INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP offense scored two touchdowns and the defense had three sacks in the fourth quarter as the 23rd-ranked Crimson Hawks rallied for a two-score deficit to defeat Clarion 24-23 Saturday afternoon at George P. Miller Stadium.
 
The go-ahead score came on a 27-yard touchdown pass from senior QB Lenny Williams Jr. to senior receiver Miles Williamson, capping a six-play drive that gave the Crimson Hawks a one-point lead with 3:54 to play.
 
Clarion used a pass interference call to extend its ensuing drive until sophomore lineman Ernest Shockley came up with a fourth down sack of quarterback Jeff Clemens to end the threat and seal the IUP victory.
 
The Crimson Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory and improved to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC West.
 
IUP put itself in another 20-7 halftime hole after the Golden Eagles (4-3, 2-2) scored three touchdowns in the opening quarter. IUP buckled down in the second, forcing a pair of Clarion punts and getting a sack on the final play before the half.
 
The Crimson Hawks turned the ball over twice in the first half and had its only score come from sophomore back Justice Evans on a 7-yard run at the start of the second quarter.
 
Evans finished with a season-high 86 rushing yards and that touchdown on 17 carries.
 
A field goal from each team were the only third quarter scores, with IUP junior Dillon Sarka connecting from 22 yards out at the 8:06 mark.
 
A 50-yard punt return from Mike Pietropola at the start of the fourth quarter gave the Crimson Hawks excellent field position, scoring on their first play as Williams found wide open junior Dom McNeil for a 24-yard score.
 
Pietropola's return was preceded by a third down sack by senior end Deandre Easterling, the first of those three fourth quarter sacks.
 
A sack by junior end Dondrea Tillman forced a Clarion punt on its next possession, and the Crimson Hawks took the lead six minutes later on the Williams-Williamson hookup.
 
Clarion's biggest positive play on its final drive came from a pass interference call on fourth down play, giving the Golden Eagles the ball near midfield. Sophomore Kyeer Geisinger broke up a pass on the very next play, Easterling made a tackle-for-loss, and after an incomplete pass, Shockley collapsed the pocket to get the game-clinching sack.
 
Up Next
The Crimson Hawks hit the road for the first time this month with a game against Gannon in Erie. The Golden Knights are coming off a 29-15 upset road win over California and are 2-5 overall, 2-2 in the division. Kickoff comes at noon.
 
Notes
That was IUP's eighth straight win over Clarion dating back to 2011 … IUP head coach Paul Tortorella is 18-3 in his career, the best 21-game start among program coaches … Clarion outgained the Crimson Hawks 328-263, putting up more passing yards (132) and more rushing yards (196) … Tillman totaled 2.0 sacks and is tied with Easterling for the team-lead with 6.5 on the year … Junior linebacker Damon Lloyd finished with 16 total tackles and recovered a fourth quarter fumble that led the game-winning score … Junior linebacker Nick Amendola forced that fumble and finished with 13 tackles … With two passing touchdowns, Williams moved into second place in IUP history with 69 for his career … Williams trails Brian Eyerman (1999-02) who threw for 84 touchdowns … Williams also has 97 total touchdowns, and will look to become the seventh player in PSAC history with 100 touchdowns responsible for … Senior punter Nico Ruiz converted his second fake punt of the season, running 19 yards around left end on a fourth-and-10 in the first quarter.
 
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