LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University football team (0-8, 0-5 PSAC West) fell to Clarion University (2-6, 1-4 PSAC West) 24-21 tonight at Hubert Jack Stadium in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West thriller.

The Bald Eagles found themselves trailing early as Clarion posted two touchdowns in the opening quarter. Clarion would take that two-touchdown lead into the locker room as the Golden Eagles led 14-0 nothing after 30 minutes.

It was a tale of two halves for Lock Haven’s offense as they came out on fire to start the third quarter, led by backup quarterback Jason Eby (Ulster, Pa./Athens).

Eby marched The Haven down the field and capped off an impressive drive with a three-yard dash of his own. Eby’s three-yard scamper capped off a 10-play drive that saw the LHU offense move 65 yards down the field.

The LHU touchdown with 12:15 left in the third quarter cut the Clarion lead to 14-7.

LHU quickly got the ball back as Dean Tortorice’s (Delmont, Pa./Franklin Regional) 82-yard interception return set up Lock Haven’s second TD. Tortorice picked off Clarion’s Tyler Heuther at LHU’s 16-yard line and ran it all the way to the Clarion two.

Lock Haven’s next play was a touchdown run by Reggie Mencer (Altoona, Pa./Altoona).

Clarion’s next drive was again short lived as the Lock Haven defense came up big. This time it was linebacker Shawn Crebs (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) forcing a fumble giving LHU the ball back.

Eby led the Bald Eagles back down the field on a nine-play, 53-yard drive that lasted 2:49.

The drive was capped off a by a 26-yard touchdown reception by DeMarr Dowell (Buffalo, N.Y./Eric C.C.) with 5:31 left in the third.

Dowell’s TD put LHU up 21-14, but Clarion battled back. Eddie Emmanuel scored on a four-yard run with just 27 seconds left in the third period.

Robert Mamula’s 27-yard field goal with 3:30 left in regulation gave Clarion the hard-fought road-win in conference action.

Eby finished the game 13-for-29 passing for 146 yards. He threw the one touchdown and no interceptions proving a solid spark for LHU in the second half as Lock Haven moved the ball with ease at times.

Dowell finished with five catches for 59 yards and the one TD.

Defensively Crebs led the way with a game-high 11 tackles including eight solo stops. The senior also forced two fumbles.

Wes Plummer (Lebanon, Pa./Stevens Tech) wasn’t far off the pace with a 10-tackle effort. He made six solo stops and had one tackle for a loss.

Shane Barie (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) chipped in with nine tackles.

The Bald Eagles return to action next Saturday, Oct. 25 as Lock Haven celebrates Homecoming 2008. LHU plays host to Gannon with kickoff set for noon.

Box Score (Final)

Clarion vs Lock Haven Univ. (Oct 18, 2008 at LOCK HAVEN, Pa.)

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score

----------------- -- -- -- -- -----

Clarion............. 14 0 7 3 - 24 Record: (2-6,1-4)

Lock Haven Univ..... 0 0 21 0 - 21 Record: (0-8,0-5)

Scoring Summary:

1st 12:22 CLAR - Matt Foradora 15 yd pass from Tyler Huether (Robert Mamula kick), 6-72 2:38, CLAR 7 - LHU 0

08:25 CLAR - Eddie Emmanuel 3 yd run (Robert Mamula kick), 5-85 2:42, CLAR 14 - LHU 0

3rd 12:15 LHU - Jason Eby 3 yd run (Brendon Pickle kick), 10-65 2:38, CLAR 14 - LHU 7

08:41 LHU - Reggie Mencer 2 yd run (Brendon Pickle kick), 1-2 0:03, CLAR 14 - LHU 14

05:31 LHU - DeMarr Dowell 26 yd pass from Jason Eby (Brendon Pickle kick), 9-52 2:49, CLAR 14 - LHU 21

00:27 CLAR - Eddie Emmanuel 4 yd run (Robert Mamula kick), 10-69 4:55, CLAR 21 - LHU 21

4th 03:30 CLAR - Robert Mamula 27 yd field goal, 15-70 8:31, CLAR 24 - LHU 21

CLAR LHU

FIRST DOWNS................... 26 12

RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 38-253 23-22

PASSING YDS (NET)............. 219 166

Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 35-19-2 38-16-1

TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 73-472 61-188

Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0

Punt Returns-Yards............ 3-18 1-15

Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 4-68 5-25

Interception Returns-Yards.... 1-0 2-116

Punts (Number-Avg)............ 4-39.5 7-42.1

Fumbles-Lost.................. 2-1 1-0

Penalties-Yards............... 5-49 5-60

Possession Time............... 37:32 21:43

Third-Down Conversions........ 4 of 10 6 of 16

Fourth-Down Conversions....... 0 of 0 2 of 2

Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 4-4 2-2

Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 0-0 0-0

RUSHING: Clarion-Tyler Huether 15-94; Eddie Emmanuel 19-91; Alfonso Hoggard

4-68. Lock Haven Univ.-Reggie Mencer 8-31; Colden Carroll 3-5; Phil

Hostetler 1-2; Ibrahim Smith 3-0; Jarryd Burkett 1-minus 5; Jason Eby

7-minus 11.

PASSING: Clarion-Tyler Huether 19-33-2-219; TEAM 0-2-0-0. Lock Haven

Univ.-Jason Eby 13-29-0-146; Jarryd Burkett 3-9-1-20.

RECEIVING: Clarion-Alfonso Hoggard 5-28; Jaques Robinson 4-39; Nick Sipes

3-46; Matt Foradora 3-39; Craig Bunney 2-26; Matt Ward 1-26; Nate Pagan

1-15. Lock Haven Univ.-DeMarr Dowell 5-59; Devin Sims 4-48; Ibrahim Smith

3-28; Ilio Dipaolo 2-25; Phil Hostetler 2-6.

INTERCEPTIONS: Clarion-Shawn Sopic 1-0. Lock Haven Univ.-Dean Tortorice

1-82; Luke Ellison 1-34.

FUMBLES: Clarion-Tyler Huether 2-1. Lock Haven Univ.-DeMarr Dowell 1-0.