CLARION –– In a game that saw 87 combined points and nearly 1,000 yards of offense, IUP outlasted Clarion 45-42 to clinch the PSAC Western Division title on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
“This is the best brotherhood I’ve ever been around,” said quarterback Matthew Rueve, who tied his own school record with six touchdown passes. “I told the guys at halftime, our brotherhood is going to stick together. Nobody flinched.”
IUP’s reward for the division title is a berth in the PSAC championship game next weekend at Kutztown (10-0), the Eastern Division champion. IUP (7-2 overall, 5-1 division) finished in a tie with Edinboro for the division crown, but earned it thanks to its 35-12 win over Edinboro on October 4.
The Fighting Scots claimed a share of the title by upsetting Slippery Rock, 38-8, on Saturday.
Tight end Connor Shamany, who caught three of Rueve’s touchdown passes, called the win “an awesome feeling.”
“We worked so hard from spring through fall,” he said. “The last two years didn’t go our way, but our main goal was to win the West, and we did that today. It was a total team effort.”
That effort was tested throughout the game. Clarion’s offense, led by senior quarterback Anthony Guercio, came out firing, scoring 21 points in the first quarter. But IUP’s defense responded and held down the Golden Eagles (6-4, 2-4) when they needed to.
There was no bigger stop than the last one, when IUP linebacker Tai’Don Strickland tackled Guercio for a 6-yard loss on fourth-and-one near midfield with 50 seconds left to play.
“We needed to take that step,” said Strickland. “We needed to ring the bell, and that’s what we did today.”
Strickland said the defense’s confidence came from preparation.
“We go through two-minute drills every week,” he said. “The play call we used was exactly what we drew up. That’s their best versus our best. We’ll take that every time.”
Rueve’s poise was tested early. His first pass of the game was intercepted, but the sixth-year senior never wavered.
“You don’t want to start with an interception,” he said. “But I’ve seen crazier things. You stick to the game plan, stick to your training. … We’re on the same page.”
Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. praised Rueve and the entire unit for their preparation and execution.
“Our guys had a great week of practice,” Cignetti said. “The quarterback and the perimeter players are elite at this level. The offensive line protected well, and we got efficient runs when we needed them. It was a great victory for the program, the community, and all the IUP alums.”
Head coach Paul Tortorella acknowledged the early struggles but praised his team’s ability to adjust.
“Defensively, the first quarter was really bad,” Tortorella said. “But we forced two big turnovers in the second half that led to 10 points. Our offense kept us in the game for three quarters, and then the defense stepped up.”
Tortorella also credited special teams, particularly Devin Whitlock, whose kickoff returns helped flip field position and momentum.
Senior defensive lineman Logan Danielson said the win was a validation of the team’s belief in itself.
“I think other teams around the league thought IUP was down,” Danielson said. “But not a single guy in that locker room ever thought that. We have a winning culture here.”
Clarion head coach Ray Monica called the game “a hell of a battle,” and expressed pride in his team’s effort.
“We had a chance to go 5-0 at home,” Monica said. “Not long ago, we couldn’t win a game here. We’ve come a long way. It was a championship game, and it was good football on both sides.”
Monica had high praise for Guercio, who kept IUP’s defense on its heels early. Guercio has missed parts of multiple games with a shoulder injury, leaving Monica to wonder what could have been.
“He’s the total package,” Monica said. “Throws the ball, runs it, has leadership qualities. I’d love to see what his numbers would look like if he could take every snap.”
For IUP, the win was the culmination of a three-game series since its lone loss, to Slippery Rock on October 11.
“We knew we had to win three in a row,” Tortorella said. “That was the goal. Now we move on to the next one—the PSAC championship.”
And for Rueve, it was a moment to savor.
“I’m just unbelievably proud to be part of this team,” he said. “We responded when the pressure was there. That’s what makes this place special.”
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