The second game of the PSAC-Western Division for both teams is also the second annual game for “The Milk Jug” – a new tradition started between the two teams a year ago – as Clarion travels to Slippery Rock on Saturday, October 1 in a key PSAC battle. Kickoff at Mihalik- Thompson Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
 
            Clarion enters the game with an 0-4 overall record and an 0-1 mark in the PSAC-West after dropping a 40-13 decision at #17 California last Saturday. Slippery Rock meanwhile is 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC-West after a big 20-6 win over IUP last Saturday.
 
            All the game action between Clarion and California 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.
   
            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 16-43
              Slippery Rock has opened its season strong with a 3-1 overall record and is 1-0 in the Western Division. The Rock opened 2011 with a 51-14 win at Seton Hill, then posted a 54-0 home-opening win against Cheyney. After a tough 20-13 loss at West Chester, the Rock rebounded last Saturday with a 20-6 win over Indiana.
 
            Head coach Dr. George Mihalik is in his 24^th season at Slippery Rock and has a career record of 156-96-4. He is the all-time wins leader as a football coach at Slippery Rock and was rewarded three weeks ago by having his name added to the football stadium, alongside N. Kerr Thompson, to acknowledge his success. He led his teams to four straight PSAC-West titles from 1997-2000 and three NCAA Division II Playoff appearances during that time.
              Last year Clarion and Slippery Rock started a new tradition when it adopted “the Milk Jug Game” to the rivalry between the two schools. “The Milk Jug” is a traveling trophy, awarded immediately after the game to the head coach and players of the winning team. That school has the “Jug” for a year and brings the trophy to the next game site, where it will be displayed for presentation following the next game.
 
            Half of the “Milk Jug” is gold with a blue “C” for Clarion, and the other half is white with a green “S” for Slippery Rock. The winning school will post the year and score on their side of the jug after each game.
 
            Last year 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.
 
            Slippery Rock leads the series between the two schools by a 41-24-3 margin in games dating back to 1928. Clarion won the 2009 game 27-10 at Slippery Rock. SR won the five previous meetings including a 49-14 win in 2008 at Clarion, a 41-18 win at Slippery Rock in 2007, a 31-7 win at Clarion in 2006, a  28-10 victory in 2005 and a 31-14 win in 2004. Clarion won the 2003 meeting by a narrow 19-17 final. SR has won 10 of the last 14 meetings and owns a 13-5 mark in the last 18 meetings dating back to 1992. The five Clarion wins came in 1992 (49-37), 1993 (29-24), 1996 (54-28), 2003 (19-17) and 2009 (27-10). SR wins were 41-17 in 1995, 28-7 in 1997, 28-14 in 1998, 45-7 in 1999, 27-14 in 2000, 33-24 in 2001, 21-14 in 2002, 2004-2008 and 2010.
              The Clarion offense is ranked #11 in the PSAC after four games averaging 329.5 yards per game, including 174.2 on the ground (#5 in PSAC) and 155.2 passing (#12 in PSAC).
 
            Sophomore signal caller Ben Fiscus (So. Indiana) has completed 58 of 114 passes (50.9%) for 568 yards and 2 td's in 2011. He has also rushed for 170 yards and 2 td's. 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. Backup Eric Coxon (Jr. Pgh. Brentwood) completed 7 of 13 passes for 53 yards at Shipp two weeks ago.
              Wideouts ready to catch passes from Fiscus or Coxon will be juniors Tarrean Barrett (Scranton) and Robert Tantlinger (Franklin) and sophomore Jon Reid (Stafford, Va.). Tight ends Anthony Becoate (So. McKeesport), Rob Irwin (So. Bellefonte) and Mike Deitrick  (Fr. Upper St. Clair) will also be ready to latch onto passes.
 
            Barrett leads the receiving corps with 17 passes for 129 yards, Tantlinger has 8 catches for 91 yards and 1 td and Reid has 8 grabs for 104 yards and 1 td. Becoate has 7 catches for 84 yards, Irwin 4 for 30 and Deitrick 5 for 37 yards.
 
