KARNS CITY 15, CLARION 12

Oct. 6, 2006

CLARION – Karns City has been finding ways to win all season, and the Gremlins did it again 15-12 over Clarion Friday night at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium.

Karns City (6-0 overall, 4-0 KSAC) didn’t score an offensive touchdown and was limited to 134 yards of total offense but scored a defensive touchdown and a special teams touchdown while also getting a safety on special teams.

"The kids really played with a lot of heart tonight," Karns City head coach Ed Conto said. "Everyone saw that. They beat the hell our of us, but the kids just kept playing and found a way to win. How they did it, I don't know. I just have to credit the kids for playing hard."

Clarion (3-3, 2-3) found a way to lose for the third time this season when it outgained an opponent. The Bobcats had 188 yards to Karns City 134.

"This is the most frustrating loss I’ve ever had," Clarion’s 19^th year head coach Larry Wiser said. "I’m mad at myself. I’m frustrated by myself. Some of the call we made and so forth. Our defense played a heck of a game."

The Bobcats rallied from an 8-0 halftime deficit with their backup quarterback in the game to take a 12-8 lead early in the fourth quarter only to watch Karns City’s Anthony Stimac return a kickoff 92 yards to take the give the Gremlins the lead right back.

"We just have mostly sophomores and juniors on that kickoff return team," Conto said. "They are just all hitters. We have three guys who can run. That's all. They've made good plays all year."

Clarion played the entire second half with backup quarterback Matt Smith. Smith replaced starter Adam Bevevino after halftime. Bevevino hurt is left (throwing) hand on the next-to-the-last play of the first half making a tackle on defense. He was taken to Clarion Hospital for x-rays, which were reportedly negative.

Smith guided Clarion on two short second-half touchdown drives by managing the game.

"Matt did a good job considering the circumstances," Wiser said. "The backup quarterback never gets enough reps in practice. That’s just the way it is, but I thought offensively our kids pulled together."

Karns City took the 8-0 halftime lead thanks to a 57-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Brett Green and a safety when Clarion’s snapped a punt attempt over punter Paul McGinley’s head into the end zone forcing McGinley to kick the ball out of the end zone.

Cameron Turner made the big play on Green’s fumble recovery - the second straight week the Gremlins have returned a fumble for a touchdown - forcing Bevevino to fumble on a sack. Turner finished the game with nine tackles and three sacks.

"I think we get these (defensive plays) because we are a hard-hitting football team," Conto said. "We cause fumbles in every game."

Clarion came up with a couple of big plays of their own to take the lead.

Jeff Wiant recovered a fumbled snap at the Karns City 35 early in the second half setting up 9-play, 35-yard drive that saw Brad Rapp carry the ball eight straight times before Smith plunged in from the one making it 8-6 Karns City.

The Bobcats got lucky on the drive when Rapp fumbled the second carry at the Karns City 28 but Wiant recovered it at the 18.

Paul McGinley then blocked a Matt McConnell punt that went out of bounds at the Karns City 27. A penalty on the Gremlins gave Clarion the ball at the 14 with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

It took Clarion six plays to get into the end zone scoring on a 1-yard run by Rapp 52 seconds into the fourth quarter to take the 12-8 lead.

After Stimac’s kickoff return, Clarion had the ball twice but self-destructed with penalties and negative yardage both times before Karns City ran out the final 4:50.

Clarion was out of timeouts at that point, and the Gremlins picked up their final first down when the Bobcats jumped off side from on a fourth-and-1 play from the Clarion 48.

Rapp had a big night for Clarion with 33 carries for 144 yards.

Justin Switzer, meanwhile, had 17 tackles for Karns City.

"I think he is the best middle linebacker in the league," Conto said. "It shows right there. That is a power offense, and we have three sophomores ahead of him on the defensive line, and he had to make a lot of plays. They were handling us up front."

NOTES – It is the second straight 3-point win for Karns City over Clarion. Last year, the Gremlins defeated the Bobcats 17-14 in overtime at Clarion … Clarion is not over .500 after six games since starting 2002 2-4 … Karns City is 6-0 for the first time since 2001 when it went 11-1 while winning both the KSAC and District 9 Class AA titles … Clarion is scheduled to play at C-L next week, while Karns City hosts Moniteau … The Bobcats, who were picked to win the KSAC in a vote by the league’s coaches, now face an uphill climb in their quest for a third straight District 9 Class A playoff spot … Clarion has maybe the toughest finishing schedule of any team in District 9. After next week’s game at one-win C-L, the Bobcats play at four-time defending state champion Southern Columbia then host unbeaten Moniteau and one-loss Brookville … Karns City, meanwhile, could go a long way in locking up the No. 1 seed in the Class AA playoffs with a win over Moniteau next week.

KARNS CITY 15, CLARION 12

Score by Quarter

Karns City 6 2 0 7 – 15

Clarion 0 0 6 6 – 12

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

KC – Brett Green 57 fumble recovery (Matt McConnell kick failed), 3:09

Second Quarter

KC – Safety (Punt snapped over the head of Paul McGinley and out of the end zone), 7:01

Third Quarter

C – Matt Smith 1 run (Smith pass intercepted), 3:36

Fourth Quarter

C – Brad Rapp 1 run (Smith pass failed), 11:08

KC – Anthony Stimac 92 kickoff return (McConnell kick), 10:54

KC C

First Downs 9 12

Rushes-Yards 29-66 52-120

Passing Yards 68 68

Passing: Comp-Att-Int 6-10-0 2-9-1

Total Yardage 39-134 61-188

Punts-Avg 3-24.0 3-34.0

Fumbles-Lost 4-2 2-1

Penalties-Yards 8-68 9-69

Time of Possession 18:27 29:33

Rushing: Karns City-Markus LaVan 11-30; Roy Beham 7-29; Stephon Conto 2-9; Brett Green 3-6; Matt Endlish 2-1; Mike McConnell 1-minus 2; TEAM 3-minus 7. Clarion-Brad Rapp 33-144; Larry Stout 4-16; James Seidle 1-9; Tony McMillen 1-6; Eric Grejda 1-3; Paul McGinley 1-2; Jake Fleeger 1-minus 1; Matt Smith 3-minus 15; TEAM 1-minus 15; Adam Bevevino 6-minus 29.

Passing: Karns City-Matt Endlish 6-9-0-68; Anthony Stimac 0-1-0-0. Clarion-Matt Smith 0-5-1-0; Adam Bevevino 2-4-0-68.

Receiving: Karns City-Chris Reeves 1-17; Cameron Turner 1-17; Matt McConnell 1-9; Justin Switzer 1-9; Markus LaVan 1-8; Stephon Conto 1-8. Clarion-Tyler Schwab 1-51; Paul McGinley 1-17.

Interceptions: Karns City-Mike McConnell 1.

Sacks: Karns City – Cameron Turner 3, Cody Williams 1.

Tackle Leaders: Karns City – Justin Switzer 17, Cameron Turner 9. Clarion – Eric Grejda 9, Jeff Wiant 6.