September 29, 2007
(California, Pa.): California, ranked #12 in the this week's NCAA Division II poll, opened PSAC-West play with a convincing 56-0 win over Clarion.
Played at Adamson Stadium, Cal raised its record to 5-0 and 1-0 in the PSAC-West, while Clarion dropped to 0-5 and 0-1 in the PSAC-West.
Brandon Lombardy had a big first half for the Vulcans running for 177 yards and 3 td's on 16 carries. QB Joe Ruggiero completed 10 of 15 passes for 104 yards and 1 td in the first half as well. Lombardy did not have a carry I the second half and Ruggiero did not play.
On Clarion's first possession of the game the Golden Eagles moved from their own 45 to the Cal 38. Running back Eddie Emmanuel rushed for 12 yards in four carries, but the drive stalled and Clarion had to punt the ball away.
Cal drove 80-yards in 6 plays to go ahead 7-0. Lombardy dashed 40-yards to paydirt off left tackle.
Clarion again got the ball and made two first downs, getting to the Cal 43, but a holding call moved Clarion back and the Eagles had to punt.
In the second quarter Cal's Jermaine Moye returned a Clarion punt 51-yards to the Golden Eagle 22 putting the Vulcans in great field position. Fourplays later Lombardy carried to the goal line, fumbled, and teammate Nate Forse recovered in the endzone for the Cal td. Cal led 14-0 with 11:56 left in the second.
Lombardy then scored on runs of 1 and 36 yards to put Cal ahead 28-0 with 3:59 left before intermission.
Late in the half Nate Forse caught an 18-yard td pass from Ruggiero, and then Cal blocked a Clarion punt and Patrick Swearinger recovered in the endzone for a td giving Cal a 42-0 halftime lead.
Clarion qb Tyler Huether injured his hand in the first half and was removed in place of backup Gino Rometo who finished the game.
Clarion managed only 22 rushing yards and 62 passing yards for a total offense of 84 yards.
Eddie Emmanuel had 36 yards on 17 carries. Huether completed 3 of 9 passes for 24 yards, while Rometo connected on 5 of 14 passes for 34 yards. Herb Carraway caught 3 passes for 34 yards.
Defensively Clarion's Dane Williams had 10 tackles, Nick Sipes had 9 stops and 1 tfl, and Quintyn Brazil posted 7 hits, 2 tfl's and 1 int.
Cal had 519 yards of offense including 393 rushing and 126 passing.
Lombardy rushed for 177 and 3 td's, Ruggiero passed for 104 yards and 1 td and Nate Forse grabbed 5 aerials for 53 yards and 1 td.
Clarion returns home to host Shippensburg next Saturday at 2pm. The game will also serve as Clarion's Homecoming Day Game during ALF week.
Cal travels to Indiana next Saturday for a 2pm game.