            Senior captain Matt Ward (Murrysville) was injured in the Fairmont State game and has been out of action since. He will likely miss the Slippery Rock game as well. He had 4 catches for 24 yards in game one. Last year he grabbed 28 passes for 277 yards and 1 td  and now has 71 career catches for 728 yards and 2 td's.
              Junior John Fuhrer (Jr. Pgh – Keystone Oaks) and sophomore Brandon Akins (Erie/Strong Vincent) have provided a solid 1-2 punch at running back in 2011. Fuhrer has rushed 43 times for 203 yards and 1 td, while Akins has 51 carries for 255 yards and 2 td's. He is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Fuhrer rushed for 58 yards and 2 td's last year, while rushing for 200 yards and 2 td's in 2009.
              The “O” line will have three talented starters returning 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) and Andrew Vercelli (Jr. Gibsonia/Deer Lakes) will be the starting guards. Eli Ruppert (Jr. Indiana/Apollo Ridge), Ryan Barrick (So. Easton) and Terrance Perfilio (So. Farrell) are also seeing time on the offensive line.
              Clarion has nine starters returning to its 2011 defense which ranks #16 in the PSAC in total defense yielding 485.2 yards per game. The Golden Eagles are giving up 308.8 rushing yards per game (#16 in PSAC) and #6 in pass defense (1176.5 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 9 tfl's for -24 yards including 3 qb sacks, plus has 22 tackles (15 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 47 tfl's for –162 yards and 20 qb sacks for -103 yards. He also has 6 fumbles caused, 5 break-ups and 1 fumble recovery.
 
            He is joined up front by John Hackel (Sr. South Park),  Braheem Foy (Jr. Philadelphia/Frankford) Ryan Slack (Jr. N. Huntingdon/Norwin), Adam Bostick (So. Lititz.Manheim Twp),  Josh Stegena (Sr. Munhall) , Sean Motley (Jr. West Mifflin) and Julian Howsare (Fr. Altoona).
 
            Hackel has 12 tackles (2 tfl's), Stegena 16 hits, Foy 15 stops and 3 tfl's, Howsare 12 hits, 2 tfl's, Bostick 3 jolts and Slack 2.
              The linebacking corps will feature the return of Reggie Robinson  (Sr. Pgh – Brashear), Mike Verdun (Sr. Greensburg), transfer Nate Sipes (Jr. Curwensville) and freshman Brian Palmiere (Tarentum/Deer Lakes). Sipes leads the team with 34 tackles, Robinson has 19 hits and 6 tfl's, Verdun has 8 stops and  Palmiere 6 tackles, 2 tfl's.
              Captain Shawn Sopic (Sr. Curwensville) (56 hits, 7 break-ups – 2009) has returned in 2011 after missing 2010. Shawn has contributed 16 tackles and 1 tfl in 2011 and now has 181 career tackles, 15 break-ups, 4 int's and 6 tfl's in his career.
 
            Also back in the secondary are sophomore Jay Pettina (So. Indiana), senior James Eckels  (McKeesport), Aaron Gluvna (Jr. Corry), Chris Wilson (Sr. Philadelphia/Frankford) and Anthony Stimac (Jr. East Brady/Karns City). Pettina has 15 stops, 2 tfl's and 1 break-up, while Stimac has 14 hits, Eckels 19 jolts, 1 tfl and 1 break-up, with Wilson collecting 19 tackles and 1 int. Red-shirt freshman Caleb Mancini (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk) has 5 hits, junior Patrick Graham-Murphy (Pgh – Brashear) has 10 tackles and 1 interception and Andrew Paronish (Jr. Hastings/No. Cambria) has 2 stops.
 
            The punting chores are handled by Nathan Conway who is averaging 38.6 yards per punt, while the placekicking chores belong to true freshman Tyler Ruark (Whiteford, Md.). He has made three of six field goal attempts this year.
              The Slippery Rock offense is ranked 9^th in the entire PSAC getting 368.8 yards of offense per game, including 169 rushing (#6 in PSAC) and 199.8 passing (#7 in PSAC). The Rock is 4^th in scoring averaging 34.5 points per game.
 
