VETS/FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION DAY
 
            After dropping a tough 31-17 season opener at Fairmont State last Thursday, the Golden Eagles return home to host #9 ranked Bloomsburg at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 10 at 1 p.m.
 
            In remembrance of the fallen of 9/11 (10^th Anniversary) Clarion University has joined with Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry, Clarion County and Borough, along with Don Montgomery and VFW Post 2145 to host a Veterans/First Responders Appreciation Day on Sept. 10 that will feature an 11 a.m. parade in downtown Clarion followed by Remembrance Ceremonies at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium.
 
            A Parade of First Responder Units, Veterans Organizations, Military Organizations and Individual Veterans will start at 11 a.m. in downtown Clarion, Pa. and travel from 7^th and Main to Clarion University's Memorial Stadium. Vets and First Responders can register to participate at the Clarion Chamber of Business and Industry web page at www.clarionpa.com.
 
            A Remembrance Ceremony of the fallen of 9-11, as well as an honoring of First Responders and Veterans will begin at 12:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. All First Responders, Veterans and their immediate families will be admitted free as guests of Clarion University.
 
            All the game action between Clarion and Bloomsburg 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 Bloomsburg with an 0-1 record in 2011. The Golden Eagles outgained Fairmont 426-316, but big plays for the Falcons proved too much for Clarion to overcome in the opener and lost 31-17.
 
Clarion marches into 2011 with 16 starters and 40 lettermen returning as the Golden Eagles have a roster that includes 14 seniors, 15 juniors and 21 sophomores.
 
            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). The Eagles hope to use that momentum to springboard into the 2011 season.
 
            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 16-40.
              Bloomsburg, ranked 9^th in the AFCA Division II pre-season poll, opened the 2011 campaign at home with a 27-20 win over Ashland. The Huskies jumped out to a 17- 0 lead early in the third quarter and then held on for a 27-20 victory.
 
            The Huskies are led by 19^th year head coach 19^th year head coach Danny Hale, who has a remarkable 154-52-1 overall record at Bloomsburg that features 11 outright PSAC Eastern Division titles and seven appearances in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Those playoff appearances came in 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010.
 
            Last season Bloomsburg posted a 10-3 overall record and a 7-0 mark in winning the PSAC-East. Among its impressive PSAC-East wins last year were a 45-21 win over West Chester and a division clinching 61-35 victory over Kutztown. The Huskies lost 56-37 to Mercyhurst in the PSAC title game, and in the NCAA Quarterfinals lost to Mercyhurst again 28-14.
 
            Hale also coached at West Chester for five years before Bloomsburg and had a record of 40-13 with the Rams.  In his 24^th season Hale's collegiate record is 195-65-1.
              Bloomsburg leads the all-time series between the two schools at 5-4-1 in games dating back to 1934. The two teams played in 1934 and played to a 0-0 tie. In 1935 the Huskies toppled Clarion 19-0, with Clarion winning 6-0 in 1946 and Bloomsburg capturing the 1947 contest 11-7. The two teams went 45 years before playing again – and Clarion defeated Bloomsburg 23-20 at Redman Stadium in 1992. In 1993 Clarion won by a 40-18 margin, then defeated the Huskies in the first round of the NCAA Div. II Playoffs in 1996 at Clarion's Memorial Stadium by a 42-29 margin. Bloomsburg defeated Clarion 24-10 at Redman Stadium in 2006, defeated Clarion 52-10 at Memorial Stadium in 2007 and last year the Huskies won at home 41-13.
   
            The Clarion offense returns 6 starters on a unit that averaged 21.2ppg and 313.2 yards per game in 2010 including 166.1 rushing yards and 147.1 passing yards per game. In the season opener Clarion gained 426 yards of offense (5^th in PSAC) including 225 on the ground (3^rd in PSAC) and 201 passing (6^th in PSAC).
 
            Sophomore signal caller Ben Fiscus (So. Indiana) completed 25 of 41 passes for 201 yards and 1 td in the opener. He also rushed for 90 yards and 1 td. 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.
   
            Ready to catch passes from Fiscus will be senior captain Matt Ward (Murrysville), junior Tarrean Barrett (Scranton), junior Robert Tantlinger (Franklin), sophomore Anthony Becoate (McKeesport) and Rob Irwin (So. Bellefonte).  
 
            In the opener Ward caught 4 passes for 24 yards. He grabbed 28 passes for 277 yards and 1 td last year and now has 71 career catches for 728 yards and 2 td's.
 
            Barrett caught 9 passes (69 yards) at Fairmont, more than he caught in all of 2010.  Last year he lacthed onto 8 passes for 74 yards. Tantlinger grabbed 3 aerials for 36 yards and 1 td at Fairmont, while Becoate had 3 grans for 31 yards. In 2010 Becoate had 15 receptions for 203 yards and 3 td's. Irwin sat out last year with an injury, but is a talented tight end as well. Jon Reid (So. Stafford, Va.) and Ren Yonker (So. Johnsonburg) are also expected to see time.
   
