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Edinboro University Athletics

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Scoreboard

James Clark vs. Lock Haven
Taylor Green
28
Edinboro EDIN 2-1
62
Winner WEST CHESTER WCU 2-1
Edinboro EDIN
2-1
28
Final
62
WEST CHESTER WCU
2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
EDIN Edinboro 0 14 7 7 28
WCU WEST CHESTER 27 21 7 7 62

Game Recap: Football | | Bob Shreve, Sports Information Director

Clark Catches Three Touchdown Passes in Loss at West Chester

THE GAME FACTS
  • Score:  West Chester 62, Edinboro 28
  • Records:  Edinboro (2-1), West Chester (2-1) 
  • Location:  West Chester, Pa. – John A. Farrell Stadium
  • The Short Story:  A fast start by West Chester spelled doom for an Edinboro team playing on the road for the first time in 2017. The game pitted an Edinboro defense which ranked number one in Division II in scoring defense (3.0 ppg.) against a West Chester offense which was first in the PSAC and fifth nationally in scoring offense (46.5 ppg.). The Golden Rams drove 75 yards on the first possession of the game and jumped out to a 27-0 lead after one quarter. That lead grew to 48-14 at the half. Big plays burned the Fighting Scots all afternoon, and the Golden Rams also scored touchdowns on an interception return and a blocked punt.
 
GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER  
BREAKING DOWN THE GAME
  • West Chester took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards on 14 plays, covering 7 minutes, 12 seconds. The touchdown was the first allowed by the Fighting Scots in 2017. Unfortunately, it would not be the last. The touchdown came on a five-yard run by Jarel Elder. WCU converted two third downs and a fourth down on the drive. Nick Pettigrew blocked the extra pointt.
  • The Golden Rams would score 27 points in the first quarter. Edinboro fumbled on their second play from scrimmage and WCU scored on the very next play, a 29-yard pass from Paul Dooley to Rasheem James with 7:14 left in the quarter. Later in the period, Kevin Duggan returned a tipped ball for an interception 31 yards for a touchdown with 3:33 left for a 20-0 lead.
  • The Golden Rams' lead would grow to 27-0 on another big, and controversial, play with eight seconds left in the first quarter. A.J. Long connected with Elder on a short underneath pass, and his knee appeared down at midfield. The play was allowed to continue, however, with Elder completing a 58-yard touchdown reception.
  • West Chester made it 34-0 before Edinboro got on the scoreboard. Mike Class blocked Mike Cushma's punt, with justice Smith recovering and going 12 yards for a touchdown with 13:21 left in the second quarter.
  • Edinboro used a long kickoff return by Ta'Nauz Gregory to get on the scoreboard. The sophomore returned the kickoff 88-yards to the WCU 5. Following an incomplete pass, Jake Sisson found Walter Fletcher in the right flat, with Fletcher sprinting to the corner of the end zone for the score. He received a great block by Koran Williams on the reception. Cushma's PAT made it 34-7 with 12:53 left.
  • West Chester took the ensuing kickoff and went 87 yards on just five plays. The final 43 yards came on a run  by Elder for the senior running back's third touchdown of the half.  Edinboro answered with a five-play, 64-yard march highlighted by a 27-yard run by Fletcher and a 20-yard pass from Sisson to Clark. The duo ended the drive with a one-yard touchdown pass with 8:11 remaining in the half.
  • WCU would tack on one more score in the half to make it 48-14 at the half. Following a short punt, the Golden Rams went 53 yards on just four plays, with another big play accounting for the score. Dooley found Karpinski wide open on a deep crossing route for a 36-yard scoring play with 3:24 to play.
  • The second half saw the two teams trade scores in the third and fourth quarters. Edinboro took the second half kickoff and put together a 14-play, 57-yard drive. Sisson and Clark combined on their second touchdown of the afternoon, this one covering 12 yards. Not to be outdone, WCU followed with an eight-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in a 12-yard touchdown hookup between Dooley and Karpinski for a 55-21 advantage.
  • Edinboro parlayed a fumble recovery into a five-play, 68-yard scoring drive early in the fourth period, with it ending with Sisson and Clark hooking up for the third time. This one covered nine yards, with Clark catching the ball in the right flat and diving into the right corner of the end zone. One play earlier, Fletcher sprinted 50 yards to the nine on a 4th-and-1 play.
  • West Chester's final score came on a 44-yard run by Mark Dukes, part of a four-play, 75-yard drive, with 8:37 to play.       
       
