Four Clarion U. Football Players Earn All-Conference Nods


LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced its football year-end award winners today, with four members of the Clarion Golden Eagles – one offensive and three defensive – earning spots on the Western Division All-Conference Second Team. The selections were Zack Morris (OL) on offense and the trio of Alec Heldreth (DL), Brandon Vocco (DL) and Layne Skundrich (LB) on defense.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion U. Athletics)

Morris is an All-PSAC selection for the second straight season, having earned First Team All-PSAC honors a year ago. The junior offensive lineman flipped between guard and center in 2017, leading the way for a young Golden Eagle offensive cast. He helped pave the way for freshman Mylique McGriff, who took over starting running back duties midway through the year and averaged 153.2 combined rushing and receiving yards per game over the last five contests of the year. Clarion ranked 10th in rushing offense in conference games this year.

A transfer from Lake Erie during the 2016 season, Heldreth played his first season in the Blue & Gold this year and immediately stood out on the defensive line. He finished the year with 51 total tackles and led the team both in tackles for loss (8.0) and quarterback sacks (4.0). His best game of the year came against Slippery Rock when he finished with six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, and the Golden Eagles held The Rock without a point through the entire second half in a comeback attempt.

Skundrich became the first Golden Eagle player to top 100 tackles in a season since Nick Sipes did it during the 2010 season, and ended up leading all PSAC West players in total tackles (106) and tackles per game (9.6). He topped double-digits in total tackles in six games this year, including a career-high 15 against IUP on Oct. 21 and 14 stops in the first meeting with Bloomsburg on Sept. 9. Skundrich factored into just one turnover this year, a fumble recovery in the season opener against UT Martin.

Vocco continued his own ascendancy on the defensive line, setting career highs across the board in his junior season. He finished the year with 62 total tackles, the most among all defensive linemen on the team, and added 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 total sacks. Vocco posted a career-high 13 tackles against Bloomsburg in the season finale, and his key sack in the second half against Seton Hill on October 7 sealed the Golden Eagles’ win over the Griffins.


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