CLARION, Pa. --- Despite a dominant running game and a huge edge in time of possession, the Golden Eagles football team was not able to contain the high-flying California (PA) offense in the second half as the Vulcans came back for a 31-27 decision at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Clarion led by margins of 14-0 and 27-17 but the Vulcans scored touchdowns on their final two real drives, including the go-ahead score with less than a minute to go.
 
For long stretches of the game, the Golden Eagle ground game bullied the Vulcans on offense. Clarion toted the ball 49 times for 207 yards and a 4.2 yards per carry average, ripping off a number of explosive runs and ultimately scoring three touchdowns. The load was distributed across a bevy of rushers, with Khalon Simmons leading the way with 84 yards and a score on 13 carries. Anthony Guercio and A'mere Hibbler also added rushing touchdowns.
 
The Clarion offense also enjoyed some big plays in the passing game. Trevon Tate went over 100 yards receiving for the fourth time in the first six games of the year, catching five passes for 127 yards including a long of 52 yards that set up a Clarion touchdown in the first quarter. Ray Jackson caught just two passes but one of those was a 46-yard reception as well.
 
However, the Vulcans offense – a unit that led the PSAC in scoring entering this week's games – showed off their ability score quickly, posting 28 points in the second half despite the fact the Golden Eagles held a major edge in time of possession. In the fourth quarter alone Clarion held a possession advantage of 10:17 to 4:43, but the Vulcans scored two touchdowns in the span of 3:11 to clinch the win.
 
The Golden Eagles got off to an early lead with a successful trick play in the red zone, catching the Vulcans off-guard with a fake field goal. Clarion authored a drive from their own 24-yard line down to the California four-yard line, but the Vulcans got a stop on third down to set up a 21-yard field goal attempt. Instead of going for the kick, holder Zack Slomers pulled the ball and rolled to his right, hitting a wide-open Mathew McGregor for a touchdown pass. Clarion followed up with a big stop on the ensuing drive when Shane Kemper separated Omari Hopkins from a pass over the middle on fourth down, forcing a turnover on downs.
 
Clarion tacked onto their lead on the subsequent drive, going 72 yards down the field on 12 plays. This time Guercio gave the ball to Simmons at the goal line, with the running back pushing his way past the goal line for the score. The Vulcans kicked a field goal just before the end of the half to cut the deficit to 14-3, and Cal scored on the opening possession of the third quarter to make it 14-10.
 
The Golden Eagles built another two-score lead, this time thanks to long completions to Jackson and Tate to put the Golden Eagles deep in Vulcan territory. Hibbler did the rest, scoring from seven yards out to make it 20-10, but a blocked extra point kept it a 10-point game. Black threw a touchdown to Hopkins on the next drive to cut it to 20-17, but the Golden had another big drive in store. On a 13-play drive that featured one long completion – a 26-yard pass from Guercio to Tate from deep in the Clarion end of the field – and 12 running plays, the Golden Eagles worked their way down the field on the ground. The Golden Eagles got three cracks at the end zone from inside the three-yard line, with Guercio finally breaking through for the score to make it 27-17.
 
Black responded with two quick scores, hitting Hopkins for a 23-yard touchdown and then Demonte Martin for a score with 56 seconds remaining. Clarion got the ball back with two timeouts and got into Cal territory, but the Vulcans picked off Guercio at the 25-yard line to seal the win.