CLARION, Pa. – Big plays kept the Golden Eagle football team close in the first half, but Clarion ultimately fell in a war of attrition with Gannon, dropping a 47-24 result at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights outscored Clarion in the second half en route to the victory.
 
Corahn Alleyne had one of his best days in a Golden Eagle uniform to date, devastating the Golden Knights with big plays on offense as well as special teams. Alleyne finished with 291 all-purpose yards including career-highs of 118 receiving yards and 93 rushing yards, scoring a touchdown of each. He also recorded 80 kick return yards, including a pair of more than 25 yards.
 
Much of Alleyne's production came on such explosive plays, including Clarion's first score of the day. Trailing 7-0 after a Gannon touchdown on the latter's second drive of the day, the Golden Eagles set up shop on their own 26-yard line to star their own second drive. Quarterback Zach Benedek hit Alleyne on a shallow out route at the 29-yard line, but Alleyne was able to quickly turn down field and sprint his way down the right sideline for a 74-yard catch-and-run that tied up the game.
 

Corahn Alleyne turns on the 🚀 for a @ClarionFootball touchdown! @PSACsports pic.twitter.com/GsuCPQLEve
— Clarion Golden Eagles (@ClarionEagles) September 24, 2022

 
Gannon built a 17-7 lead toward the end of the first quarter, but Alleyne was there for another long scoring play to pull his team within three points. Rushes by Alleyne and Khalil Owens made it 3^rd-and-2 from the Clarion 35-yard line, with the Golden Eagles having time to run one more play in the quarter. Alleyne motioned across the formation to take a sweep handoff, but reversed field back to the left and broke several tackles to get back to the left sideline. Key blocks from Benedek and Ty Corbin helped spring him for the 65-yard touchdown run as time expired in the period.
 

Corahn Alleyne turns on the 🚀 for a @ClarionFootball touchdown! 

(No, we didn't accidentally post that twice. He just did it again.) @PSACsports pic.twitter.com/e9HOtTVOYx
— Clarion Golden Eagles (@ClarionEagles) September 24, 2022

 
Benedek added a touchdown run of his own late in the second quarter, running the two-minute drill to get Clarion within 27-21 at the halftime break. One big play on that drive came on 3^rd-and-7 from the Clarion 30, with Benedek pulling it down and rushing past the sticks for the first down. He later hit Alleyne 20 yards down the field to break into Gannon territory, and then connected on a throw to Andy Martin for 11 yards. A roughing the passer call against Gannon advanced the ball to the red zone, and Benedek bullied his way into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown run.
 

Benedek takes it to the house! He rushes 14 yards for the score to pull @ClarionFootball within 27-21 near the end of the half! @PSACsports pic.twitter.com/Fr1iOubdz1
— Clarion Golden Eagles (@ClarionEagles) September 24, 2022

 
Gannon controlled the clock and pace of play in the second half, scoring first on a 10-yard touchdown run by Melvin Blanks and later holding Clarion to a Jarrett Esposito field goal after the Golden Eagles got as close as the four-yard line. The Golden Knights tacked on another touchdown run by Blanks before the end of the quarter, and Sam East caught a touchdown early in the fourth to set the final deficit.
 
Clarion rushed the ball well in generally, carrying 27 times for 150 yards as a team, while Benedek finished 11-of-21 passing for 188 yards and a touchdown. Griffin Buzzell was a force defensively with 10 total tackles and a quarterback hurry, while Alex Huzicka blocked an extra-point attempt in the fourth quarter. Robert Lachmann had 1.5 tackles for loss.