            Junior John Fuhrer (Jr. Pgh – Keystone Oaks) and sophomore Brandon Akins (Erie/Strong Vincent) will get most of the playing time at running back. Fuhrer rushed 12 times for 70 yards, while Akins had 12 carries for 63 yards. 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 among the challengers for time on the offensive line.
   
            Defense wins championships and the Golden Eagles return 9 starters on a defense that ranked seventh in total defense in 2010 (326.4 yards per game) and yielded only 316 yards in the opener at Fairmont. Clarion ranks 5^th in total defense (316), 14^th in rushing defense (261) and #1 in pass defense (55.0).
   
            Up front senior All-Region defensive end and captain Barrington Morrison (Sr. Pgh – Penn Hills) anchors a strong front wall. Morrison had 3 tfl's (1 sack) at Fairmont in the opener. 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. 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) and Sean Motley (Jr. West Mifflin).
 
            Hackel had 4 tackles in the opener, while Foy notched 2 hits and Slack with 1. Hackel had  54 hits and 8 tfl's in 2009, while Foy came on last year to post 17 hits and 6 tfl's. Slack had 4 tfl's, Bostick 6 tfl's, Stegena 15 stops and 2 tfl's and Motley 9 hits.
 
            Also expecting to help up front are Julian Howsare (Fr. Altoona), Zach Newquist (So. Indiana), Ross Nicholson (So. Kane) and Keenan Walls (So. Easton).
   
            The linebacking corps will feature the return of Reggie Robinson  (Sr. Pgh – Brashear), Mike Verdun (Sr. Greensburg), red-shirt freshman T.J. McElwaine (Pgh. North Hills) and transfer Nate Sipes (Jr. Curwensville). Robinson had 6 hits and 2 tfl's in the opener, while Verdun posted 2 stops and Sipes led the team with 7 jolts. McElwaine missed the opener but will return against Bloomsburg.
   
            Captain Shawn Sopic (Sr. Curwensville) (56 hits, 7 break-ups – 2009) returns after missing 2010 to lead a quality secondary. He had 2 tackles and a break-up at Fairmont and has 167 career tackles, 15 break-ups, 4 int's and 5 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 had 6 hits, 1 tfl and 1 break-up in the opener, Stimac, Wilson and Eckels all with 2 stops to start 2011. Red-shirt freshman Caleb Mancini (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk) had 2 hits at Fairmont and will see plenty of time.
 
            The punting chores will rest with Nathan Conway who averaged 34.3 yards per punt in the opener, while the placekicking chores belong to true freshman Tyler Ruark (Whiteford, Md.). He made one of two field goal attempts at Fairmont.
              The Bloomsburg offense is anchored by a strong running game and potent passing attack. In the opener against Ashland the Huskies rushed for 207 yards (6^th in PSAC) and passed for 98 yards (11^th in PSAC) for a total offense of 305 yards (8^th in PSAC). Last year the Huskies were second in the PSAC in scoring (32ppg), 1st in rushing (246.8) and 9^th in passing (167.4) and 3^rd in total offense (414.2).
 
            Bloomsburg returns seven starters on offense including quarterback Pat Carey and consensus All-America tailback Franklyn Quiteh. Carey completed 135 of 254 passes for 2,026 yards and 24 td's in 2010 with a QB Efficiency rating of 143.5. In the opener he connected on 7 of 18 aerials for 98 yards and 1 td.
 
            The running game is led by Quiteh, who led the nation in rushing last year with 2,015 yards and 22 td's on 309 carries (6.5 y/c). In the opener against Ashland he rushed 24 times for 144 yards and 1 td. Eddie Mateo also rushed 8 times for 40 yards.
            The Huskies top two returning receivers are Kyle Fisher and Tyler Guise. Fisher grabbed 4 passes for 53 yards and 1 td in the opener, while Guise had 2 catches for 5 yards.
 
            Another potent weapon for the Huskies is placekicker Dan Fisher. Last year he booted 20 of 24 field goals to lead the PSAC and booted two field goals in the opener on distances of 26 and 37 yards.
   
            The Bloomsburg defense gave up 345 yards (7^th in PSAC) and 20 points in the season opener against Ashland. The Huskies yielded 239 rushing yards (13^th in PSAC) and 106 passing yards (2^nd in PSAC).
 
            Up front the Huskies are led by end John Pettine (7 tackles, 1.5 sacks) along with Ryan Olaf (4 stops, .5 tfl's), Chris Kennedy (2 hits) and Shaun Moore.
 
            The linebacking corps is always strong and is led in 2011 by Jarrett Pidgeon and Ryan Feldman. Feldman led the team against Ashland with 10 stops and 1 tfl, while Pidgeon collected 9 tackles, 2 tfl's and 1 sack.
 