            Directing the offense is senior quarterback Cody Endres, who transferred to Slippery Rock from Connecticut. In 2011 at SRU he has completed 67 of 112 passes for 771 yards and 3 td's with 6 interceptions.
 
            In 2010 at UConn he completed 45-of-75 passes for 471 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also started 6 games for the Huskies in 2009 and completed 98 of 154 passes for 1,354 yards and 6 td's. He had 2,832 career passing yards and 13 td's at UConn.
 
            The Rock running game is headed by Akeem Satterfield and Jimmy Zubik. Satterfield has 66 carries for 390 yards and 6 td's, while ranking 5^th in the PSAC with 97.5 yards per game. Zubik has 177 yards and 1 td on 28 tries.
 
            The receiving corps features Devin Goda (26 catches, 322 yards, 1 td) who ranks #3 in the PSAC in catches per game. Also grabbing passes are John Schademan (13 receptions, 106 yards), Ken Amos (7 catches, 67 yards) and Kevin Sanders (6 grabs, 80 yards).
              The Slippery Rock defense has been stopping opponent offenses all season and ranks #1 in the entire PSAC permitting only 194.5 yards of total offense per game. Opponents are getting only 169 rushing yards (#6 in PSAC) and 116.8 passing yards (#1 in PSAC) per game. The Rock is #1 in scoring defense allowing only 10 points per game.
 
            Up front Slippery Rock counts on noseguard Jack Charles (18 tackles, 2.5 tfl's), tackle Derek Walker (7 hits) and ends Jeff Thompson (20 tackles, 6.5 tfl's) and Josh Smith (14 jolts, 3.5 tfl's).
 
            The linebackers  include top tackler Zach Sheridan (35 hits, 4 tfl's), Jake Wickline (29 stops, 4.5 tfl's) and Quindell Dean (16 tackles).
 
            The secondary includes corners Andre Freeman (11 stops) and Brandon Burley (7 tackles, 2 int's), free safety Brandon Watters (14 jolts, 3 int's) and strong safety Jayson Nickson (12 tackles, 2 int's).
 
