Game Notes

Game 2 // Clarion Golden Eagles (1-0) at Bloomsburg Huskies (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 10 // 3 p.m. • Bloomsburg, Pa. // Redman Stadium (4,775)

Radio: WCCR 92.7 FM (Clarion), WKQW 96.3 FM (Oil City)
TV: SportsFever (find your channel)
Stream: ESPN3

Live Stats

Two-Minute Drill

• The Clarion Golden Eagles will look for their first win against Bloomsburg in 20 years when they travel to take on the Huskies on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 3 p.m.
• Bloomsburg owns a record of 6-4-1 over Clarion over the course of history, having won each of the last four meetings with the team
• The Golden Eagles' last win over Bloomsburg came in the 1996 NCAA Playoffs
• Clarion opened the season with a 41-24 win, marking the fourth time in the last five years the Golden Eagles have won the season opener and fourth straight against a Division II opponent
• Connor Simmons was named the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 396 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against Lock Haven
• Simmons needs just 98 passing yards to pass Tyler Huether for second on the career list at Clarion, and needs 15 more touchdown passes for the program record
• Tyrone Cromwell made a strong debut in the Blue and Gold, recording seven tackles and three pass break-ups against Lock Haven
• The prolific Golden Eagle offense totaled nearly 500 yards of offense against Lock Haven and held the dangerous Bald Eagle offense to just 10 points until the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand
• Four All-PSAC West selections from a year ago return to the Golden Eagles this year, including First Teamer Matt Lehman (wide receiver) and Second Teamers Phil Esposito (kicker), Matt Koerper (defensive end) and Delrece Williams (running back)
• 2015 Don Hansen All-Super Region selection Connor Simmons (quarterback) set the program's single-season passing yards and passing touchdowns records in 2015, and finished fourth in the nation in passing with 3,582 yards
• Lehman was named a Don Hansen Third Team All-American in 2015 after breaking the program's single-season receiving touchdowns record with 15 scoring grabs
• Koerper was named a CoSIDA Third Team Academic All-American in 2015
• The Golden Eagles return nine players that started more than half the season in 2015, including six on offense and three on defense
• Three games this season - 9/10 at Bloomsburg, 10/1 vs. Edinboro and 10/15 vs. California (Pa.) - will be covered by Sports Fever, which will air live broadcasts of the games on affiliate networks.  The games will also be available on ESPN3 via the Watch ESPN app.

The Lead
The Clarion Golden Eagles will try to win against Bloomsburg for the first time in 20 years when they take on the Huskies at Redman Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10.  Kickoff time is scheduled for 3 p.m.  

The game will be aired live on SPORTSfever and as such will also be available on the Watch ESPN app.

Mike Kalinowski and Joe Lodanosky will have the radio call for the game on 92.9 WCCR-FM, with live audio streaming available on ClarionGoldenEagles.com.

Series History
This will be the 12th meeting between the two teams, with Bloomsburg holding a 6-4-1 advantage in the all-time series with Clarion.  The Huskies have won each of the last four meetings; the Golden Eagles have not won in the series since the 1996 season, when Clarion won 42-29 in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs.

The last meeting between the teams was five years ago, a 45-10 Clarion loss at Memorial Stadium.  The last meeting in Bloomsburg was a year before and resulted in a 41-13 Bloomsburg victory.

Scouting the Huskies
Bloomsburg went 7-4 in 2015 and also opened their 2016 season with a victory, beating Stonehill 24-20 on the road on Friday night.  The Huskies held a 24-10 lead at halftime but were shut out in the second as they held on for the win over the Skyhawks.  Running back Lawrence Elliot Jr. ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns to pace Bloomsburg offensively, while the defense forced two turnovers on the night.

Last Week
The Golden Eagles posted nearly 500 total yards of offense – including just shy of 400 through the air- in a dominant victory on Thursday, defeating the Lock Haven Bald Eagles 41-24 in front of a crowded Memorial Stadium in the season opener. 

