After losing a heartbreaking 42-38 contest to Mercyhurst last Saturday, the Golden Eagles look to end the season on a positive note this Saturday, November 12, when Clarion travels to Millersville for the 2011 season finale. Kickoff at Biemesderfer Stadium is set for 1pm.
 
            Fourteen seniors will play their final game in a Clarion uniform and they are Vince Bazzone (OC – White Oak/McKeesport), Bob Beidl (OG – Clarion/Clarion-Limestone), James Eckels (SS - ), Braheem Foy (Philadelphia/Frankford), Ray Klinger (Snapper – Lewistown), Elijah Morres (OT – Brookville), Barrington Morrison (DE – Pgh/Penn Hills), Reggie Robinson (LB – Pgh/Brashear), Shawn Sopic (S – Curwensville), Josh Stegena (DE – Munhall/Steel Valley), Mike Verdun (LB – Greensburg/Greensburg C.C.), Matt Ward (WR/Murrysville/Franklin Regional) and Chris Wilson (CB – Philadelphia/Frankford).
 
            Clarion enters the game with a 2-8 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the PSAC-West. Clarion is coming of a tough 42-38 loss to Mercyhurst. Millersville enters the game with a 3-7 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the PSAC-East.
 
            All the game action between Clarion and Millersville can be heard on the Golden Eagle Football network, which includes WCCR-FM, 92.7 in Clarion and WKQW-FM, 96.3 in Oil City, as well as on the internet at Redzonemedia.com with Mike Kalinowski providing the play by play and Joe Lodanosky offering color commentary.
              Sixth year head coach Jay Foster enters Saturday's game against Millersville with a 2-8 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the PSAC-West. Last week Clarion lost a 42-38 decision to Mercyhurst on Senior Day, while two weeks ago the Golden Eagles won a 28-21 decision against Gannon. Three weeks ago the Eagles lost a tough 21-10 decision at Edinboro, while a month ago turnovers proved costly in the Eagles 38-7 loss to IUP. On October 8 Clarion rushed for 423 yards in a 54-6 Homecoming Day win over Lock Haven.
 
            The 2011 season started with a 31-17 road loss at Fairmont State, despite outgaining the Falcons 426-316. Clarion returned home to lose to now #2 rated Bloomsburg 45-10, then went on the road for three straight games. The Eagles lost 54-24 at Shippensburg, 40-13 at California and 27-13 at Slippery Rock, before defeating Lock Haven.
 
            The Golden Eagles were 4-7 season in 2010 with a 3-4 mark in the rugged PSAC-Western Division. The season began with an 0-5 start, and three of those games saw Clarion have a chance to win in the final minutes.
 
            Clarion rebounded in the second half of the year winning four of their final six contests posting victories over Lock Haven (49-6), IUP (21-14), Gannon (11-10) and Millersville (49-10).
 
            Coach Foster, who was the 2009 PSAC-West “Coach of the Year”, led the 2009 team to an 8-3 overall record, a second place finish in the PSAC-West with a 6-1 mark and earned an 8^th place ranking in the NCAA Div. II Super Region 1 final poll. Jay's overall record at Clarion is 18-47.
              Millersville enters Saturday's contest against Clarion with a 3-7 overall record and a 2-5 PSAC-Eastern Division mark under fourth year head coach Greg Colby.
            Millersville opened the 2011 campaign with a 55-3 loss to West Virginia Wesleyan, nipped Lock Haven 21-20, lost 47-0 at Gannon, lost 46-7 to Bloomsburg and then defeated Cheyney 10-6. A 24-6 loss to C.W. Post was followed by a 49-7 loss to Kutztown, before defeating East Stroudsburg 31-27. The last two games had the Marauders lose 40-0 to Shippensburg and 49-13 to West Chester.
              The series between the two schools is tied at 6-6. Clarion won last year's game 49-10 at Memorial Stadium. Alfonso Hoggard rushed for 211 yards and 3 td's in that game. Before 2010 the last time these two teams played was in 2003 when the Marauders defeated Clarion 13-10 at Memorial Stadium in overtime. In 2002 Clarion won at Millersville 24-3. Clarion also won in 1998 by a 38-31 margin, while Millersville defeated Clarion in 1997 (31-25), 1995 (41-35) and 1994 (40-27).

            Perhaps the most memorable game between the two was in 1977 when Clarion defeated the Marauders 25-24 in the PSAC title game at Millersville. Bill May booted a late field to provide the winning points. Clarion also topped MU 30-25 in 1967 and 33-14 in 1966, the year Clarion went 10-0. Millersville won games in 1929 and 1930.
              The Clarion offense is ranked #12 in the PSAC after nine games averaging 335.5 yards per game, including 209.6 on the ground (#3 in PSAC) and 123.9 yards passing (#14 in PSAC). Clarion is 12^th in scoring offense averaging 21.4 ppg.
 
