Box Score (Clarion, Pa.): Clarion qb
Ben Fiscus (Jr. Indiana) set school records for completions 36, attempts (64) and passed for 410 yards but it wasn't enough as the Golden Eagles lost a 41-22 decision to #16 California in football on Saturday afternoon.
Held at Memorial Stadium on Homecoming Day and part of the annual Autumn Leaf Festival, Clarion dropped to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC-West, while Cal raised its overall record to 5-1 and 3-0 in the PSAC-West.
Fiscus hit on 36 of 64 passes for 410 yards and 2 td's, plus ran for 39 yards and 1 td against Cal. His 36 completions broke the record of 34 held by Craig Ray against West Chester in 1994. His 64 attempts broke the record held by Mike Carter set at 56 against Ferris State in 1989. His 410 passing yards were the fourth highest in school history behind Ray's 473 in 1994, Carter's 472 against Ferris State in 1989 and
Chris Weibel's 411 against Millersville in 1995.
“Ben continues to improve and had a great game today,” said Clarion head coach
Jay Foster. “He is seeing the field in the passing game, and making good decisions in the run game. We just didn't have an answer for Cal's offense in the first half. We have to put this one behind us and get ready for Slippery Rock.”
Cal jumped out to a 28-0 first half lead. Lamont Smith scored on a 5-yard run at 11:46 of the first, Mike Williams caught a 37-yard td pass from Peter Lalich at 5:51 of the first, Blake Williamson grabbed a 24-yard td pass from Lalich at 12:09 of the second and Trey Johnson caught a 67-yard td pass from Lalich at 9:40 of the second to make the score 28-0 before halftime.
Clarion got on the board with a 7-play, 75-yard drive and scored on a two-yard run by Fiscus.
Nathan Conway's PAT at 6:16 brought Clarion to within 28-7. Fiscus was three for three passing in the drive for 43 yards plus ran for ten yards.
Cal came back before the half to score on a Jeff Knox 2-yard run at 1:36 to put Cal ahead 35-7 at halftime.
Clarion had a short field on its next score, after
Andrew Paronish returned a punt 11 yards to the Cal 35. Fiscus was four for six in the drive, and capped it with a 12-yard td pass from Fiscus to
Nick Perry. Fiscus rolled right on second down, couldn't find an open receiver, then reversed his field to the left and fied a strike in the left corner of the endzone to Perry for the score. Conway's PAT at 1:13 of the third put Clarion behind 35-14.
Cal scored early in the fourth on a 12-yard run from Lamont Smith at 7:40. The PAT failed and Cal led 41-14.
Clarion drove to the Cal 2, but turned the ball over on downs. Paronish then intercepted a Cody Schroeder pass at the Cal 28 – giving Clarion another opportunity to score.
Fiscus hit
Anthony Becoate for 11 yards to the Cal 17. Then hit
Chris Liberto for 8 yards and
Garrett Sigler for 6 to the Cal 3. After Liberto carried to the 1, Fiscus dropped back and hit Becoate in the endzone for Clarion's third td with 1:33 left in the fourth. Fiscus hit
Aaron Barlow on the two point conversion and the final score was Cal 41 Clarion 22.
Clarion had 505 yards of total offense – its third 500+ offensive performance this season. The Eagle rushed for 108 and passed for 410.
Travis Day carried 11 times for 46 yards.
Jon Reid caught 10 passes for 154 yards, while Barlow had 8 grabs for 104 yards and Becoate 6 for 50 and 1 score.
Cal posted 454 yards of offense wit 109 coming on the ground and 368 in the air. QB Peter Lalich completed 21 of 29 passes for 368 yards and 3 td's. Mike Williams had 8 catches for 149 yards and 1 while Trey Johnson had 7 catches for 147 yards and 1 td.
Freshman linebacker
Rocco Yauger led the team with 12 tackles, while
Matt Long had 9.
Julian Howsare had 4 hits, 1 sack and 1 break-up.
Clarion returns to Memorial Stadium next Saturday to host Slippery Rock at 1pm in the third annual “Milk Jug” game.
