BOX SCORE

            (Erie, Pa.): Clarion's Chris Wilson returned at interception 97-yard for a td and Alfonso Hoggard scored on a 3-yard run for a 14-0 Eagle second quarter lead, but #21 ranked Mercyhurst rallied back to tie the game 14-14 at halftime and went on to win the game 38-14 at Tullio Field on Saturday afternoon.

 

            The win for Mercyhurst (8-2; 6-1) gave the Lakers the PSAC-West crown with a 6-1 league record and a berth in the PSAC Championship game next Saturday. Clarion dropped to 3-7 overall and 3-4 in the PSAC-West.

 

            Clarion's defense turned in the game's first touchdown. Laker qb Travis Rearick tossed a pass toward the Eagle endzone, but corner Chris Wilson intercepted at the three yard line near the right hash and started up field. He weaved his way across the field, broke a couple of tackles, then turned straight up the middle at the 50 and sprinted his way to the endzone. The 97-yard interception return for a td tied the Clarion record set by Fred Wickstrom against Geneva back in 1968. the score came at 4:26 of the first and Clarion led 7-0.

 

            Early in the second quarter Clarion drove 85 yards in 15 plays to take a 14-0 lead. Hoggard ran 7 times for 48 yards in the drive and culminated it with a three-yard td run. Robert Mamula's PAT made it 14-0 at 10:04 of the second.

 

            Perhaps the turning point of the game came on the Lakers next drive. Mercyhurst drove from its own 43 to the Clarion 8, but the Eagle defense held and forced a field goal attempt. Steven Wakefield's field goal attempt missed wide left, but Clarion was flagged for offsides. On the next play Rearick hit Jeff Groene in the right flat and he dove inside the pylon for a 6-yard td. Clarion led 14-7 with 4:11 left before halftime.

 

            Mercyhurst got the ball back at its own 49, and on the first play, Rearick hit Terrance Coon on a post pattern for a 51-yard game-tying td with 3:03 to go in the second.

 

            Mercyhurst opened the second half with a 4-play, 44-yard td drive to take a 21-14 lead. The td came on a Rearick pass to Gerald Anderson from the 19-yard line.

 

            The Lakers went ahead 28-14 at 5:31 of the third when Trevor Kennedy caught a 51-yard td pass from Rearick. Rearick broke contain, ran toward the right sideline, then pulled up and fired the td pass to Kennedy.

 

            Clarion tried to battle back in the game by driving from its own 35 to the Laker 24. On fourth and one at the Mercyhurst 24 the Eagles went for it on fourth down, but Hoggard's run ended up inches short of a first down.

 

            Gerald Anderson scored on a 16-yard td run to make it 35-14 at 13:52, and Wakefield booted a 22-yard field goal for the game's final points.

 

            Mercyhurst outgained Clarion 421 – 179. The Golden Eagles rushed for 141 yards and passed for 68. Hoggard rushed for 78 yards and 1 td, while Fiscus rushed for 33 yards and completed 7 of 22 passes for 68 yards. Jacques Robinson caught 5 passes for 52 yards.

 

            Clarion defense was led by Chris Wilson and Nick Sipes. Wilson had three interceptions 5 tackles and 1 break up. Sipes posted 10 tackles and 1 tfl.

 

            Mercyhurst had 177 rushing yards and 264 passing yards.

 

            Rearick completed 20 of 35 passes for and 264 yards and 4 td's. Gerald Anderson rushed 30 times for 152 yards and 1 td.

 

            Clarion returns home to host Millersville next Saturday at 1pm on Senior Day.