CLARION, Pa. -- Good things came in twos for the Mercyhurst football team on Saturday -- quarterback
Doug Altavilla threw two touchdown passes, linebacker
Kaz Struna had two sacks and defensive back
Emmanuel McDowell made two interceptions -- as the Lakers defeated Clarion, 21-18, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division matchup.
Mercyhurst (2-2, 1-0) never trailed, but needed a late stop to hold on to victory. McDowell finished off the host Golden Eagles with an interception at the Mercyhurst 5-yard-line. The Laker offense then kneeled down three times.
After recording only two sacks through its first three games, the Laker defense had a strong outing with six quarterback takedowns. Struna's two sacks led the way; he finished with three tackles-for-loss and 10 total tackles.
Also for the MU defense, linebacker
Alex Zacharyasz totaled 12 tackles and a half-sack. Linebacker
Corbin Kessler added eight tackles, including one sack, while fellow LB
Joseph Scro made eight total stops.
Linebacker
Chris Peluso and defensive lineman
Austin Brooks added sacks. Lineman
Andrew Welton was credited with a half-sack.
On offense, Altavilla completed 20 of 31 throws for 224 yards. Running back
Garrett Owens rushed five times for 76 yards and one touchdown. Fullback
Theophilus Blackston III had a TD reception while the Lakers' top two receivers were
Brad Novak, who had four catches for 95 yards and one TD, and
Zach Smith, who made four grabs for 67 yards.
Mercyhurst opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 7-yard TD pass from Altavilla to Blackston. That play finished off a short field for the Lakers, who had started their drive at the Clarion 40. Altavilla was 4 of 4 for 31 yards on the drive.
The Eagles (0-4, 0-1) answered in the second quarter on a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Asiantii Woulard, completing a 16-play, 80-yard drive.
Each team had an opportunity late in the second quarter to score, but CU was intercepted by McDowell and the Lakers ran out of time with the ball at the Eagles' 1-yard-line.
Mercyhurst took the lead for good in the third quarter. A quick three-play drive -- highlighted by two passes to Novak -- helped the visitors to a 14-7 advantage. Altavilla found Novak for 37 yards and then 19 for the score.
A 38-yard field goal by Clarion kicker James Metzger cut the Laker lead to 14-10. Then, for the second straight week, came a momentous run by Laker running back
Garrett Owens.
After a 38-yard hookup from Altavilla to Novak, and then an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Owens broke off a 70-yard TD run for the Lakers, helping push the lead to 21-10.
Clarion closed its deficit to three points on a TD and two-point conversion. On the touchdown Woulard connected with wide receiver Greg Leonard on a 39-yard pass.
After a Mercyhurst punt, the Eagles had one final attempt to tie or take the lead, but McDowell snuffed it out with his pick.
The Lakers will return home for their next game on Saturday, Sept. 30, when they host Gannon for a 1 p.m. PSAC West contest during Mercyhurst's homecoming weekend.
