Oct. 24, 2009
Final Stats
(CLARION, PA.): Clarion's Alfonso Hoggard had 292 All-Purpose Yards and 2 td's, while rushing for 162 yards and 2 td's against the PSAC's #1 defense in leading the Golden Eagles to an exciting 30-28 win over IUP on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Clarion raised its PSAC-West record to 5-1 and 6-3 overall, while IUP dropped to 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the PSAC-West. Clarion has assured itself of a winning season, its first since the Golden Eagles were 7-4 in 2002.
Trailing 21-10 in the second quarter, Hoggard scored on a 2-year run with 43-seconds left before intermission to cut the Crimson Hawk lead to 21-17.
Clarion's first play of the third quarter saw Hoggard post a 49-yard run and give the Eagles a first down at the IUP 26. Hoggard had six more yards on two carries in that drive, but qb Tyler Huether finished it off with a 1-yard qb sneak to put Clarion in front 24-21 with 8:32 left in the third.
IUP's offense went three and out and Clarion got the ball back at its own 38. Hoggard ripped off runs of 12 and 20 yards, and with a personal foul against IUP, Clarion had the ball back in scoring position at the IUP 19. Hoggard rushed for 6, Huether ran for 3, then a steady diet of Alfonso Hoggard put Clarion in the endzone again. He rushed three times for 8 yards to the IUP 2, then darted in off left tackle for his second td of the day giving Clarion a 30-21 lead with 3:49 remaining in the third. The PAT was blocked.
IUP opened the fourth quarter with a 15-play, 78-yard drive that saw Harvie Tuck score on a 1-yard run. Burgess PAT was good and at 7:16 of the fourth quarter Clarion's lead was cut to 30-28.
The Golden Eagle defense then really stood tall. IUP drove to the Clarion 32 on its next possession, but qb Pat Smith was sacked on third down by John Reichert to the 38 and the Hawks punedt Clarion deep into its own territory at the 11.
IUP held the Eagles without a first down and got the ball back at the Clarion 40 with 2:40 remaining but without any timeouts.
Tobias Robinson rushed twice for 4 yards, and Pat Smith's next two passes fell incomplete and the Golden Eagles took over with 1:13 to play and ran out the clock.
The game opened with Clarion driving 73-yards in 8 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Huether hit big passes in the drive including two to Jacques Robinson of 10 and 29 yards to the IUP 25. Hoggard rushed for 12 yards in two carries and Huether for 2 to the 11, where freshman John Fuhrer bolted in from 11-yards out and the Eagles led 7-0.
IUP blocked a Clarion punt that went out of bounds on the Eagle 22. Robinson capped the short drive with a 3-yard run to tie the game 7-7.
Clarion's next possession saw the ball get knocked out of Huether hands at the Eagle 4. Robinson scored on a 3-yard run to give IUP a 14-7 lead with 0:46 left in the first.
Clarion's Robert Mamula booted a 22-yard field goal, then IUP's Mychal Skinner grabbed a 60-yard td pass from Smith to jump out to a 21-10 lead, before Clarion started its comeback to victory.
Clarion outgained IUP 361-278.
Eagle qb Tyler Huether hit on 11 of 16 passes for 153 yards, plus rushed for 35 yards and 1 td.
Hoggard a personal best day with 292 All-Purpose yards and his second best rushing day with 162 yards and 2 rushing td's on 25 carries. He also caught 1 pass for 14 yards and had 116 return yards.
Matt Foradora grabbed 5 passes for 59 yards and Jacques Robinson had 3 catches for 59 yards.
IUP qb Pat Smith hit on 10 of 15 passes for 147 yards and 1 td. Mychal Skinner had 2 catches for 69 yards, including a 60yard td strike.
Tobias Robinson rushed for 112 yards and 2 td's on 28 carries.
Clarion received a strong defensive performance today from Nick Sipes and Joe Fox. Sipes had 19 tackles, 2 tfl's and 1 sack, while Fox posted 15 stops, 3 tfl's, 1 sack and 1 fumble caused.
Clarion travels to Edinboro for a key PSAC-West contest next Saturday at 1pm. That game will be live on PA-Sportsfever TV.