            CLARION NOTES:   CLARION - SR SERIES: 2010 – SR Won 16-13 … SR PK booted a 32-yard field goal with 1:41 to play to win the game… down 10-3 in the third – Clarion tied the game on a Ben Fiscus 1-yard run late in the third … SR went ahead on a Brackman field goal, and clarion tied the game with a 33-yard field goal from Robert Mamula with 5:31 left – setting up Brackman's game-winner… Clarion's Fiscus came on in the third quarter and rushed for 147 yards and 1 td … SR's Akeem Satterfield rushed for 102 yards on 24 carries … Ryan Sabo completed 12 of 22 passes for 137 yards …  2009: Clarion won 27-10 – Last year Clarion's Alfonso Hoggard rushed for 205 yards and 2 td's to help lead Clarion to victory … He had a school record 84-yard td run in the third quarter to ice the game… Clarion had 347 yards of offense to SR's 230… the Rock was held to 33 rushing yards on 24 attempts… 2008 SR won 49-14 ... SR led 14-0 at halftime, but 21 third quarter points helped the Rock to the win ... Huether was 26 of 45 for 224 yards and 2 td's - plus 3 int's ... Huether ran for 93 yards ... Jacques Robinson had 8 catches for 78 yards and 2 td's ... SR rushed for 451 yards ... 179 & 2 td's from Scott-Mitchell, 129 and 2 td's from Ryan Lehmeier and 129 and 2 td's from Corey Manful ... 2007 - SR defeated Clarion 41-18  at SRU - but not before Clarion jumped out to a 9-0 lead on a Nick Sipes 30-yard field goal and an Eddie Emmanuel 1-yard run ... QB Tyler Huether hit on 23 of 34 passes for 303 yards ... SR's Ryan Lehmeier rushed 23 times for 210 yards and 4 td's to lead the Rock ... 2006 - Clarion lost 31-7, but trailed only 10-7 at halftime ... SR scored 21-unanswered points in the second half ... Clarion's Eddie Emmanuel scored the first td on a 2-yard run to take a 7-0 lead .... Emmanuel ran for 170 yards and 1 td on 25 carries ... SR's Nate Crookshank passed for 155 yards and 2 td's to lead the Rock ... In 2005 Clarion lost 28-10 to SR at Memorial Stadium… Clarion led 10-7 in the second when James Charles recovered a fumbled punt in the endzone and Kyle Snoke booted a 37-yard field goal… SR All-American Josh Kniess ran 49-yards for a td before halftime to give the Rock a 14-10 lead they never relinquished… Kniess rushed for 273 yards and 3 td's … Nate Crookshank completed 12 of 22 for 132 yards… In 2003 SR defeated Clarion 31-14 … Clarion held a 14-10 second quarter lead but couldn't hold it ...Kniess rushed for 3 td's (one in 2^nd qtr., 2 in the third) to put the game away... Clarion rushed for 186 ... Glenn Lovelace gained 75 yards with 1 td ...SRU rushed for 201 - Josh Kniess with 111 yards on 31 carries and 3 td's... Clarion rallied from a 17-7 second quarter deficit in 2003 to defeat SR 19-17 at the Rock ... Mark Hofmeister's 49-yard field goal prior to halftime cut SR's lead to 17-10 ... Bo Busch returned a blocked punt 7 yards for a td, then Hofmeister booted an 18-yard field goal with 10:47 left to win the game ... Clarion posted 251 yards of offense including 141 rushing and 110 passing ... Brandon Dando completed 14 of 25 passes for 110 yards and 1 td, plus ran for 41 yards ... Pierre Odom had 7 catches for 53 yards ... the Eagles blocked 2 punts and 1 field goal attempt on the day ... SR's Kniess had 92 yards and td on 20 carries ... In 2002 Clarion lost a 21-14 game to Slippery Rock at Clarion's Memorial Stadium... The Rock jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, then hung on to win... Clarion held SR to -18 rushing yards for the entire game on 34 carries ... In the second half Clarion outgained SR 137 to -3 yards, but Clarion just couldn't overcome the first period deficit... Robert Walker ran for 58 yards and 1 td on 17 carries and Brandon Sweeney gained 53 on 8 tries... Adam Almashy completed 8 of 16 passes for 66yards... Clarion NG Troy Bowers had 12 tackles, 5 tfl's and 2 sacks ... In 2001 at Clarion the Eagles lost 33-24 and outgained SR 455-267, had a 20-10 advantage in first downs and a time of possession advantage of 33:06 - 26:54... Clarion rushed for 318 yards including a single game Clarion record of 257 yards by Demetric Gardner ... Almashy hit on 8 of 19 passes for 137 yards and 1 td ... Slippery Rock got a big performance from Dorrian Glenn who gained 200 yards and 3 td's on 28 carries ... His 44 yard td to open the game and 25 yard td run on fourth down to close the game were huge plays ... Clarion won at Slippery Rock in 1996 when the Eagles notched a 54-28 victory ... In that game the Eagles rushed for 407 yards ... Ron DeJidas ran for 231 yards and 2 td, plus caught a td pass ... Steve Witte also dashed for 143 yards and 2 td's, grabbed 4 passes for 70 yards, and returned a kickoff 43-yards late in the game for a td ... Clarion had 577 yards in that game and SR had 453 for a combined total of 1,030 yards of total offense… In 1992's 49-37 Clarion win at SR, the two teams combined for 1,036 yards, 86 points and 910 passing yards between the two teams … Clarion qb Tim Myers tossed a school record 6 td passes, including 3 to Marlon Worthy who caught 4 passes for 172 yards and 3 td's, plus returned a punt 67-yards for a td… SR qb John Linhart passed for 502 yards and 4 td's in a losing effort … Greg Hopkins caught 16 passes for 202 yards and 1 td on the day.