashy 1 yard run with 7:45 remaining... In the overtime, IUP's Aamir Dew rushed for the go ahead td, then Clarion came back and scored on Demetric Gardner's 2-yard run, but the PAT missed to the right and the Indians won 35-34 ... Clarion rushed for 264 yards in that game... Almashy had 111 yards and 2 td's rushing and 1 td passing ... IUP ran for 135 yards... Aamir Dew gained 166 for IUP with 2 td's ... In 2000, a year that Clarion tied for first in the PSAC-West with a 5-1 mark, Clarion won at IUP 21-13 ... Clarion scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as Cori Johnson grabbed a 55-yard td pass from Almashy, Andy Pore caught a 23-yard td pass from Almshy, and with 1-minute remaining, Almashy ran in from 9-yards out ... Clarion travels to West Chester next week for a 1pm start, then returns home October 18th to host Edinboro at 1pm.