Quarterback Connor Simmons tore through the Lock Haven defense, completing 25-of-41 passes for 396 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.  Eight different receivers hauled in passes on the night, with Kevin Genevro (two scores), Matt Lehman (one) and Seneca Williams (one) reaching the end zone.
 
Delrece Williams led a balanced rushing attack for Clarion, as the Golden Eagles finished with 101 total yards on the ground – 79 of which were courtesy of Williams.  He also dove across the pylon for his first rushing touchdown of the year in the first half.

The Gunslinger
Quarterback Connor Simmons was named the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week after going off in the Golden Eagles' season opener, throwing for 396 yards on 25-of-41 passing with four touchdowns and no picks as Clarion defeated Lock Haven 41-24.  The Golden Eagles racked up 497 total yards of offense and led by as much as 31-3 at one point in the game.  

With his four scores, Simmons reached 51 career touchdown passes, making him just the second player in program history to surpass that mark, and is now less than 100 yards away from surpassing Tyler Huether for second on the career passing yards list.  The 396 yards passing left him just shy of becoming the only passer in Clarion history to throw for 400 or more yards in a game three times.

> Last year Simmons produced one of the best seasons under center in program history.  He broke the passing records of current head coach Chris Weibel with 3,582 passing yards and 34 touchdowns last year, ranking fifth in NCAA Division II in both categories. 

A Night of Firsts
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Seneca Williams made his collegiate debut against Lock Haven and was part of the Golden Eagles' explosive offensive effort, catching four passes for 121 yards and his first career touchdown.  Williams raced past defenders for a 71-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, on just the second play of the drive.

More from the Freshmen
Two freshmen defensive backs made their first career appearances and starts against the Bald Eagles, and both played key parts in the victory.  Cornerback Tyrone Cromwell recorded seven tackles and three pass break-ups, while safety Sam Fareri forced and recovered a key fumble in the second half.

Wasting No Time
Senior wide receiver Kevin Genevro did the heavy lifting on a one-play scoring drive early in the second quarter.  With the game tied 3-3 and Clarion taking over with a short field, Genevro got behind the defense and scored on a 43-yard go route to complete the one-play, 0:07-long drive.

Genevro scored again in the third quarter and finished the game with four receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

Movin' On Up
Matt Lehman notched a team-high seven receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown against Lock Haven, and the senior receiver continues to climb the career charts at Clarion.  Lehman passed Alfonso Hoggard for career receptions and now ranks fourth in program history in that category; his 21 touchdown receptions ranks tied for third and his 1,759 yards ranks eighth.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Clarion University will continue its fruitful partnership with the Pennsylvania Sports Fever Television Network in 2016, with three contests – 9/10 at Bloomsburg, 10/1 vs. Edinboro and 10/15 vs. California (Pa.) – airing live on affiliates across the state of Pennsylvania and made available to millions in the Keystone State.  The selected games will also be streamed on ESPN3 via the Watch ESPN app. 

Airborne Rangers
2015 Don Hansen Third Team All-American wide receiver Matt Lehman and fellow returning starter Kevin Genevro return to wreak havoc on opposing defenses in 2016, with the duo accounting for a total of 26 touchdowns last year.  Lehman set a new program record with 15 receiving touchdowns last year, breaking Alvin Slaughter's record of 13 set in 1998, while hauling in a total of 67 passes (fifth all-time) for 979 yards (third).  Genevro provided a strong counter-punch for Lehman, catching 42 passes for 886 yards (21.1 yards per catch) and 11 scores.

Those two won't be the only ones looking to make noise this year.  Kyle Evans provided a slot option for the offense last year and will try to take more strides forward in 2016, while tight end Gage Clark averaged nearly 20 yards per catch last year with one touchdown.

> Evans provided 95 all-purpose yards against Lock Haven, including 75 yards receiving and 20 yards rushing.

Up Next
Clarion continues a three-game road swing with another PSAC East opponent, when they take on Shippensburg on Saturday, Sept. 17.