GAME NOTES
  • West Chester took a 6-5 lead in the all-time series with Edinboro. The visiting team had won the last six meetings until a year ago. A year ago, Edinboro won 54-51 in double overtime at Sox Harrison Stadium.
  • This was the first of back-to-back meetings for Edinboro against the preseason favorites in the PSAC's Eastern and Western Divisions. WCU is the preseason favorite in the PSAC East, and next week's opponent, Indiana(Pa.), was voted the favorite in the PSAC West.
  • West Chester finished with 466 yards, compared to 386 yards for Edinboro. However, the Golden Rams held a wide 322-to-122 advantage at halftime.   
  • James Clark hauled in a career-best 12 passes for 104 yards and 3 TDs. The game marked a homecoming for the junior wide receiver, who played at nearby Coatesville High School.
  • Walter Fletcher posted his second 100-yard game in three outings this season, and fourth of his career. The redshirt sophomore finished with 142 yards on 17 carries, and added five receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown. 
  • Jake Sisson threw for four touchdowns, completing 29-of-52 passes. The senior quarterback moved into sole possession of third place in career touchdown passes with 66. It marks the eighth time he has thrown four-or-more touchdown passes.
  • Edinboro came into the game leading Division II with 12 turnovers, and finished with three more on Saturday. Unfortunately, after turning the ball over six times last week, the Edinboro offense committed four more miscues this week.
  • Zuril Hendrick has now intercepted at least one pass in each of the first three games, and has five for the season and ten for his career after his fourth quarter pickoff. He entered the contest leading Division II in interceptions.
  • Edinboro converted just 3-of-15 third down plays, while West Chester was 5-of-11. Edinboro was much better on fourth down, going for it six times and converting four. WCU was 2-of-3.
  • A year ago, Ta'Nauz Gregory finished fourth in Division II in kickoff return average at 32.5 yards, a school record, with four for 75 yards or more. He made it five on Saturday as he took a kickoff back 88 yards to the WCU 5 to set up Edinboro's first touchdown.
  • Andre Dowdell, a transfer from St. Francis(Pa.), made his first career start at wide receiver. The redshirst sophomore finished with 5 receptions for 38 yards.
  • Backup quarterback Andrew Tomko saw the first action of his career, but at wide receiver, not quarterback. He caught one pass for 11 yards.
  • Edinboro had allowed just four plays of 25 or more yards from scrimmage in their first two games, but West Chester had five plays of 25 yards or more.
THE RECORD BOOK
  • West Chester's 62 points were the most since the 84-63 loss at West Liberty in 2009 in the NCAA playoffs. It is the fifth-highest total ever against Edinboro. WCU's 27 points in the first quarter tied the school record by an opponent previously set by Baldwin-Wallace and Clarion in 1966, and the 48 points at halftime is a new record by an opponent.
  • Jake Sisson moved into sole possession of third place in career touchdown passes with 66. He is also third in career pass attempts (1023) and career completions (556). Sisson now has eight games four-or-more touchdown passes.
  • James Clark played his high school ball at nearby Coatesville High School, and enjoyed his seventh career 100-yard receiving game. The junior caught a career-best 12 passes for 104 yards and 3 TDs. The three touchdown receptions tied the school record set on numerous occasions, most recently by Alex Caratelli at Gannon in 2015. Clark moved up to 15th in career receptions with 99, and is now 16th in career receiving yards with 1,410.
  • Walter Fletcher led Edinboro with 549 yards rushing in 2016. The redshirt sophomore is off to a fast start with two 100-yard games in his first three outings in 2017, and has 381 yards rushing. He now has 930 career rushing yards, needing 70 yards to become the 30th Fighting Scot with 1,000 career yards rushing.
UP NEXT
  • The Fighting Scots open up PSAC West action at Indiana(Pa.) in their second straight road contest. Kickoff at George P. Miller Stadium is set for 12 p.m.
  • The IUP game will mark the second of back-to-back contests against the PSAC divisional favorites. The Crimson Hawks were picked to finish first in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll. West Chester is the preseason favorite in the Eastern Division.
  • IUP is ranked sixth in the latest AFCA Division II Top 25.
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