CALIFORNIA, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle football team struggled to gain offensive traction on Saturday afternoon, as they fell by a 37-7 score to Calfornia (PA) at Adamson Stadium in a PSAC West game.
 
Defensively the Golden Eagles maintained a decent grasp on the game in the first half, preventing the Vulcans from running away with it early as they did in last year's meeting at Memorial Stadium. Clarion gave up the first 10 points of the game but responded with a touchdown of their own early in the second quarter, and the Golden Eagles lagged behind only by 10 points at the halftime break.
 
It took the Golden Eagles some time to get that offense moving, though, as they fumbled on their opening possession, leading directly to a Cal touchdown. One play after Anthony Guercio gashed the Vulcans for an 18-yard gain, Paul Newton took off for an explosive run of his own before Rashan Murray punched the ball loose near midfield. Davis Block orchestrated an eight-play drive that resulted in a six-yard touchdown pass, giving California a 7-0 lead.
 
The Vulcans tacked on a field goal in the quarter but Clarion pulled close in the second quarter after a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown score. Quarterback Zach Benedek converted a 3^rd-and-4 from inside his own territory with a 31-yard run, and the junior signal caller extended the drive in California territory with an eight-yard run later in the possession. It was fitting, then, that he got to cap off the drive, scoring on a five-yard run to slice the lead to 10-7.
 
That was all the closer the Golden Eagles would get to the Vulcans, though, as California added another touchdown before the halftime break to make it 17-7. Cal also received the opening kickoff of the second half and turned it into a scoring drive, upping their lead to 17 points less than five minutes into the third quarter. The Golden Eagle offense appeared to have something going on their first drive but Matt Tobey forced a fumble by Ty Corbin to short circuit the drive.
 
The Vulcan defense smothered the Golden Eagles from there, holding them without a first down for the remainder of the game.
 
Benedek finished with just 65 passing yards in relief, but he also led the team with 71 rushing yards and the touchdown. Andy Martin pulled in four passes for 30 yards. Safety Legend Davis had a team-high 13 tackles while Mathew McGregor tacked on six tackles and a sack.
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