CLARION, Pa. — The Golden Eagle football team moved the ball effectively for much of the afternoon but were unable to take advantage in the red zone, as Clarion dropped a 21-7 decision to Bloomsburg at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
(Pictured above: Corahn Alleyne. Photo credit: Sierra Ford / Clarion Athletics)
They largely kept the Huskies in check, but a trio of ill-timed big plays allowed Bloomsburg to come away with the road win.
The offensive totals between the two teams were nearly identical. Clarion slightly outgained Bloomsburg 321-315, though that was largely the result of more sustained drives by the Golden Eagles; Clarion rans 14 more plays on offense than the Huskies, and time of possession skewed toward them with a time of 32:52.
The difference in the game can in some ways be tied back to three momentum-swinging plays that went the way of the Huskies. The first came on the Golden Eagles’ very first offensive drive, when Tom Goetz picked off a pass in the flat at the Clarion 19-yard line.
Goetz was hit by quarterback Will Alexander on the return, with the latter forcing a fumble, but Nate Capers landed on it in the end zone to give the Huskies a quick 7-0 lead.
Clarion erased that lead later in the first half, though, scoring after a methodical 80-yard drive.
After Alexander connected with Trenten Smith on a 15-yard completion to start, the team relied heavily on running back Khalil Owens to make their way down the field. That included a fourth down conversion just short of midfield, when Owens went over the right side of the line for a five-yard gain on 4th-and-1.
Appropriately, Owens broke his third huge offensive play of the first half not long after, taking a pass in the flat and turning it into a 29-yard completion deep into Bloomsburg territory.
After Owens converted another first down later in the drive, Alexander punctuated it on 1st-and-goal from the seven-yard line. He faked a handoff and plunged ahead toward the goal line, extending to break the plane and tying the score at 7-7 with 6:03 remaining in the first half.
The Huskies overcame this setback on their ensuing drive, themselves converting a 4th-and-1 in their own territory to keep things moving. That led to quarterback KJ Riley hitting Jerry Griffen-Batchler on a 42-yard bomb down the right sideline on 2nd-and-8, and on the very next play Matt Buchman scored on a five-yard rush to give Bloomsburg a 14-7 lead at the half.
Clarion kept it a one-score game in the third quarter when Alex Huzicka blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt from Brendan McGonigle.
The Golden Eagles couldn’t capitalize, though, and Bloomsburg broke through on their final drive of the third quarter, with running back Kaleb Monaco breaking off a 63-yard touchdown run to extend the Husky lead to 21-7.
The Golden Eagles had their opportunities to cut into the deficit, with each of their four fourth quarter drives ending in Bloomsburg territory. Three of those drives ended in turnovers, and the Huskies held on for the win.
Owens imposed his will with the football throughout the entire game, rushing 15 times for 126 yards – including runs of 31 and 45 yards in the first quarter alone – and also catching five passes for 62 yards.
Corahn Alleyne posted just 49 combined rushing and receiving yards but he proved to be a weapon in the return game, including a 20-yard punt return to set up the Golden Eagles deep in Bloomsburg territory, and a 47-yard kickoff return.
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