            Sophomore signal caller Ben Fiscus (So. Indiana) has completed 100 of 207 passes (48.3%) for 1,148 yards and 5 td's in 2011. He also leads the Golden Eagles in rushing yards with 737 yards plus 5 td's. Last week he rushed for 77 yards in the first half, before leaving the game at halftime with an injury, not to return in the second half. His status will not be determined until game time. A month ago he rushed for 112 yards against IUP and against Lock Haven he ran for 204 yards and 2 td's and passed for 2 td's in helping beat the Bald Eagles. His 204 rushing yards by a qb was only the second time that has been accomplished by a PSAC qb in more than a decade. Last year he passed for 705 yards and 7 td's, while rushing for 582 yards and 6 td's. He set a school record against Lock Haven finishing the game completing 16 of 16 passes for 187 yards and 4 td's. In his career Fiscus has rushed 285 times for 1,319 yards and 11 td's. The career rushing mark for a Clarion QB is Adam Almashy's 1,339 (1999-2002). Fiscus has completed 162 of 333 passes for 1, 861 yards and 12 td's.
 
            The backups are Ryan Voisey (So. Hermitage/Hickory) and Anthony Omogrosso (Fr. Beaver Falls).
              Wideouts ready to catch passes from Fiscus will be sophomore Jon Reid (Stafford, Va.), juniors Tarrean Barrett (Scranton) and Robert Tantlinger (Franklin). Tight ends Anthony Becoate (So. McKeesport) and Rob Irwin (So. Bellefonte) will also be ready to latch onto passes.
 
            Reid leads the team with 24 catches for 281 yards and 2 td's, with Barrett grabbing 20 aerials for 163 yards and Tantlinger has 14 catches for 187 yards and 1 td. Tight end Becoate has 13 catches for 186 yards and 1 td, Irwin 9 for 65.
 
            Senior captain Matt Ward (Murrysville) was injured in opener at Fairmont State, but returned last Saturday against Mercyhurst. He has 5 catches for 44 yards. Last year he grabbed 28 passes for 277 yards and 1 td  and now has 72 career catches for 748 yards and 2 td's.
              Junior Patrick Graham-Murphy (Pgh – Brashear) was moved from defensive back three weeks ago and has become an offensive staple. Against  Mercyhurst he had 107 yards and 3 td's, while against Gannon he had 27 carries for 155 yards and 1 td. He also had 174 yards and 1 td on 20 carries at Edinboro in his first collegiate start. He will start this week. Starter Brandon Akins (Erie/Strong Vincent) will also be available while John Fuhrer (Jr. Pgh – Keystone Oaks) is questionable this week. Akins is second on the team in rushing with 466 yards and 4 td's on 104 carries, while Fuhrer has rushed 64 times for 339 yards and 2 td's. Tarik Leftenant (Fr. Mechanicsburg) is ready for action having rushed 28 times for 87 yards and 1 td.
              The “O” line has three talented returning starters in center and captain Vince Bazzone (6-2, 265, Sr. McKeesport), and tackles Mike Felker (6-4, 275, So. Gibsonia/Pine Richland) and Elijah Morres (6-5, 285, Sr. Brookville). Bazzone and Morres are three year starters, while Felker earned All-PSAC honors last year as a freshman. Senior Bob Beidl (Clarion/Clarion-Limestone) starts at left guard, and Andrew Vercelli (Jr. Gibsonia/Deer Lakes), who missed two games but returned against Edinboro, is in the lineup. Center Terrance Perfilio (So. Farrell) will see plenty of action as will guards Eli Ruppert (Jr. Indiana/Apollo Ridge) and Ryan Barrick (So. Easton).
              Clarion's defense is ranked #14 in the PSAC in total defense yielding 418.9 yards per game. The Golden Eagles are giving up 197.8 rushing yards per game (#14 in PSAC) and #11 in pass defense (221.1 yards per game).
              Up front senior All-Region defensive end and captain Barrington Morrison (Sr. Pgh – Penn Hills) is having another standout season. Morrison already totals 21 tfl's for -91 yards including 10 qb sacks, plus has 47 tackles (26 solos). He had 40 tackles in 2010 and led the PSAC with 12 sacks and 4 fumbles caused and was second in the league with 20 tfl's. In his career Morrison has 60 tfl's for –230 yards and 28 qb sacks for -159 yards. He also has 7 fumbles caused, 7 break-ups and 1 fumble recovery.
   
            Starting senior tackle John Hackel (Sr. South Park – 12 tackles, 2 tfl's) has suffered an injury that will keep him out the remainder of the season.
 
            Foy has 28 tackles and 6 tfl's, Stegena 28 hits 1 tfl, Howsare 26 hits, 5 tfl's, Bostick 11 jolts, Motley 12 hits with 1 tfl  and Newquist 10 hits and 2 tfl's.
              Senior linebacker Reggie Robinson  (Sr. Pgh – Brashear) was injured against IUP and will miss the remainder of the season. Robinson had 32 stops and 11 tfl's. Junior Nate Sipes (Curwensville) and freshman Brian Palmiere (Tarentum/Deer Lakes) will start this week with Mike Verdun (Sr. Greensburg) and Eric Coxon (Jr. Pgh. Brentwood) seeing plenty of time. Sipes leads the team and ranks #4 in the PSAC with 88 tackles plus 2 tfl's, Palmiere has 37 tackles and 8 tfl's and Verdun has 28 hits, 4 tfl's and 2 int's.
              Captain Shawn Sopic (Sr. Curwensville) (56 hits, 7 break-ups – 2009) has returned in 2011 after missing 2010. Shawn has contributed 60 tackles, 1 int. and 2 tfl in 2011 and now has 225 career tackles, 16 break-ups, 5 int's and 7 tfl's in his career.
 
