KENNEDY CATHOLIC 14, CLARION 12

Oct. 21, 2005

CLARION – Kennedy Catholic’s defense stepped up when it needed to stopping a 2-point conversion attempt by Clarion with 31 seconds to play lifting the Golden Eagles to a 14-12 win over the Bobcats at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium Friday night.

The match-up was a rare late-season, inter-district game between top Class A teams from District 9 and District 10.

The contest lived up to its billing with the teams being about as close as two teams could be.

Kennedy Catholic (7-1) outgained Clarion (6-2) by one yard (222-221) while both squads had 10 first downs. The Golden Eagles ran the ball a bit better (224-135) but Clarion passed better (86-(-2).

The missed 2-point conversion ruined a late drive by Clarion that put the Bobcats in a position to tie the game.

Trailing 14-6, Clarion took over following a punt at its own 37-yard line with 3:21 left in the game. The Bobcats proceeded to mark the 63 yards in 10 plays closing to within two on a 2-yard scoring run by Chris McSwain with 31 seconds to play.

Needing two points to tie, Clarion lined up in a power formation, but the Bobcats were called for a false start. That backed Clarion up to the 7-yard line, and it put two wide receivers into the game. Sean Wolf then tried a slant pass to Manny Carpin, but the Kennedy defender moved to the inside to cut Carpin off at the last second before the snap.

"We needed to change (the play)," Clarion head coach Larry Wiser said. "They set up inside to take away the in-route. We should have just gone up over top. It’s just one of those things. We weren’t able to make a call through there."

Kennedy Catholic led 7-6 at halftime with each team using long drives late in the half for their scores.

The Golden Eagles struck first with an 11-play, 92-yard drive that was made more impressive by the fact they committed a 15-yard penalty on it meaning they actually drove 107 yards. Lee Plotts finished the drive off with a 16-yard run with 6:17 left in the half. Mike Muckian’s extra point was good making it 7-0.

"They were running unbalanced," Wiser said. "We weren’t adjusting to it right. It’s the disadvantage of high school football where you can’t pull that defense off at certain points."

Clarion answered right back following the kickoff going 71 yards in 13 plays before scoring on a 1-yard dive by McSwain. The Bobcats converted three fourth downs on the drive including one on the scoring run. Dan L’Insalata’s extra point, though, was blocked leaving the score at 7-6 with 14 seconds left in the first half.

Extra point have troubled Clarion all season with the Bobcats going 16 of 30 on PAT kicks this year. Clarion is also 5 of 13 on 2-point conversion meaning the Bobcats get the extra point(s) 49 percent of the time this year.

"I thought we had it addressed," Wiser said. "We continue to make mental errors."

The game remained at one point until midway through the fourth quarter when Kennedy Catholic used a short field to score its second touchdown.

The Golden Eagles needed to go 51 yards following a Clarion punt and did so in eight plays. Plotts once again got the touchdown, this time on an 8-yard run with 6:41 left in the game. Plotts carried five times on the drive for 34 yards accounting for all but four of his second-half yards on the drive. Once again Muckian’s kick was good making it 14-6.

"I am not sure what happened," Wiser said. "They weren’t doing anything differently. Their offense in a sense was very predictable. We knew where they were coming when they got into that old Maryland I. They did run the pitch, which was something different."

Wolf was intercepted by Jason Wolinski, Wolinski’s second pick of the half, giving Kennedy the ball in good field position at its own 46.

But Clarion’s defense forced a three-and-out and a punt that gave the Bobcats the ball at their own 37 with 3:21 to play.

Wolf then led the ‘Cats on the late-game drive going 5-for-6 on the drive for 41 yards. Carpin had three catches for 29 yards. McSwain also ran for 27 yards on the drive.

Clarion had some great opportunities to score with great field position but didn’t take advantage. The Bobcats started two early drives inside the Kennedy Catholic 40 while also starting two drives around midfield in the game. But Clarion didn’t score on any of those possessions.

Penalties also hurt Clarion with the Bobcats committed eight penalties for 50 yards with one penalty calling back a long punt return by Manny Carpin that would have put the ball deep in Golden Eagle. Dead ball false start penalties were the biggest problem.

Two false starts cost Clarion chances to pick up first downs on short-yardage situations while two more put the ‘Cats in first-and-15 situations. And of course the false start on the late 2-point conversion try made that try more difficult.

"We talked about pre-snap penalties all week," Wiser said. "We tried to deal with our snap count because we thought we could draw them off side. It took us out of some really good field position. They were just dumb penalties at the wrong time. It’s a lack of focus and discipline, I guess. It our fault as coaches for that."

NOTES – Despite the loss, Clarion still controls its own destiny in securing at least the No. 2 seed in the District 9 Class A Playoffs. A Bobcat win at Moniteau (4-4) Friday night (7 p.m.) would give Clarion the top seed from the KSAC and a guaranteed one or two seed … The loss kept Clarion from winning its 400^th game in school history … McSwain and Plotts both put on shows at running back with McSwain gaining 132 yards on 21 carries and Plotts 162 on 21. Both scored two touchdowns. McSwain went over the 1,000-yard mark on the year and now has 1,037 yards on the year and 2,889 in his career.

KENNEDY CATHOLIC 14, CLARION 12

Score by Quarter

Kennedy Cath. 0 7 0 7 – 14

Clarion 0 6 0 6 – 12

Scoring Summary

Second Quarter

KC – Lee Plotts 16 run (Mike Muckian kick), 6:17

C – Chris McSwain 1 run (Dan L’Insalata kick blocked), :14

Fourth Quarter

KC – Plotts 8 run (Muckian kick), 6:41

C – McSwain 2 run (Sean Wolf pass failed), :31

Team Statistics

KC C

First Downs 10 10

Rushes-Yards 43-224 33-135

Passing Yards –2 86

Passing: Comp-Att-Int 1-3-1 11-17-2

Total Yards 222 221

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-0

Penalties-Yards 7-72 8-50

Punts-Avg 4-33.2 3-33

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Kennedy Catholic: Lee Plotts 21-162, Lee Sham 4-5, George Kovach 3-14, Ross Gargano 14-46, Team 1-(-3). Clarion: Chris McSwain 21-132, Elliot Fabri 2-1, Adam Bevevino 1-3, Manny Carpin 3-(-3), Eric Grejda 3-(-3), Sean Wolf 3-5.

Passing – Kennedy Catholic: Lee Sham 1-for-3, negative 2 yards, 1 interception. Clarion: Sean Wolf 11-for-17, 86 yards, 2 interceptions.

Receiving – Kennedy Catholic: Ross Gargano 1-(-2). Clarion – Manny Carpin 8-69, Chris McSwain 2-11, Tyler Schwab 1-6.

Punting – Kennedy Catholic Mike Muckian 4-133. Clarion: Paul McGinley 3-99.

Interceptions – Kennedy Catholic Jason Wolinsky 2. Clarion Blake Lantelme.