Complete Box Score

CLARION, Pa. - Freshman running Richie Sanders Jr. completed a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback, plunging into the endzone from one yard out with 32 seconds remaining, giving the Lakers a 42-38 victory over the Clarion Golden Eagles on Saturday afternoon. The Lakers snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 4-6 on the season and they finish the year with a 2-5 record in the PSAC West. Clarion, meanwhile, dropped to 2-8 overall and an identical 2-5 record in the division.

Mercyhurst trailed 38-14 with just seconds left in the third quarter, but in a complete reversal from what has happened to them all season long, the Lakers scored 28 unanswered points in the final 15:12 to snap the skid. Sanders finished his afternoon with a personal-best 125 yards on 24 carries and also a career-high three touchdowns. He became the first Laker' to eclipse 100 yards rushing in a game this season, one week after falling just one yard short of the century mark at Slippery Rock.

With the Lakers down 38-14, sophomore quarterback Anthony Vendemia started the comeback by hooking up with tight end R.J. Miller on a 17-yard pass play with 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Then, after forcing a three-and-out, the Lakers struck again with sophomore running back Allen Jones II running in from four yards out to cut the lead to 38-28 with 13:40 left. The score was set up by a 46-yard pass play from Vendemia to senior Trevor Kennedy, who caught 10 passes for 166 yards on the afternoon.

Mercyhurst forced another three-and-out and then scored on the ensuing possession when Vendemia found sophomore fullback Jeff Groene on a seven-yard touchdown pass with 8:28 still left on the clock, and Mercyhurst down 38-35. The Lakers would force another punt by Clarion, and would get the ball back on their own six-yard line with 4:31 left. The Lakers would march down the field, with the biggest play coming on a 30-yard completion from Vendemia to junior wideout Paris Bruner. Sanders capped off an 11-play, 94-yard drive with his one-yard touchdown run with 32 seconds remaining to give Mercyhurst its first lead since 7-0 in the first quarter.

Clarion had a chance late aided by a personal foul penalty which moved the ball to the Mercyhurst 35-yard line on its final drive of the day. But, unlike the previous five weeks, Clarion's comeback bid would fall short, thanks to the first career interception from linebacker Pat Behm at the five yardline to close the game, capping off an amazing comeback, in a reversal of what had seemingly happened to Mercyhurst during the 2011 season.

Mercyhurst, for the tenth time in 10 games, scored first, when Sanders scored his first of three touchdowns on a three-yard run with 10:44 left in the first quarter. Clarion would then score the next 10 points to take a 10-7 lead after the opening quarter.

The Lakers responded when Sanders scored again from three yards out early in the second quarter to take a 14-10 lead. But, Clarion would give its best shot to put the game out of reach, scoring 28 consecutive points to take a commanding 38-14 late in the third quarter. Clarion led 24-14 at halftime, thanks to three rushing touchdowns from Patrick Graham-Murphy, then ballooned its lead to 24 points on a fumble recovery in the endzone after Graham-Murphy fumbled, and then a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown by Chris Wilson with 6:50 left in the third quarter. Wilson had a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Lakers last season. 

But, Mercyhurst, who had 412 yards of total offense in the second half alone, mounted its furious comeback.

Clarion went through three different quarterbacks on the day, and managed just 34 yards of offense in the second half after starter Ben Fiscus went down with an injury. All told, the Lakers, thanks to that second half barrage, outgained Clarion 548-318 on the day.

Sanders became the first running back this season to eclipse the centrury mark in a game, with his career-high 125 yards. Jones chipped in with 59 on just eight carries, as Mercyhurst racked up 196 yards on the ground. Clarion had the exact same number of rushing yards, led by Graham-Murphy's 107 yards. Fiscus, before the injury, had five carries for 77 yards.

Vendemia's career-high 352 yards passing was the difference in the offensive margin. The sophomore was 21-of-35 with two touchdowns. Kennedy caught 10 balls for 166 yards but no touchdowns for just the second time this season. Meanwhile, three quarterbacks for the Golden Eagles combined to throw for just 122 yards on 7-of-15 (all of the yards from Fiscus).

Senior linebacker Kevin Williams and sophomore defensive back Vladmir Rock led the Lakers with eight tackles apiece. Senior Andrew Bukta had six tackles, two tackles for a loss, and both Mercyhurst sacks. Senior Ian Wild missed his second consecutive game with a shoulder injury. Shawn Sopic led Clarion with 11 tackles.

The Lakers will wrap up the 2011 season with a trip to Shippensburg next Saturday, November 12. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m.

Notes:

Kennedy had 10 catches for 166 yards on Saturday, keeping him in second place all-time in both career receptions and receiving yards. Barring a miracle, that is where he will end up on the all-time list with just one game remaining. He has 182 career catches (19 short of Ed Bailey's record of 201) and 2,649 career receiving yards (334 short of Bailey's 2,983). He was held without a touchdown for just the second time this season, and still is tied with Bailey with 28 career receiving TDs.

Kennedy had 184 all-purpose yards on Saturday, giving him 3,947 for his career. He is 53 yards away from becoming the third player in school history to eclipse 4,000 career all-purpose yards and is just 80 yards away from moving past Bailey for second place on the all-time list. Richard Stokes holds the record with 4,744. He is 70 yards shy of 2,000 all-purpose yards this season.

Senior Bryant Kimball had five tackles on Saturday, giving him 244 for his career, and moving him into 18th place on the all-time list.

Senior linebacker Kevin Williams had eight stops and now has 187 for his career.

Sanders became the first running back to rush for more than 100 yards in a game since Gerald Anderson rushed for 152 against Clarion last season, a span of 12 games.

The 42 points that Mercyhurst scored tied a season-high. The Lakers also scored 42 at Lock Haven on September 24.