East Stroudsburg Too Much for Clarion, as Golden Eagles Finish Season 3-8


EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa.East Stroudsburg Too Much for Clarion, as Golden Eagles Finish Season 3-8 – The 2019 season came to an end on Saturday as the Clarion football team fell in their final contest of the season, dropping a 41-17 decision on the road to East Stroudsburg.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

The Golden Eagles (3-8, 1-6 PSAC West) kept it close early on before falling behind to the Warriors for good.

Clarion outgained East Stroudsburg in total offense (380-302) and was generally even or better in most offensive categories. However, the Warriors made a pair of game-changing plays on special teams and forced three interceptions to turn the tide against the Golden Eagles. Clarion enjoyed a few big plays of their own, including a 55-yard run by Mylique McGriff that set up a field goal make, and a 61-yard touchdown reception by Quinn Zinobile late in the fourth quarter.

McGriff finished the game with 97 net rushing yards, pushing him past Ron DeJidas for sixth place on the all-time rushing list at Clarion. He will enter next season just 23 yards behind Alfonso Hoggard (2,350) for fifth place, and less than 1,000 yards away from surpassing the all-time record.

As for Zinobile, the freshman receiver capped off his rookie campaign with one of his best games to date, catching nine passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Zinobile finished as Clarion’s leading receiver for the season with 51 catches for 686 yards and four touchdowns. Kahliq Muhammad made his mark on the game with a spectacular first-half touchdown catch, leaping over a defensive back for his eighth score of the season. Muhammad finished the season with 48 catches for 586 yards.

Amari Johnson led Clarion with 12 total tackles, while Mark Lanier finished with six tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He took quarterback Ben Moser down for a solo sack in the second quarter, and later in the period stripped the ball from Gunner Anglovich and recovered it.

Anglovich was the one to put East Stroudsburg ahead early in the first quarter, taking off on a 12-yard scoring run to make it 7-0. James Metzgar countered with a field goal make to cut it to 7-3, and the teams traded touchdown receptions on the next two offensive drives to make it a 14-10 game. That was when the Warriors’ special teams made its two biggest plays of the day, starting with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown by Rece Bender to put them ahead 21-10.

Clarion had an opportunity to make it a one-possession ball game on the next drive, but East Stroudsburg once again struck on special teams. With Metzgar lined up to attempt a 29-yard field goal, Andre’ Gray blocked the kick, and Jahmere Crumpton recovered the football and returned it 84 yards for the touchdown.

The Warriors added a touchdown and two field goals in the second half, with the only Clarion score coming on a catch-and-run by Zinobile in the fourth quarter. He wrapped up a one-play drive by hauling in a pass from Jeff Clemens and eluding defenders on the way to the end zone, making it 38-17. Jordan Walters set the final deficit with a field goal at the 1:00 mark of the quarter.


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