Falcons Unable to Slow Down Clarion in 59-13 Loss
By: Steven Abbatiello | SportzWire | September 19, 2026
The Lackawanna College Falcons battled early, but the Clarion Golden Eagles used a strong offensive performance and several big defensive plays to pull away for a 59-13 victory Saturday at PenFed Field at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
Clarion struck first on its opening possession. Quarterback Jase Ferguson connected with running back Kaevon Gardner on a screen before Gardner helped move the Golden Eagles into the red zone. Gardner finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, giving Clarion a 7-0 lead.
Lackawanna answered on its first extended drive. Quarterback David Naniewicz used his legs to keep the drive moving, while Jalen Fletcher converted a pair of key fourth downs. After another fourth-down conversion, Naniewicz found Jamal Jefferson Jr. for a 26-yard touchdown. Rodriguez added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 9:24 remaining in the first quarter.
Clarion quickly regained the lead, however, and added another touchdown to take a 14-7 on a 15-yard pass to Austin VanHuss, but Lackawanna was not done yet either, Naniewicz pass to Keaon Jenkins with a one-handed catch for a 3-yard Touchdown, the kick by Rodriguez was no good making the score 14-13 Golden Eagles. On the Golden Eagles next possession they extended their lead to 21-13 early in the second quarter after a 27-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Collin Willard.
After a costly Lackawanna mistake on a punt late in the half that gave the Golden Eagles possession deep in Falcons territory. Clarion capitalized with a 1-yard touchdown run by Avante George and later in the second quarter, a 15-yard touchdown run from Davon Jones to make it 35-13 heading into halftime.
Lackawanna opened the second half with a promising drive, moving deep into Clarion territory and reaching the goal line. Penalties, however, erased the Falcons’ touchdown and eventually forced a turnover on downs. Clarion took advantage, driving down the field and scoring again on 18-yard rush from Ferguson to make it 42-13.
The Golden Eagles continued to control the game in the fourth quarter. Clarion added touchdowns on a jet sweep pass to Davon Jones for 4-yards and a 54-yard run from Tyreeck Hall before finishing its scoring with a 42-yard field goal from Ty Woods, pushing the advantage to 59-13.
Lackawanna continued to fight until the final whistle. The Falcons put together another late drive, including a pair of strong runs by Stephen Henry, but a bad snap on fourth down ended the possession. Clarion took a knee to close out the game.
Despite the final score, Lackawanna showed flashes offensively, particularly during its first-half scoring drive and several fourth-down conversions. Naniewicz made plays with both his arm and legs, while Fletcher provided a strong presence in the running game.
Clarion’s ability to capitalize on turnovers, penalties and field position ultimately proved decisive as the Golden Eagles pulled away for the 59-13 win.
The Lackawanna College Falcons battled early, but the Clarion Golden Eagles used a strong offensive performance and several big defensive plays to pull away for a 59-13 victory Saturday at PenFed Field at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
Clarion struck first on its opening possession. Quarterback Jase Ferguson connected with running back Kaevon Gardner on a screen before Gardner helped move the Golden Eagles into the red zone. Gardner finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, giving Clarion a 7-0 lead.
Lackawanna answered on its first extended drive. Quarterback David Naniewicz used his legs to keep the drive moving, while Jalen Fletcher converted a pair of key fourth downs. After another fourth-down conversion, Naniewicz found Jamal Jefferson Jr. for a 26-yard touchdown. Rodriguez added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 9:24 remaining in the first quarter.
Clarion quickly regained the lead, however, and added another touchdown to take a 14-7 on a 15-yard pass to Austin VanHuss, but Lackawanna was not done yet either, Naniewicz pass to Keaon Jenkins with a one-handed catch for a 3-yard Touchdown, the kick by Rodriguez was no good making the score 14-13 Golden Eagles. On the Golden Eagles next possession they extended their lead to 21-13 early in the second quarter after a 27-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Collin Willard.
After a costly Lackawanna mistake on a punt late in the half that gave the Golden Eagles possession deep in Falcons territory. Clarion capitalized with a 1-yard touchdown run by Avante George and later in the second quarter, a 15-yard touchdown run from Davon Jones to make it 35-13 heading into halftime.
Lackawanna opened the second half with a promising drive, moving deep into Clarion territory and reaching the goal line. Penalties, however, erased the Falcons’ touchdown and eventually forced a turnover on downs. Clarion took advantage, driving down the field and scoring again on 18-yard rush from Ferguson to make it 42-13.
The Golden Eagles continued to control the game in the fourth quarter. Clarion added touchdowns on a jet sweep pass to Davon Jones for 4-yards and a 54-yard run from Tyreeck Hall before finishing its scoring with a 42-yard field goal from Ty Woods, pushing the advantage to 59-13.
Lackawanna continued to fight until the final whistle. The Falcons put together another late drive, including a pair of strong runs by Stephen Henry, but a bad snap on fourth down ended the possession. Clarion took a knee to close out the game.
Despite the final score, Lackawanna showed flashes offensively, particularly during its first-half scoring drive and several fourth-down conversions. Naniewicz made plays with both his arm and legs, while Fletcher provided a strong presence in the running game.
The Falcons will now turn their attention to their next challenge as Lackawanna College travels to face East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, Sept. 26. Lackawanna will look to bounce back from the loss to Clarion and continue building as the season moves forward.
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