INDIANA, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle football team earned their biggest road win of the season against one of the oldest foes in their record book, beating IUP (6-4, 3-4 PSAC West) 31-21 at George P. Miller Stadium in the PSAC West finale for both teams. Clarion (5-5, 3-4 PSAC West) outgained 370-338 and capitalized on Crimson Hawk penalties en route to the victory.
The win was the first for the Golden Eagles against IUP since Oct. 16, 2010, which was also the last time Clarion defeated the Crimson Hawks in Indiana.
Getting the ball with 8:57 remaining in regulation and starting on their own 24-yard line, the Golden Eagle offense authored a terrific drive largely on the ground, eating up 6:23 of clock and scoring the dagger touchdown as the cherry on top of the sundae. Clarion kept the ball on the ground for the majority of the drive, rushing on 12 of the 14 plays and marching down the field. The Golden Eagles made a key fourth down conversion with 4th-and-1 from the 43-yard line, with Tyreeck Hall bullying his way through the line for two years, and Jase Ferguson converted a 3rd-and-1 at the IUP 46-yard line with a run of his own.
The ball only officially went in the air once on the drive, but in reality, it was a throw that put the Golden Eagles in striking distance of a score. An offside penalty against IUP's Jayden Shaffer gave Clarion a free play, and insult was added to injury when Shane Strayhorn was called for pass interference against Ja'Tawn Williams near the goal line. That gave the Golden Eagles 1st-and-10 from the 10-yard line, and three plays later Ferguson fired a strike to Tsirell Curry in the end zone to make it 31-21. Clarion forced one more turnover on downs on IUP's last drive of the game, forcing the Crimson Hawks to go four and out.
Hall finished with his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, carrying 21 times for 113 yards. Davon Jones pulled down five passes for 114 yards and a touchdown as Ferguson was an efficient 15 of 19 for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Najhir Kibidor had 10 0tackles and a tackle for loss while Jaylin Miller got a sack on IUP's final drive to seal the win.
An early miscue by the Golden Eagles gave the Crimson Hawks a lead just two plays into the game, with Ferguson losing a handle on the football on a dropback. Devon Bertrand scooped up the loose ball and ran all alone into the end zone, giving IUP a 7-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles locked in for the remainder of the half, shutting the Crimson Hawk offense out for the entirety of the first half and putting up 17 unanswered points. The first Clarion points came on the drive immediately after the IUP defensive score, with Ferguson connecting with Jones for a 17-yard gain on the first play and Curry drawing a pass interference call to push the ball into the red zone. On 1st-and-Goal from the IUP 7-yard line, Ferguson threw a strike to Kooper Kamberis in the back of the end zone for Kamberis's second touchdown in as many games.
Tough defense and a little good fortune benefited the Golden Eagles on the next drive and set up Clarion's second touchdown of the day. IUP drove the ball to the edge of the red zone but the Golden Eagles held at the 24-yard line, forcing two incompletions and stopping Leon Parson for no gain to force a Crimson Hawk field goal attempt. The snap was botched, IUP turned the ball over on downs, and the Golden Eagles wasted no time in making them pay. On 2nd-and-6 from his own 33-yard line, Ferguson dumped a short pass down to Jones, who eluded tacklers and scampered 67 yards for the touchdown.
The defense had another big moment midway through the half, forcing their second turnover on downs with a goal line stand. With their backs against the goal line, the Golden Eagles stuffed two straight rush attempts and forced an incompletion by Mason Maggs to make it 4th-and-Goal from the Clarion 6. Gabriel Laws and Kibidor combined to bring down Maggs four yards shy of the goal line to take the ball back. Keith Baker tacked on a 33-yard field goal as time expired at the half, giving Clarion a 17-7 lead at the break.
IUP found traction on offense in the second half, scoring a touchdown after a Ferguson interception gave them the ball on their own 25-yard line. Parson punctuated 75-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to pull the Crimson Hawks to within 17-14. Curry and company helped the Golden Eagles get that one back with a scoring drive of their own, with Curry pulling down a tipped pass and rushing 31 yards to the IUP 5-yard line. Ferguson called his own number on 3rd-and-Goal from the four-yard line, pushing his way across the goal line to make it 24-14.
