LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle football team held on for victory on the road on Thursday night, as Clarion defeated Lincoln (Pa.) 30-20 at LU Athletics Stadium. Clarion (1-0) built an early three-score lead and was able to make it stand for the remainder of the contest despite a late charge by the Lions.
 
Clarion struck first, scoring in the first quarter with a key third down throw from Will Alexander to Tony Powell. Facing a 3^rd-and-9 on the Lincoln 19-yard line, Powell ran from the left wingback spot down the seam and Alexander hit him with a strike for the first score of the game. Andrew Kurtas booted through the extra point to give the Golden Eagles a 7-0 lead.
 
Lincoln drove the ball down the field on the ensuing possession, but Jake Tarburton picked up a key sack on third down in Clarion territory to force a critical fourth down play. The Lions failed to convert, which indirectly led to the next Golden Eagle score. Clarion punted on their resultant drive but it was a beauty of a kick, with Trenten Smith downing the ball inside the Lions' one-yard line. Quarterback Isaiah Freeman and running back Jayon Carter fumbled the exchange on first down, with Brady McKee falling on it in the end zone for a defensive score to make it 14-0.
 
Wrapping Clarion's three-touchdown run in the first half was Andy Martin, who made a diving haul in the back of the endzone to extend the Golden Eagles' lead. Clarion faced a 2^nd-and-13 from the Lincoln 20-yard line, Alexander faked a handoff to Khalil Owens and lofted a ball toward the back righthand corner of the endzone, finding a diving Martin for the score.
 
Lincoln managed a touchdown before the end of the half, with Freeman rolling out to his right to hit Dah'Mear Triplett for a score just before the teams went to the locker room. The failed extra point attempt kept Clarion's lead at 21-6, and the Golden Eagles tacked on in their first drive of the second half. Alexander took a shotgun snap and handed off to Owens, who avoided one tackler heading around the left tackle for the score. A bad snap thwarted the point-after try, giving Clarion a 27-6 advantage.
 
Kurtas nailed a field goal from 27 yards out later in the quarter, but Lincoln scored twice more – including a successful two-point conversion – to pull within 30-20. The Golden Eagle defense stood tall at the end, though, backing the Lions up and ultimately forcing a turnover on downs with less than a minute remaining.
 
Clarion will open the home portion of their schedule next weekend with a home date against Bloomsburg. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 9.
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