CLARION – Running back Nick Sipes and free safety Shawn Sopic, both sophomores from Curwensville, turned in outstanding performances for Clarion Saturday, but the Golden Eagles couldn’t keep pace with East Stroudsburg and lost 49-28 in front of 3,500 Memorial Stadium fans.

 

Sipes, who finished third in tackles for the Golden Eagle defense last year, had a breakout game on offense with 17 carries for a team-high 118 yards and one touchdown.

 

Sopic had six solo stops and recorded career highs with five assists and 11 total tackles. He also picked off a pass, Clarion’s first interception of the year, and broke up two other passes.

 

East Stroudsburg quarterback Tim Roken made it a busy day in the secondary for Sopic, hitting 24 of 33 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns.

 

Sopic’s interception and 18-yard return led to Clarion’s third score, a four-yard run by Sipes after he had rumbled 18 yards.

 

Later, Sipes ignited Clarion’s 89-yard drive with a career-high 34-yard run on second down at the 13.

 

The Golden Eagles (1-2) rolled up 222 yards on the ground and outgained the visitors 460-458.

 

For the season, Sipes has 26 carries for 184 yards, a team-high 7.1 average, and two TDs. He’s caught four passes and made four special teams tackles.

 

Sopic’s 20 stops, including a dozen solo tackles, are third on the team.

Nick Sipes.  

Shawn Sopic.
(Photos courtesy of Clarion University Athletic Department). 

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DANBURY, Conn. – Tanner Kelly of Olanta (Clearfield Area High School) hit Nate Romig for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left to give Albright a 30-27 victory over Western Connecticut Saturday night.

 

The 1,180 fans in The WAC watched the teams trade leads throughout their first meeting, with the 1-1 Lions overcoming a slow start offensively for the second game.

 

Kelly attempted only 19 passes, one of the lowest totals in his three-year career, and completed 10 for 143 yards and two scores. He also passed for one PAT.

 

The redshirt junior quarterback’s first TD pass was a 33-yarder to Romig in the third quarter that chopped the Colonials’ lead to 18-16.

 

After falling behind 24-20, Western Connecticut reclaimed the lead on a TD with 2:32 remaining.

 

Then, Kelly marched Albright 65 yards in six plays for the winning score. Two false start penalties meant the Lions actually had to cover 75 yards, which Kelly did with four completions.

 

Kelly netted 16 yards on nine plays, including sacks, and punted three times for a 35-yard average. High snaps on two punts cost the Lions a pair of safeties.

 

In two games, Kelly is 27-for-46 through the air for 368 yards and five TDs, with one interception. His pass efficiency rating is 157.42.

 

And his punting average is 35 yards for seven boots.

 

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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Nate Sipes of Curwensville made three solo tackles and had one assist as Slippery Rock turned six Kutztown turnovers into 24 points for a 38-24 win at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium Saturday.

 

A crowd of 6,487 saw The Rock overcome a 406-231 deficit in total yardage to notch its second win in three games. Kutztown is 1-2.

 

Sipes, junior, had two tackles and the assist from his linebacking position in the second half. His other stop was for the Slippery Rock kickoff unit.

 

Sipes’ three-game totals show six solo tackles and four assists.

 

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SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Junior defensive back Beau Ryan of Clearfield had one tackle for the Juniata kickoff team in the Eagles’ 10-3 loss to Susquehanna in their annual “Goalpost Trophy” game that drew 3,587 fans to Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium Saturday.

 

Ryan has three solo tackles for the 0-2 Eagles.

 

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GROVE CITY, Pa. – Sophomore Tyler Kirkwood of Frenchville (Clearfield Area H.S.) saw action as Grove City balanced its record with a 19-10 win over Carnegie Mellon in front of 1,500 fans at Robert E. Thorn Field Saturday.

 

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MEN’S SOCCER

 

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Mark Auman of Clearfield assisted on the winning goal as Lock Haven punctuated its best week of the season with a 2-1 win over Mercy Sunday at Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

 

The sophomore midfielder’s corner kick was headed into the goal by Paul Brungard (Howard, Central Mountain H.S.) in the 64th minute, snapping a 1-1 tie.

 

Auman, starting for the fifth time, also got off two shots for the Bald Eagles, who evened their record at 3-3-1 after losing their first three games.

 

Auman started in Lock Haven’s double-overtime, 1-1 tie against Molloy (1-3-1) at Rockville Centre, N.Y., on Friday.

 

He was a reserve Sept. 9 when the Bald Eagles handed Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division rival California (2-1-2, 1-1-1) its first loss 1-0 in overtime.

 

The Bald Eagles are 1-1 in the PSAC-West.

 

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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Lucas Feathers of Clearfield ran his scoring streak to four games with an assist on the final goal of Slippery Rock’s 3-0 shutout of Seton Hill on Sept. 9.

 

Despite outshooting Gannon 23-11 Saturday, The Rock (2-2-1) dropped its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division opener 1-0 in double overtime.

 

The Golden Knights (3-2), who scored in the 108th minute, are 2-1 in their first PSAC season.

 

Feathers launched six of Slippery Rock’s shots and had one of the hosts’ eight shots on goal.

 

For the season, the junior forward is second on the team in points (7), goals (3), shots (15) and shots on goal (7).

 

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NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Alan Baldwin, a sophomore defender from Clearfield, got his first start for Westminster Friday and helped the Titans shut out host Pitt-Greensburg 3-0.

 

He also played in the Titan’s 2-1 squeaker against Penn State-Behrend Saturday at Erie.

 

Baldwin has been in six games for the 2-5 Titans.

 

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WOMEN’S SOCCER

 

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Juliana Howell of Clearfield assisted on the first of two goals by leading scorer Alison Hindley as Slippery Rock, ranked No. 15 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division III poll, got by Indiana 2-0 in a duel of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division contenders on Sept. 9.

 

With first place on the line Saturday at Erie, The Rock (4-0-1, 3-0-1 PSAC-West) slipped past host Gannon (3-1, 3-1) 3-2 in double overtime. The game-winner came in the 104th minute.

 

Howell has started every game for The Rock and has scored five points on two goals and one assist. The sophomore forward is tied for second in goals and ranks third in points.

 

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ERIE, Pa. – Sophomore midfielder Dani Struble of Lumber City (Curwensville Area H.S.) started for the third time in six games for visiting Westminster in Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over Penn State-Behrend.

 

She has totaled six shots for the Titans, who are 4-1-1.

 

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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Sophomore midfielder Jen Williams of Clearfield saw action for Lock Haven in a 3-1 victory at Edinboro Saturday.

 

The win was the first in four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division games for the Lady Eagles, who are 2-5 overall.

 

Williams was credited with her first shot in four games.