BOX SCORE

            (Clarion, Pa.): Slippery Rock placekicker Kurt Brackman booted a 32 yard field goal with 1:41 to play to send the Rock to a 16-13 over Clarion at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 6,500 Homecoming Day fans watched the first ever “Milk Jug” game.

 

            Clarion dropped to 0-5 overall and 0-2 in the PSAC-Western Division while Slippery Rock raised its record to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the West.

 

            Clarion red-shirt freshman qb Ben Fiscus, who came on in the third quarter to relieve Eric Coxon, had a strong second half and nearly rallied the Golden Eagles to victory. He finished the game with 147 rushing yards and 1 td, but it wasn't enough.

 

            Down 10-3 in the third quarter, Fiscus drove the Golden Eagles 67-yards in 9 plays, all on the ground, to tie the game. Starting at its own 33, Alfonso Hoggard carried for 3 yards on first down, then Fiscus had 7 consecutive rushes, including runs of 22, 7, 11, 8 and finally 10 to take the pigskin to the 1 yard line. On first down he ran his 8^th straight play, and on a qb draw, sprinted up the middle untouched to paydirt, tying the game 10-10 at 5:18.

 

Early in the fourth quarter SR drove from its own 39 to the Clarion 4, but the Eagle defense held and Brackman came on to kick a 22-yard field goal to give the Rock a 13-10 lead with 8:48 remaining.

 

            On the Eagles next possession Fiscus and Hoggard again led a Clarion drive from its own 39 to the SR 10. On third and three from the 10, Hoggard sprinted to the Rock 2, but a holding penalty put the ball back to the 20. Fiscus ran for 4 yards to the 16 and Eagle placekicker Robert Mamula came on a booted a 33 yard field goal to tie the game 13-13 with 5:31 to play.

 

            Slippery Rock qb Ryan Sabo engineered a 9 play, 54 yard drive to the Clarion 14. Brackman came on and kicked his game-winning field goal, a 32-yarder, with 1:41 to play.

 

            Clarion took the ball at its own 28 and drove to the Rock 44, but on third and 4 at the 44, SRU's Robert Doiley intercepted a Fiscus pass at the 41 and the game was over.

 

            Clarion had 275 yards of offense on the day, with 271 coming on the ground. Fiscus ran for 147 and 1 td, while Hoggard had 26 carries for 111 yards. Nick Sipes had 9 tackles and 1 tfl, while Chris Smelzer posted 9 hits to lead the Eagle “D”.

 

            Slippery Rock had 252 yards of offense, including 108 rushing and 144 passing. Akeem Satterfield, the #2 runner in the PSAC, was limited to 102 yards on 24 carries. Sabo completed 12 of 22 passes for 137 yards. Backup qb Mike Bongivengo rushed 5 times for 14 yards and 1 td.

 

            Clarion travels to Lock Haven next week.

 

            CLARION NOTES: A new tradition was started today between SR and Clarion – “The Milk Jug” will become a new trophy presented after each football game between the two schools… the first was presented by Clarion A.D. Dave Katis, and Clarion President Dr. Karen Whitney, to SR coach George Mihalik following the game.