Box Score Carson Rushes For 3 TD's
CLARION FB LOSES 48-28 AT ESU
(East Stroudsburg, Pa.): Clarion freshman qb
Darelle Carson (Pgh. Perry) rushed for 3 touchdowns, but East Stroudsburg posted 692 yards of total offense and 48 points to defeat the Golden Eagles 48-28 on Saturday night in an NCAA Division II football game.
The PSAC inter-divisional game, held at Eiler-Martin Stadium, saw Clarion drop to 3-2 overall while the Warriors raised their record to 4-1.
With East Stroudsburg already ahead 7-0 on a Robert Healy 14-yard td run on ESU's opening drive, Clarion came back to tie the game 7-7 in the first quarter.
Clarion All-America defensive end
Julian Howsare (Jr. Altoona) blocked an ESU punt which gave the Golden Eagles possession at the ESU 36. Clarion needed six plays to score, capping the drive on a
Darelle Carson 3 yard run.
Phil Esposito's (Fr. Brockway) kick tied the game at 7-7 with 4:12 left in the first quarter.
East Stroudsburg came back and scored 28 consecutive points to lead 35-7 at halftime.
ESU qb Matt Soltes, who completed 29 of 34 passes for 444 yards and 4 td's on the day, started the scoring for the Warriors with a 37 yard td pass to Robert Bleiler. Healy then rushed for a 12-yard td, Gerald Van DeCruz scored on a 1-yard run and Soltes capped the first half scoring with a 7-yard td pass t Bleiler.
Soltes opened the second half with a 12-yard td pass to Steven Jones giving ESU a 41-7 lead with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
Clarion drove 75 yards in 9 plays to get back on the scoreboard. Early in the drive Carson completed a 25 yard pass to
Mark Nicholas (So. Export/Franklin Regional) to give Clarion the ball on the ESU 43. Two plays later Carson rushed for 24 yards to the ESU 14. After a
Bobby Thomas (Jr. Reading/Exeter Twp.) 11-yard run to the Warrior 2, Carson finished the drive with his second td run of the game. Esposito's PAT made it 41-14 at 2:45 of the third.
ESU's Soltes tossed his fourth td pass at 13:06 of the fourth quarter on a 3 yard pass to Thomas Tippett giving ESU a 48-14 lead.
Clarion scored twice more in the fourth quarter as the Eagle offense continued to march down field. The first scoring drive went 37 yards in four plays, following an interception by
Michael Collier (So. Beaver Falls) at the ESU 37. Carson hit
Mark Nicholas for 13 yards to the ESU 24. Tailback
Johnnie Martin (Fr. Mt. Joy/Donegal) rushed 18 yards to the ESU 6. Carson scored from 6 yards out on the next play, dashing into the endzone for his third td of the day at 6:21 of the fourth quarter. Esposito's PAT closed the gap to 48-21.
The Golden Eagles drove 81 yards in 4 plays to score their final touchdown. Carson rushed for 10 yards, then hit
Eric Frye (Fr. Pgh. Perry) on a57-yard pass play to the ESU 14. Martin rushed for a yard, and after a pass interference call against ESU,
Chris Liberto (So. Springdale) bulled over from 2 yards out for the final Clarion td. Esposito's kick at 2:57 made the final score ESU 48 – Clarion 28.
Clarion posted 377 yards of total offense including 189 rushing yards and 188 passing yards.
Carson completed 10 of 23 passes for 187 yards, plus rushed 15 times for 84 yards and 3 td's. Thomas had 10 rushed for 54 yards and Martin 5 carries for 21 yards.
Mark Nicholas had 3 catches for 54 yards and
Matt Lehman 3 grabs for 47 yards.
Clarion's defense was led by
Cory McNamara (So. Ontario, N.Y.) who had 12 tackles and
Matt Long (Sr. Pgh. North Catholic) and
Peter Rivera (Jr. Allentown) with 8 each.
Julian Howsare had 3 stops and a blocked punt.
ESU had 692 yards of total offense including 463 passing and 229 rushing. ESU QB Matt Soltes completed 29 of 34 aerials for 444 yards and 4 td's, plus rushed 10 times for 37 yards. Jon SChnaars caught 9 passes for 124 yards and Robert Bleiler grabbed 8 passes for 130 yards and 1 td. Running back Robert Healy had 14 carries for 132 yards and 2 td's.
Clarion will travel to California next Saturday for a 3:30pm kickoff at Adamson Stadium.