            The secondary features Oscar Rivera (6 hits, 1 int) and Vince Browning (4 stops) at the corners, with Dave Haverstock (5 hits, 2 break-ups) and Justin Rivera (7 jolts, 1 break-up) at the safeties.
 
 
            CLARION NOTES:   CLARION – BLOOMSBURG SERIES HIGHLIGHTS: 2010 – Bloomsburg won 41-13 but the game was so much closer than that … Clarion led 7-0 when Eric Coxon scored on a 1-yard run on the Eagles first possession … Pat Carey hit Corey Stiger on a 66-yard pass play to tie the game 7-7… After Bloom took a 14-7 lead, Clarion drove to the Husky 1 before halftime but not only failed to get the ball in the endzone, but had their field goal attempt blocked on the last play of the half … Robert Mamula booted a 27-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-10 at 8:59 of the third – and then one of the strangest plays of the season occurred… Bloom had 3^rd and 13 at the Eagle 30 and called timeout … Bloom's offense took the field – and with Clarion's defense still on the sideline – the ball was put in play and the Huskies hit a 22-yard pass play to the Eagle 8 where Carey hit Tressler for an 8-yard td and a 21-10 lead… Bloom went on to win 41-13… Quiteh rushed 15 times for 218 yards and 2 td's and Carey was 8 of 15 for 153 yards and 2 td's … Eric Coxon completed 21 of 37 passes for 246 yards … Alfonso Hoggard had 64 rushing yards on 26 carries. … : In 2007 Bloomsburg won 52-10 at Clarion … Bloomsburg rushed for 379 yards and 7 rushing td's … Jamar Brittingham had 132 and 3 td's on 26 carries… Bloom also passed for 172 for a total offense of 551.. Clarion had 363 yards – including Eddie Emmanuel's 104 rushing yards … Tylr Huether passed for 200 … Pierre Odom caught 7 passes for 115 yards and 1 td … Freshman Alfonso Hoggard had 1 catch for 24 yards … The 2006 game saw Clarion ahead 10-7 at halftime, but third quarter mistakes proved costly and Bloom won 24-10... Emmanuel ran for 71 yards ... Mark Rupert was the qb and he hit 11 of 20 for 136 yards and 1 td ... Brittingham rushed for 160 and 2 td's for Bloom... Latorre hit 9 of 13 passes for 168 yards and 1 td ... Bilal caught 1 pass for 78 yards... Maybe the most important game in the series was played on Nov. 23, 1996 at Memorial Stadium… At stake, the first round of the NCAA D-II Playoffs… Clarion won the game 42-29, but it was a back and forth game for awhile… Clarion led 12-0 on a 30 yard td run by Steve Witte and a Joe Bzorek 34-yard interception return… Bloom followed with 2, second quarter td's to take a 14-12 lead, but Clarion answered those with two more td's before halftime… Jamie Sickeri's 2 yard td pass from Chris Weibel (current Eagle QB Coach) and Steve Witte's 16-yard pass from Weibel, and two 2-point conversions had Clarion ahead 28-14 at halftime… Bloom's Ron Llelko scored his second td of the game early in the third to make it 28-21, but Ron DeJidas scoed on an 8 yard run and Steve Witte scored early in the fourth on a 5-yard run to put the game away… Clarion outgained Bloom 478-301 … Weibel completed 16 of 26 for 228 yards and 2 td's… Witte rushed for 137 yards and 2 td's, plus caught 4 for 81 and 1 td… DeJidas rushed for 80… Bloom qb Glenn McNamee was 23 of 41 for 242 yards and 3 td's…. Lelko caught 12 passes for 141 yards and 3 td's … In 1993 at Memorial Stadium Clarion won 40-18… Bloomsburg led 12-0 in the first quarter, Clarion scored 2 second quarter td's to take a 13-12 halftime lead. Marlon Worthy's 8 yard catch and Damien Henry's 1 yard run provided the scoring … In the third quarter Kevin Harper caught a 26-yard td pass from Craig Ray, Damien Henry rushed for 2 more td's, and Art Gregory scored on a 10-yard run giving Clarion a 40-12 lead before Bloom tacked on a td with 23-seconds remaining… Henry rushed 24-times for 125 yards and 3 td's, Gregory ran for 89 yards and 1 td … Ray completed 10 of 12 aerials for 120 yards and 2 td's … 1992 Clarion 23 Bloomsburg 20 at Redman Stadium … Clarion led 23-0 at halftime, then held on to defeat Bloom 23-20 … Gregory's 10 yard run, Frank Andrews returned a fumble 68-yards for a score, Tim Brown caught a 13-yard td pass and Paul Cramer made a 24-yard field goal before intermission for a 23-0 lead… Gregory rushed for 94 yards and 1 td, Jay Tonini 81 yards … Tim Myers completed 19 of 33 passes for 241 yards and 1 td … Tim Brown 5 catches, 52 yards, 1 td… Bloom's Jeff King was 11 of 25 for 222 yards and 1 td… Buck Eardley caught 3 passes for 117 yards and 1 td.