Oct. 17, 2009
Final Stats
CLARION, PA.): Clarion's Alfonso Hoggard had 196 All-Purpose yards and scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 22-yard run with 2:18 remaining, to vault the Golden Eagles to a 29-25 win over Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
Clarion raised its overall record to 5-3 and PSAC-West slate to 4-1, while Mercyhurst dipped to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the PSAC-West. The TV replay of the game will appear on FSN-Pittsburgh on Monday night at 7pm.
Clarion scored 22 fourth quarter points and rallied from a 19-7 fourth quarter deficit to put itself in the PSAC-West title race today.
Golden Eagle placekicker Robert Mamula started the Eagles on the comeback trail with a 31-yard field goal with 10:41 left to pull Clarion to within 19-10.
After the Lakers went three and out, Clarion got the ball on its own 25 and went 75-yards in only three plays. Senior qb Tyler Huether broke out of the pocket to the right and lofted a pass down the right sideline to Jacques Robinson taking the ball 39-yards to the Mercyhurst 36. On the next play Huether found Hoggard on a short pass, and Hoggard made several Lakers miss on his way to the endzone to pull Clarion to within 19-17 with 8:27 left.
Mercyhurst seemed to gain the momentum back when Andrew Bailey returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a Laker td, putting Mercyhurst back in front 25-17. But the Lakers missed their third PAT of the game and kept the score 25-17.
Clarion started its next drive at the Eagle 27 and again drove 73 yards in 8 plays to score. Huether completed 6 of 7 passes on the drive and all the yards for the score. The touchdown play was a slip screen to Jacques Robinson, who broke two tackles in the middle of the field and dashed into the endzone to cut the Laker lead to 25-23. Huether tried a fade route to Robinson for the equalizer but the pass fell incomplete and Clarion was down 25-23 with 5:43 left.
Mercyhurst again went three and out and Clarion got the ball back at the 50 after a short punt. Hoggard took the game over from there. He had three rushes for 17 yards, the last coming on a 9-yard first down run to the Laker 22. Hoggard the took the handoff, burst up the middle, broke two tackles and bolted to the endzone for the game-winning score. Mamula's PAT gave Clarion at 29-25 lead with 2:18 remaining.
The Lakers took the kickoff and started at their own 35, but the Clarion defense stood tall and held the Lakers on downs, then ran out the clock to win the game.
Clarion posted 374 yards of offense, including 91 rushing and 283 passing.
Huether completed 20 of 33 passes for 283 yards and 2 td's. Jacques Robinson caught 9 passes for 96 yars and 1 td, while Matt Foradora grabbed 5 for 58 and Craig Bunney had 4 for 67.
Hoggard had another big day rushing 28 tiems for 88 yards and 2 td's, caught 2 passes for 53 yards and 1 td. He also returned 3 kickoffs for 55 yards and finished the game with 196 all-purpose yards.
Mercyhurst totaled 288 yards including 103 rushing and 185 passing.
Joe Laffey completed 15 of 27 passes for 185 yards and 2 td's. Trevor Kennedy rushed for 37 yards and caught 4 passes for 74 yards to lead the way.
Ben Jennings rushed for 35 yards and 1 td, and Leon Gallup and Max Khuri both caught td passes.
Clarion's defense was led by Joe Fox who had 10 tackles and 3 tfl's.
Mercyhurst jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first half when Khuri caught a 10-yard td pass from Laffey in the first quarter, and Gallup caught a 2-yard pass from Laffey at 9:40 of the second.
Hoggard came back for Clarion and scored on a 2-yard run, capping a 10-play, 66-yard drive to cut the lead to 13-7 with 3:48 left in the first half.
Mercyhurst scored on a Ben Jennings 1 yard run in the third quarter to make it 19-7, setting up Clarion's comeback.
Clarion will host Indiana next Saturday at Memorial Stadium for a 1pm game. It will also be Senior Day at Clarion.
