Lackawanna College

9/19/26

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Clarion University posted nearly 500 yards of offense and picked off Lackawanna College four times in an impressive 59-13 defeat of the Falcons on Saturday afternoon at PenFed Field at Scranton's Memorial Stadium.
 
The Falcons (0-3) looked to finally get some consistency in moving the ball from their offense, but Clarion (2-1) had no issue with the Falcons' defense, posting 498 yards of total offense and averaging nearly ten yards per play. The Golden Eagles ran for 200 yards and threw for 298 yards, posting six rushing touchdowns as they tore the Lackawanna defense apart. Neither team played a clean game, as the two sides combined for 33 penalties and 277 yards in penalties.
 
Lackawanna College had 162 yards rushing and 224 yards through the air, posting 386 yards of total offense, but the Falcons threw four interceptions, two in the red zone, and a fumbled snap on a punt that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run for the Eagles.
 
Clarion blew open a 14-13 game in the second quarter, starting with a drive that took just four plays and covered 72 yards, helped by a pair of penalties from the Falcons, scoring on a 27-yard touchdown pass to go ahead 21-13.
 
Lackawanna was stuffed on third down on its next possession and punted away to the Clarion 28, and the Eagles once again moved the ball into Lackawanna territory quickly. A costly roughing the passer penalty on the Falcons erased a third-down stop, and Clarion cashed in three plays later to go ahead 28-13.
 
An interception on a bad throw from David Naniewicz (Scott Twp., PA) gave Clarion the ball at midfield with 3:50 to play in the half, but the defense got a stop and forced a punt, taken at the Lackawanna eight-yard line. The Falcons were forced to punt, but the snap was bobbled and the Eagles jumped on the ball and got possession at the one-yard line, scoring on the next play to go ahead 35-13 in the blink of an eye.
 
The Falcons had one more drive before the half to try to get some momentum, but former Falcon Najhir Kibidor stepped in front of a pass near the end zone for a pick that killed the drive and sent the Falcons into the break down 35-13.
 
Clarion scored three more touchdowns in the second half, adding a tough run from quarterback Jase Ferguson, a 54-yard run from Tyreeck Hall, a four-yard run from Davon Jones, and a 42-yard field goal. The Falcons had a drive end in a turnover on downs inside the ten, then threw an interception on a drive that ended in the red zone, and another interception in their own territory in one play.
 
Early on, after Clarion went six plays and 59 yards in just 1:30 to open the game with a score, the Falcons answered on a 16-play drive that took ten minutes off the clock, with Naniewicz finding Jamal Jefferson, Jr. (Euclid, OH) on a slant for a 26-yard touchdown to tie the game with 4:05 to go in the first.
Clarion added a 15-yard touchdown pass just before the quarter ended to go back up 14-7, but Lackawanna answered on its next drive when Naniewicz found Keaon Jenkins (Wayne, NJ) in the back of the end zone, where Jenkins jumped high and made a nifty one-handed grab. The extra point attempt failed when the snap went high and Billy Maloney (Scranton, PA) couldn't win the race to the pylon, but the Falcons were down just 14-13 with 12 minutes remaining in the half, before Clarion hit the afterburners.
 
Jase Ferguson threw for 298 yards and two scores, while running for 37 more yards and a touchdown. Tsirell Curry had five catches for 143 yards, while Austin VanHuss had two catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
 
Naniewicz had 224 yards passing and two touchdowns, but also the four interceptions. Running back Jalen Fletcher (Bethlehem, PA) topped 108 yards on 16 carries, while Stephen Henry (Maplewood, NJ) ran for 45 yards, all on the final drive. Jefferson, Jr. had five catches for 77 yards and a score, while Jenkins had four grabs for 50 yards and a touchdown. Steven Jenkins (Monroeville, PA) had six tackles, four solos, and two TFLs, while Brodie Daugherty (Manheim, PA) had four stops.
 
Lackawanna College will be back in action on Saturday, September 26^th, when the Falcons make the short trip down I-80 to East Stroudsburg to take on the ESU Warriors for the first time. Kickoff is set for 6:35pm ET at Eiler-Martin Stadium on campus at East Stroudsburg.