            Starting safety Jay Pettina (So. Indiana) is out, but Peter Rivera (Fr. Allentown) will be back in the lineup. Senior James Eckels  (McKeesport), Aaron Gluvna (Jr. Corry), Chris Wilson (Sr. Philadelphia/Frankford) and Anthony Stimac (Jr. East Brady/Karns City), Andrew Paronish (Jr.Hastings/No. Cambria) and Ryan Stevens (Fr. Bowie, Md.) are ready to play.
 
            Eckels (42 tackles, 2 tfl's), Gluvna (12 hits), Stimac (51 hits, 2 int's – returned Clarion record 100-yards vs  SR), Wilson has collected 38 tackles and 2 int., Paronish 32 stops and Stevens 14 tackles, 1 int.
 
            The punting chores are handled by Nathan Conway who is averaging 35.4 yards per punt, while the placekicking chores belong to true freshman Tyler Ruark (Whiteford, Md.). He has made six of eleven field goal attempts this year.
              Millersville's offense is ranked 16^th in the PSAC getting 179.9 yards of total offense per game. The Marauders are getting 92.9 rushing yards (14^th in PSAC) and 87 passing yards (16th in PSAC) per game.
 
            Calling the signals for the Marauders will be Dan Miller who has connected on 92 of 180 passes for 782 yards and 5 td's. He has also rushed for 3 td's.
 
            Rushing the pigskin will be Marquis White who has 356 yards and 4 td's in 86 attempts. Ian Saddon (47 carries, 138 yards, 1 td) and David Coates (38 rushes, 82 yards) will also tote the pigskin.
 
            Top receivers include Dominic Sanders (38 catches, 390 yards, 3 td's), Brent Collins (22 rgabs, 143 yards, 1 td) and David Barnes (9 grabs, 99 yards).
              Millersville's defense is ranked #13 in the PSAC giving up 417.1 yards per game. Opponents are getting 189 rushing yards per game (#13 in PSAC) and #13 in passing yards yielding 228.1 per contest.
 
            Up front in the 4-3 defense are tackles Nate Hinkle (18 tackles) and Doug Henninger (31 stops, 5.5 tfl's), along with ends Daniel Jones (26 hits, 8.5 tfl's) and Reggie Slaton (24 tackles).
 
            The linebackers include top tckler Pat Maloney (70 hits, 8.5 tfl's), Craig Gardner (25 stops, 1 int) and Gilbert Ramos (38 jolts).
 
            The secondary includes corners Dan McClellan (3 int's), T.J. Richardson (26 tackles, 1 int), strong safety Gary Tillman (56 hits) and free safety Brian Knell (42 tackles, 3 int's).
 
CLARION – MILLERSVILLE – 2010 – Clarion won 49-10 last year … Alfonso haggard closed his career with a bang rushing for 211 yards and 3 td's, while QB Ben Fiscus rushed for 104 yadrs and 2 td's, plus hit on 6 of 13 passes for 96 yards and 1 td…. Clarion led 28-3 at halftime … Hoggard scored on runs of 53, 64 and 6 yards…2003 – Clarion lost 13-10 in overtime … Clarion tied the game on a Mark Hofmeister 42-yard field goal with 6:16 left in the fourth quarter … Millersville won in overtime on a Sean Hughes 40-yard field goal … Felton Woulard rushed for 133 yards and passed for 81 yards in the game … Pierre Odom caught 2 passes for 72 yards and 1 td (63 yarder) … MU's Omar Sanders rushed for 105 yards and 1 td … Clarion had 9 fumbles in the game … In 2002 Clarion won 24-3 … Adam Almashy rushed for 56 yards and 1 td, plus passed for 86 yards … Backup qb Frantz Charles rushed for 72 yards and 1 score … Clarion led 7-3 at halftime – then Kerwin Cledanor intercepted an MU pass and returned it 50 yards for a td in the third … Chris Carlton booted a 26-yard field goal and Frantz Charles had a 6-yard td run…. Bo Busch had 9 tackles and Shaun Saad posted 6 hits and 1 sack… In Clarion's 38-31 win over Millersville in 1998, the two teams combined for 962 yards of offense... Clairon had 133 rushing and 322 passing ... Clarion QB Chris Weibel completed only 12 of 30 passes for 322 yards and 3 td's ... Current Clarion receivers coach Alvin Slaughter grabbed 6 passes for 193 yards and 2 td's ... Millersville passed for 436 yards begind QB Drew Folmar (29 of 45) ... Sean Scott led MU with 12 catches for 227 yards... Clarion defeated Millersville in the 1977 PSAC Championship game…  Bill May's late field goal won the game 25-24..