FAIRMONT —
It won’t take long for Fairmont State’s 2010 football team to see how well it stacks up against quality competition.
That’s because right out of the gate the Falcons will face a huge test Thursday night when they travel to Clarion (Pa.) University for a 6 p.m. meeting with the Golden Eagles at Memorial Stadium.
Clarion completed a remarkable turnaround last year under Jay Foster, who is beginning his fifth year at the school. After going 4-29 in Foster’s first four years, the Golden Eagles pretty much shocked everyone but themselves in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Western Division when they finished 8-3 overall, 6-1 and in second place in the league (they were picked to finished seventh last fall) and narrowly missed the NCAA Division II playoffs.
“I said this two years ago Jay Foster is a first-class individual who does things the right way. I knew all along it was only going to be a matter of time before things would start going for him and last year, boy they pretty much put it all together,” said FSU head coach Mike Lopez. “They went from 3-8 two years ago to 8-3, darn near won the PSAC-West and almost made the national playoffs.
“He’s a defensive guy and you compare last year’s defense and this year’s defense they have to the one they had two years ago and it’s a night and day difference. That’s where he was having issues on defense and they got those ironed out last year. He’s got a ton of starters back on that side of the ball so we know going in we’ve got our hands full.”
Clarion toppled FSU 33-21 last year in the season opener and started 2009 at 2-2. Then in week five the Golden Eagles lost in the final minutes to eventual PSAC-West champion California (Pa.) University which last fall made its third straight trip to the NCAA Division II playoff semifinals.
At 2-3 and coming off a heartbreaking loss Clarion could’ve folded, but instead the Golden Eagles regrouped and won their final six games to finish at 8-3 and Foster was named the PSAC-West Coach of the Year.
This season Clarion is picked third in the PSAC-West’s preseason coaches’ poll behind Cal and Indiana (Pa.) University.
The Golden Eagles are led on offense by diminutive, but ultra-talented senior running back Alfonso Hoggard (5-2, 150). The third-team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America selection, first-team All-Region and PSAC-West Offensive Player of the Year led the conference last fall in rushing (1,046), rushing touchdowns (17), overall touchdowns (19), points scored (118) and all-purpose yards (1,798).
Hoggard started his career as a receiver/all-purpose player and was a second-team All-American selection in 2008 in that role.
Another big threat on Clarion’s offense is 6-3, 200-pound senior wide receiver Jacques Robinson, who was second in the PSAC in receiving last fall with 70 catches for 819 yards and five touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Joe Fox and senior strong safety Nick Sipes return to lead a much-improved Golden Eagle defensive unit. Fox, a three-year starter and first-team all-league pick last year, was third on the team last season in tackles with 62, including nine tackles for losses and three sacks.
Sipes, meanwhile, garnered honorable mention All-America honors and was a first-team All-Region and first-team all league pick as he led Clarion in tackles with 112, including 12 for losses and six sacks.
Clarion leads the all-time series between the two schools, 10-5.
Duane Cochrane
FSU to face stern test in opener
- Duane Cochrane
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Chasing a dream
Fairmont State University senior defensive end Luke Black has had a whirlwind few months since his college career ended last November.
This past weekend things for the talented 6-5, 280-pound youngster from Marietta, Ohio, got a whole lot more interesting. -
Spring smearing: PHOTOS
Fairmont State’s Maroon defense set the tone early, forcing four turnovers on the first seven drives of the White offense, and as a result rolled to a 53-32 victory in the Falcons’ annual Maroon-White spring game here Saturday afternoon at Duvall-Rosier Field.
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Fisher inspires at annual FSAA Banquet: VIDEO
Clarksburg native and current Florida State University head football coach Jimbo Fisher had an inspiring, heartfelt and informative message for those in attendance Saturday evening at the 50th annual Fairmont State Athletic Association Scholarship Banquet which was held at the Falcon Center.
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Shepherd eliminates Lady Falcons, 83-58
Less than eight minutes into its quarterfinal round West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament basketball game with fifth-seeded Fairmont State here at the Charleston Civic Center, one got the feeling it was going to be fourth-seeded Shepherd University's day.
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Lady Falcons top OVU in tourney opener: SLIDESHOW
The last two times Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons have won the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament, FSU has struggled at home in its opening-round game.
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Champs crowned: PHOTOS
For 33 minutes, Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons gave league-leading West Virginia Wesleyan all it wanted and more here Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both teams at the Joe Retton Arena.
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Late surge helps Bobcats upend FSU: PHOTOS
With the West Virginia Conference’s leading scorer Steve Custis on the bench nursing a badly sprained ankle and second-leading scorer Isaac Thornton dealing with a heavy heart, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team wrapped up the regular season here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena with a hard-fought 70-67 loss to visiting West Virginia Wesleyan.
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Buzzer bummer: PHOTOS
Veteran Concord University coach Kenny Osborne and his Lady Mountain Lions could have been arrested Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena for thievery.
That’s because third-place Concord literally stole a victory away from fourth-place Fairmont State, ending the Lady Falcons’ winning streak at seven games. -
Mountain Lions use rally to topple FSU: PHOTOS
Fairmont State lost the services of senior leading scorer Steve Custis for much of the second half here Saturday afternoon and as a result lost the lead and eventually the game, 77-66, to visiting Concord University at the Joe Retton Arena.
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Snyder scores 42 as Lady Falcons roll
Fairmont State All-American candidate Kaitlin Snyder followed up arguably her poorest game of the season Saturday with her best Monday night at the Joe Retton Arena.
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