CLARION 41, KEYSTONE 0

Sept. 12, 2008

By Chris Rossetti

CLARION – Jon Kemmer ran for 90 yards and three touchdowns in just five carries, as Clarion beat Keystone for the first time in three years 41-0 Friday night at Clarion University’s Memorial Field.

Kemmer was a one-man wrecking ball every time he touched the ball bowling over Keystone defenders and dragging others with him when they were able to hang on.

“That (running over people) has been what we’ve been hoping from him,” Clarion head coach Larry Wiser said. “He’s 235 pounds. There’s no way I want to stand across the field from him and tackle him. He got low and lowered his shoulder and put some big hits on today.”

Kemmer got the scoring started early with a 29-yard touchdown run on Clarion’s first possession of the game and then added a pair of 5-yard scoring jaunts in the second quarter helping the Bobcats build a 35-0 halftime lead.

“I thought we put together a complete game on both sides of the ball,” Wiser said. “It started in practice this week. We practiced well. This was a good, solid week of practice. I think there were three or four goals we put in offensively, defensively and on special teams. And every one of those goals we met today.”

Whatever defensive goals the Bobcats (2-1 overall, 2-1 KSAC) set they surely had to exceed them considering Keystone (1-2, 1-2) was held to negative-1 yard rushing and 94 total yards of offense. It was the second straight week Clarion posted a shutout, something the Bobcats hadn’t done since 2000, and Clarion has allowed one yard of total rushing in the last two weeks combined.

“I thought we played our gaps pretty well,” Wiser said. “I thought we were very disciplined against what can be a pretty potent offense. I thought we forced them into some different things they didn’t want to do.”  

Clarion probably exceeded its offensive goals as well, averaging 9.4 yards per play including 9.1 yard per rush. The Bobcats accumulated 386 total yards of offense on just 41 offensive plays including 31 rushes for 283 yards.

“I thought our offensive line played very well,” Wiser said. “There were no mental errors, and we were knocking people off the ball.”

In addition to Kemmer, Bubba Rue added 11 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown, Kevin Grejda had three totes for 40 yards and quarter Dan Walters had two carries for 44 yards. Walters was also 8 of 10 passing for 103 yards and a pair of scores with Jarrod Carpin catching five passes for 65 yards and both touchdowns. Grejda added two catches for 13 yards.

“It was a pretty much a carbon copy of last week (a 49-0 loss to Redbank Valley),” Keystone head coach Jason Nellis said. “We came out flat. We weren’t physical. Fundamentally, we just need a lot of work. It’s every phase of the game. I wish we could say if we block up front we will be alright. But it’s everything. It’s tackling, blocking, the secondary, holding onto the ball. It’s just the whole group of things that aren’t going right.”

Both teams return to action next Friday with Clarion traveling to Punxsutawney for its first game with the Chucks since 1942 and Keystone hosting Union.  

“We’re going to enjoy it tonight and then look at some film,” Wiser said. “This team seems to be buying into the fact that there are some things we need to be improving on. We aren’t looking beyond Punxsutawney next week.”

CLARION 41, KEYSTONE 0

Score by Quarters

Keystone 0 0 0 0 – 0

Clarion 14 21 6 0 – 41

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

C – Jon Kemmer 29 run (Kemmer kick), 9:01

C – Bubba Rue 9 run (Kemmer kick), 3:41

Second Quarter

C – Jarrod Carpin 2 pass from Dan Walters (Kick failed), 11:54

C – Kemmer 5 run (Pass failed), 6:27

C – Kemmer 5 run (Kemmer kick), 1:39

C – Safety (Joel Matticks tackles Dan Reed in the end zone), 1:00

Third Quarter

C – Carpin 5 pass from Walters (Kick failed), 7:48

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – Keystone: Dan Reed 18-14, Layton Greenawalt 2-minus 3, Ben Black 3-minus 8, Zach Baughman 1-minus 4, Zack Rusnak 4-minus 2, Brett Zuck 1-10, Team 1-minus 8. Clarion: Bubba Rue 11-80, Kevin Grejda 3-40, Jon Kemmer 5-90, Erik Hartle 2-8, Kris Burkhart 4-14, Dan Walters 2-44, Lewis Armstrong 3-9, Team 1-minus 2.

Passing – Keystone: Ben Black 5-for-10, 38 yards, 1 interception. Dan Reed 2-for-6, 57 yards. Clarion: Dan Walters 8-for-10, 103 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Receiving – Keystone: Dan Reed 4-35, Kyle Jones 1-3, Brett Zuck 1-9, Ben Black 1-48. Clarion: Jarrod Carping 5-65, Kevin Grejda 2-13, Erik Hartle 1-25.  

Interceptions – Clarion: Jarrod Carpin 1.

Fumble Recoveries – Clarion: Kevin Grejda 1.