CLARION, Pa. --- Special teams and thrilling plays made for an exciting season finale at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but the Golden Eagles came up just a few plays short of the upset in falling 22-19 to East Stroudsburg.
 
Both sides were affected by missed kicks on special teams, with the Golden Eagles missing an extra point and the Warriors missing the mark on a second half field goal. Those miscues helped to keep the game close, but they were hardly the only theatrics on display for Clarion's Senior Day. Midway through the second quarter East Stroudsburg held a 14-0 lead and dominated time of possession, but a quick Golden Eagle scoring drive cut the deficit in half.
 
Stuck at his own nine-yard line, Anthony Guercio scrambled for a 39-yard gain on the first play of the drive, heading up near midfield before being forced out of bounds. Two plays later he delivered a bomb to Ray Jackson down the right sideline for a 52-yard touchdown pass.
 
Perhaps the most significant defensive plays of Clarion's day came on the very next drive, with the Golden Eagles preventing the Warriors from taking a two-score lead into the locker room at halftime. East Stroudsburg worked methodically down the field from their own19-yard line, eventually garnering a first down just inches from the goal line and with a full complement of timeouts.
 
The first play for the Warriors was a "tush push" with quarterback Sean McTaggart, but he was stacked up at the line by Elroe Yohnnes and Owen Kling, who pushed him back a foot. Ryan Stahl penetrated the backfield on second down and tripped up Tahir Mills shy of the line of scrimmage for no gain, and the senior safety did it again on third down to keep the Warriors shy of the goal line and send it to halftime 14-7.
 
The Golden Eagles took possession at the start of the third quarter and proceeded to seize the momentum of the game, orchestrating a 15-play, 83-yard touchdown drive. Clarion converted four third downs to keep the chains and the clock moving, and eventually Michael Akinleye busted a 16-yard touchdown run. Hunter Robertson's extra point attempt just narrowly missed, though, and the Warriors kept the lead.
 
They did not hold it much longer. Penalties by the Warriors extended the Golden Eagles' next offensive drive, and Anthony Guercio popped a 42-yard run on 1^st-and-20 that put the Golden Eagles down at the one-yard line. Two plays later he rushed around end for his 12^th rushing touchdown on the season, but a failed two-point conversion attempt meant Clarion held just a 19-14 lead.
 
East Stroudsburg countered with a scoring drive of their own, with McTaggart finding fullback Matt Frame for a 12-yard touchdown pass. ESU converted the two-point play to increase their lead to 22-19. Clarion got a critical stop and forced a punt from East Stroudsburg just after the two-minute timeout, but a penalty negated a big Clarion gain and the drive stalled at the 38-yard line.
 
Guercio finished the day with another 100-yard rushing performance, netting 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground. His 12 scores are the most since Alfonso Hoggard's program record 17 rushing touchdowns set in 2009. Ray Jackson caught five passes for 87 yards and a score.   
  Read Full Article