By Chris Rossetti

SLIPPERY ROCK – Jamar Whitman’s 8-yard run with 4:21 left to play ended Clarion’s hopes for a massive upset in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals and led Farrell to a 19-14 win over the Bobcats Friday night at Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

“My team played so awesome, so hard. I was so proud of them,” an emotional Larry Wiser, Clarion’s 22^nd year head coach who is retiring, said. “We had guys going down right and left. We had a make-shift line with kids who hadn’t played all year. We did a heck of a job.

Clarion (10-4) held a 14-13 lead until Farrell (14-0), the No. 1 ranked team in Pennsylvania in Class A by the PA Football News, took advantage of a 19-yard Bobcat punt to start a drive at the Clarion 21-yard line. Four plays later, Whitman, who ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns, put the finishing touches on the short drive with a quick dash up the middle.

“Jamar Whitman has been solid for us all year on both sides of the ball,” Farrell head coach Jarrett Samuels said. “He is an all-state caliber kid. He said coach, give me the ball and he’d put us on his back. He did, and I’m very proud to have a kid like that on our team.”

Clarion didn’t back down and drove to the Farrell 27-yard line with just under a minute to play. But a fourth-and-8 pass from Brandon Heeter sailed over the head of a receiver on the Bobcat sideline basically ending the game.

“I had a lot of respect for Clarion coming in, but I thought we could beat them by at least three touchdowns,” Samuels said. “I really did. I felt like that once we got up, our kids would rise to the occasion. But we let them hang around. They are a good team. They are district champion also. You let good teams hang around; you are going to be in a dog fight the rest of the way.”

Clarion had other ideas and took the 14-13 lead midway through the third quarter after Samuels’ players took matters into their own hands.

Leading 13-6, the Steelers were facing a fourth-and-1 at their own 37-yard line and line up to punt. But someone changed the play call to a fake, and Clarion stuffed out a Kevin Brodie run attempt and knocked the ball loose. Gavin Griffin picked up the loose ball and ran down the sideline to the 5-yard line setting up a 1-yard go-ahead touchdown run by Dan Walters three plays later. Clarion actually took the lead on a 2-point conversion pass from Walters to Cody Renninger.

“It was not a planned fake,” Samuels said. “I would never make a call like that. That was one of those selfish plays again. The kids decided to change the play. I’m not taking the heat for none of that. I don’t call the game like that. That was terrible. I’m very upset about that. We have to address that along with some other things they changed in the huddle.”

Farrell looked like it was going to answer right back, but some more play-call changing by the players resulted in two sacks that lost 24 yards and forced the Steelers to punt after they had reached the Clarion 19-yard line.

“When the kids decide they want to start doing their own thing and changing plays, that’s what happens, Samuels said. “That is why you see me over here so upset and going off on them. Because we had the plays called and drawn up and they decide to be selfish and change plays so you saw the result. We were going backwards. That was very disappointing, and that is something I will address. If I have to sit some of the guys, I will. Because I am not going to lose the way we played tonight.”

Farrell, though, got a good punt from Dion Ellam that was downed at the Clarion 7-yard line, and the Bobcats were unable to move the football.

Clarion then didn’t get a good punt from Brandon Samulewski, whose boot traveled only 19 yards to the Clarion 25 with Farrell returning it to the 21, setting up Whitman’s second touchdown.  

“The field position changed,” Wiser said. “There isn’t any question, special teams hurt us.”

Farrell struck first on a 1-yard touchdown run by Danny Odem on the Steelers first drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead.

Clarion answered with a 4-yard Rue run with 4:22 left in the second quarter to cut the lead to 7-6.

The Bobcats then missed a golden opportunity to take the lead when a sure pick-6 interception slipped through Griffin’s hands at the start of Farrell’s next possession.

That turned out to cost the Bobcats, as the Steelers drove down the field and retook the lead on a 39-yard Whitman run with 2:44 left before halftime.

The loss ends a great coaching career for Wiser, who finishes with a career mark of 146-77-1 with two District 9 Class A titles and four KSAC crowns.

“I just feel drained,” Wiser said. “From a personal level, I’m pretty said. “All of your life you do this. I love this sport.”

FARRELL 19, CLARION 14

Score by Quarters

Clarion 0 6 8 0 – 14

Farrell 7 6 0 6 – 19

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

F – Danny Odem 1 run (Jamar Whitman kick), 7:23

Second Quarter

C – Bubba Rue 4 run (Mitch Rhoades kick failed), 4:22

F – Whitman 39 run (Whitman kick blocked), 2:44

Third Quarter

C – Dan Walters 1 run (Cody Renninger pass from Walters), 4:21

Fourth Quarter

F – Whitman 8 run (pass failed), 4:21

                                                       C                                 F

First Downs                                    8                                  12

Rushes-Yards                                 34-67                           42-176

Passing Yards                                 64                                34

Passing: Comp-Att-Int                   7-12-0                          3-8-1   

Total Yards                                                131                              210

Fumbles-Lost                                 0-0                               4-2

Penalties-Yards                              4-28                             11-67

Punts-Avg.                                     5-24.2                          2-38.5

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Clarion: Bubba Rue 13-25, Kevin Grejda 13-32, Kris Burkhart 3-negative 3, Brandon Heeter 1-negative 3, Dan Walters 4-16. Farrell: Danny Odem 8-6, Kevin Brodie 4-24, Malcolm Hailstock 8-18, Jamar Whitman 17-152, Ron Jackson 2-2, Team 3-negative 26.

Passing – Clarion: Dan Walters 2-for-4, 14 yards. Brandon Heeter 5-for-8, 50 yards. Farrell: Danny Odem 3-for-8, 34 yards, 1 interception.

Receiving – Clarion: Cody Renninger 5-32, Erik Hartle 1-19, Kevin Grejda 1-13. Farrell: Dion Ellam 1-14, Ron Jackson 1-12, Kevin Brodie 1-8.