CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion football team had flashes of excellent play but were hampered by self-inflicted wounds on Saturday afternoon, falling 59-21 to the 22^nd-ranked IUP Crimson Hawks at Memorial Stadium.  The Golden Eagles (3-4, 1-3 PSAC West) will face another stern test in seven days' time when they face off with nationally-ranked Slippery Rock on the road.
 
There were times Saturday when the Golden Eagles got their figurative punches in on the Crimson Hawks, but it was not enough to keep pace with the Crimson Hawks, who entered the game as one of the top all-around squads in the PSAC.  Clarion did record 308 yards of total offense and reached the end zone three times, but IUP forced seven turnovers turned them into 28 total points. 
 
Quarterback Jeff Clemens went 20-of-37 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, with receiver Terrell Ford his favorite target on the day.  Ford finished with eight catches for 86 yards, and also added 144 kick return yards for 230 all-purpose yards on the day.  Quinn Zinobile and Dana Jackson, Jr. both recorded touchdown receptions, with Zinobile scoring on a 59-yard catch and run and Jackson on a short lob into the end zone. 
 
Chris Gildea had a career-high 16 tackles and also recorded an interception late in the game, picking off IUP two yards deep in his own end zone and returning it 70-plus yards to the opposing 30-yard line.  Sam Fareri finished with 15 tackles and a pass break-up.  Vaughn Wallace had the lone sack on Crimson Hawk quarterbacks on Saturday, inducing an intentional grounding penalty in the process. 
 
IUP scored the first four touchdowns of the game to open up a 28-0 lead, but the Golden Eagles responded with a score to find some life.  They executed a five-play, 68-yard scoring drive that included a 17-yard completion to running back Scott Florence and a pair of pass interference penalties.  Ross Greece capped it off with a seven-yard run off left tackle to make it 28-7.  Clarion scored on their second possession of the second half on a huge play from Zinobile, who caught a rainbow from Clemens and eluded a number of tacklers downfield.  He ran to the boundary and took it down the sideline for a 59-yard touchdown reception that cut it to 31-14.
 
James Metzgar nearly put the ball back in the Golden Eagles' hands on the kickoff with a well-executed onside attempt that traveled just a foot short of the necessary marker, giving IUP the ball.  The Crimson Hawks scored on the ensuing possession to make it 38-14, but Clarion cut the deficit to 38-21 late in the quarter after a long scoring drive.  The Golden Eagles traveled 81 yards on eight plays, with Clemens finding Jackson in the back-left corner of the end zone.  The Crimson Hawks ran it out from there, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to set the final deficit.