SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Clarion football team built an early lead but was unable to hold on against a veteran offensive unit, as the Golden Eagles fell by a 41-17 score on the road at Shippensburg on Saturday.  Clarion (1-2) will play its first PSAC West contest of the year next week when they take on Mercyhurst on the road.
 
The Golden Eagles opened the game with a touchdown and led by a score of 17-14 late in the second quarter, but the Red Raiders took control of the action from there to claim the victory.  They took advantage of three Clarion turnovers, turning them into 14 points, and the Golden Eagles were unable to score in the second half.
 
Connor Simmons became just the second player in Clarion history to throw for 6,000 yards in a career, going 21-of-38 for 315 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.  He now has 6,309 career passing yards and 55 career passing touchdowns, both second in program history.  Kevin Genevro added eight catches for 141 yards while Matt Lehman caught three passes for 77 yards and his third receiving touchdown of the year.
 
On defense, Tyrone Archie added five total tackles and a sack.  Samuel Payne had a game-high 12 stops while Layne Skundrich added nine.
 
The Golden Eagles scored on the very first drive of the game, methodically working down the field for the points.  Simmons hit Kyle Evans for a 31-yard completion on 3rd-and-15 from Clarion's 37-yard-line to put them in striking distance, and Seneca Williams hauled in a pass on 3rd-and-3 to put the Golden Eagles in the red zone.  Simmons found Evans again from 16 yards out to put Clarion on the board, with Phil Esposito tacking on the extra point to make it 7-0.
 
Clarion dodged a bullet when Shippensburg's Billy Deane missed a 36-yard field goal at the 2:01 mark of the quarter, but the Golden Eagles wouldn't get so lucky on the next drive.  Allen Holman picked off Simmons and returned it 32 yards to tie the game up at 7-7, but Clarion responded with a 42-yard field goal by Esposito early in the second quarter to re-take the lead.
 
Shippensburg made it 14-10 with a touchdown run at the 5:29 mark of the quarter, but the Clarion quick-strike offense attacked again.  Simmons connected with Genevro on a 50-yard pass play on 3rd-and-12 from his own 28, and an additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Joe Dolan put the Golden Eagles on Shippensburg 11-yard-line.  The Golden Eagles wasted no time, with Simmons hitting Lehman in the endzone to make it 17-14.
 
The Red Raiders scored 17 points in the final 3:23 of the half, though, including 10 points in the final six seconds.  Kyle Haines caught a 44-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-17 and Deane booted a 42-yard field goal to make it 24-17.  Paul Blendinger fumbled the ensuing kickoff, with Colin Williams scooping the ball and scoring to set the halftime deficit at 31-17.
 
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Shippensburg tacked on a rushing touchdown by Cole Chiappiale and another field goal to set the final deficit.