Final Stats

Alfonso Hoggard scored on runs of 49 and 69 yards in the fourth quarter to break a 7-7 tie and send Clarion on its way to a 21-14 victory over host IUP in a PSAC West game Saturday at Miller Stadium.

The loss was the second in a row for IUP (4-3, 2-2 PSAC West) and just about ended any hopes for a berth in the NCAA playoffs. Clarion won its second straight after losing its first five games of the year and evened its division record at 2-2.

The Golden Eagles have defeated the Crimson Hawks the past two seasons after IUP won eight in a row from 2001-08. The loss denied IUP head coach Lou Tepper his 100th career victory.

Hoggard carried 17 times for 179 yards and quarterback Ben Fiscus added 60 yards and a touchdown while completing 11 of 15 passes for 115 yards. Fiscus completed his first seven passes to make him 23 of 23 over the past two weeks before finally misfiring with 9 seconds remaining in the first half.

IUP tailback Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) was held to 70 yards on 21 carries after rushing for 328 yards the past two weeks. Bo Napoleon (Carson, Calif./Carson) completed 16 of 26 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns, the second on a 4-yard pass to Ben Simmen (Oakdale/West Allegheny) with 13 seconds left in the game.

Anthony Becoate muffed the ensuing onside kick at the Clarion 38, but Hoggard was able to recover at the 20 to end any IUP comeback attempt.

The Crimson Hawks trailed 7-0 when they took over at the Clarion 40 on a blocked field goal by Akeem Smith (Philadelphia/Frankford), his second of the game, on the next-to-last play of the third quarter.

Napoleon converted two fourth down plays on passes to Simmen and Pat Brewer (Coatesville/Coatesville) before connecting with Brewer for an 11-yard touchdown that tied the game with 11:11 to go.

It took just over three minutes for Clarion to go back in front. Facing a 4th and 1 at the IUP 49, Hoggard broke through the line and raced to the end zone for his first touchdown of the day. Robert Mamula's extra point was tipped by Carl Thornton (Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls) and sailed wide left to keep it a 13-7 game.

IUP reached the Golden Eagle the next time it had the ball, but Napoleon fumbled while scrambling and Joseph Fox recovered for Clarion. The Crimson Hawk defense held again, and a short punt combined with a 16-yard return by Simmen gave IUP the ball at the Clarion 40, but Tuck was stopped on 4th and less than a yard with 1:28 remaining.

Two plays later, Hoggard went through the middle of the IUP line and went almost untouched 69 yards to make it 21-7. Hoggard rushed for 139 yards in the second half and moved into ninth place in Clarion history with 1,911 yards. He has 341 rushing yards vs. IUP the past two years.

Fiscus scored on a 2-yard run on Clarion's first possession of the game for the only points of the first half. The Crimson Hawks had a chance to get on the scoreboard when Chris Brown (Altoona/Bishop Guilfoyle) blocked a Clarion punt and Mike Scott (Frankford, Pa./North Catholic) recovered at the Golden Eagle 42, but Napoleon was intercepted by Nick Sipes to end that threat.

IUP droves 77 yards to reach the Clarion 3 later in the first half, but Ben Maund blocked a 20-yard field goal attempt by Craig Burgess (Medina, Ohio/Highland) and Andrew Paronish returned it to the Clarion 33. A roughing the passer penalty helped the Golden Eagles reach the IUP 17, but Mamula had a 35-yard attempt blocked by Smith to keep it 7-0 at halftime.

Tyler Dummermuth (New Philadelphia, OH/New Philadelphia), making his first career start in place of the injured Jeff Vaughn (Canton, Ohio/McKinley), tied Mark Jackson (Canton, OH/McKinley) for the team lead with 11 tackles. Gee had two of IUP's five sacks. Jay Pettina and Nick Sipes paced the Golden Eagles with 10 tackles.

IUP will look to get back on the winning track next Saturday when it begins a two-game road swing at Gannon beginning at noon.