CLARION 47, UNION 7

Oct. 2, 2008

By Chris Rossetti

CLARION – Clarion took advantage of six Union turnovers to beat an injury depleted Golden Knights squad 47-7 in KSAC action Thursday night.

Thanks to those Union turnovers, Clarion’s average starting field position in the first half was the Golden Knights 30.   

“That’s how you can score that many points,” Clarion head coach Larry Wiser said. “The turnovers were key in the first half.”

Union (0-6 overall, 0-6 KSAC) was playing without starting quarterback Matt Gagliano (hand injury) and top wide out Zach Traister (leg injury) forcing wide receiver Kurtis Shirey, who was Clarion’s third-string quarterback last year before moving to Union School District, behind center.

Clarion took advantage of Shirey’s inexperience and its familiarity with him picking off four of the senior’s passes including one that was returned 30 yards for a touchdown by Kevin Grejda.

It was Shirey’s first interception, a pick by Corbin Ragley, set Clarion up at the Union 22. That led to five straight runs by Jon Kemmer, the last of which went five yards for a touchdown.

Clarion quickly made it 14-0 a few minutes later on a 4-yard run by Kemmer, before a Grejda fumble recovery and return to the Union 6 led to a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Heeter to Grejda that made it 20-0 at the end of the first quarter.

A second touchdown pass from Heeter to Grejda, this time an 11 yarder, made it 27-0, and then a Jake Porter interception set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Kemmer that coupled with a two-point conversion made it 35-0.

Grejda then returned his interception for a touchdown making it 41-0 at halftime before Joel Matticks scored on a 66-yard touchdown run on the first offensive play of the second half making it 47-0.

Union got its lone score late in the third quarter on a 37-yard touchdown run by Trent Switzer. A 30-yard punt return by Taylor Smith set up the score.

Both teams return to action next Friday with Clarion hosting Karns City and Union hosts A-C Valley.

CLARION 47, UNION 7

Score by Quarters

Union 0 0 7 0 – 7

Clarion 20 21 6 0 – 47

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

C – Jon Kemmer 5 run (Kemmer kick), 6:54

C – Kemmer 4 run (Kemmer kick), 2:11

C – Kevin Grejda 6 pass from Brandon Heeter (Kemmer kick failed), 1:07

Second Quarter

C – Grejda 11 pass from Heeter (Kemmer kick), 7:22

C – Kemmer 10 run (Grejda pass from Heeter), 5:35

C – Grejda 30 interception return (Kemmer kick blocked), 4:36

Third Quarter

C – Joel Matticks 66 run (Mitch Rhoades kick blocked), 11:41

U – Trent Switzer 37 run (Richie Corle kick), 3:20   

Team Statistics

       U         C

First Downs            8          9

Rushes-Yards         32-147 28-170

Passing Yards         16        28

Passing: Comp-Att-Int       6-15-4  3-6-0

Total Yardage        163      198

Fumbles-Lost         3-2       0-0

Penalties-Yards      3-21     3-15

Punts-Avg. 3-21.0  3-33.7

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – Union: Colby Davis 14-60, Kurtis Shirey 15-38, Trent Switzer 3-49. Clarion: Jon Kemmer 11-42, Erik Hartle 1-14, Kevin Grejda 2-26, Brandon Heeter 2-minuts 11, Dylan Reinsel 3-6, Kris Burkhart 5-23, Lewis Armstrong 3-4, Joel Matticks 1-66.

Passing – Union: Kurtis Shirey 6-for-15, 16 yards, 4 interceptions. Clarion: Brandon Heeter 3-for-5, 28 yards, 2 touchdowns. Dylan Reinsel 0-for-1.

Receiving – Union: Taylor Smith 2-4, Trent Switzer 1-3, Shawn Earley 1-6, Colby Davis 2-3. Clarion: Erik Hartle 1-11, Kevin Grejda 2-17.

Interceptions – Clarion: Corbin Ragley, Kevin Grejda, Jake Porter, Joel Matticks.