Bagwell explodes for 5 TDs as Vulcans romp over Clarion, 40-0
CALIFORNIA – Officially, it was Family Day at Adamson Stadium. By halftime, it was unofficially Antoine Bagwell Night. Bagwell ran for 194 yards and four touchdowns on 11 carries and added a fifth touchdown on a screen pass as California University ran to a 40-0 lead over Clarion in the PSAC-West opener for both teams.
Then they played the second half.
Cal wrapped up its 43-7 win without incident, as the second half breezed by mercifully quickly.
Bagwell reached 204 yards rushing on 12 carries early in the third quarter and didn’t return.
“It was one of those games,” Bagwell said. “I saw everything right there in front of me. We went out and played our game.”
The Vulcans improved to 3-1 overall, while Clarion fell to 2-2.
Three factors added up to a blowout, according to Vulcans coach John Luckhardt.
“They were kind of banged up, we remembered the circumstances of last year and, of course, we remembered last week,” he said, referring to last season’s loss at Clarion and last week’s 16-15 loss at Monmouth. “Our kids were pretty focused. We lost our rhythm once we got some of the younger kids in there, but overall I was pretty pleased.”
California opened the scoring with 12:50 remaining in the first quarter, when Ruggiero passed to Brandon Jackson for 16 yards and a touchdown. The play capped a 6-play, 80-yard drive that included a personal foul and a pass interference penalty against Clarion.
The Vulcans increased their lead to 13-0 with 6:26 left in the first when Bagwell rambled 38 yards with a screen pass from Ruggiero. The play capped a 5-play, 48-yard drive.
Jared Dumm intercepted a Clarion pass on the next possession to set up the Vulcans at the Clarion 46. After a first down, Bagwell scored on a 34-yard run and the Vulcans were off to the races, 19-0, with 4:49 still to play in the first quarter.
It was Bagwell’s 28th touchdown (he finished the night with 31) in 14 games as a Vulcan. He passed Masontown’s Ettore Perry for second place on Cal’s all-time touchdowns list. Perry, who played for the Vulcans through 1966, scored 27 touchdowns. Still ahead for Bagwell is all-time leader Wesley Cates, who scored 64 touchdowns in his career at Cal. If he keeps scoring them five at a time, Bagwell can catch Cates, but his only personal goals are somewhat modest.
“My only personal goal is to prove that I can play anywhere against anybody,” Bagwell said. “Everybody might say this is only Division II, but five touchdowns is five touchdowns.”
Dumm got his second interception to stop Clarion’s next possession and Cal got the ball back with 44.6 seconds left in the first already ahead 19-0. It was his third of the season and sixth career pick.
Ruggiero suffered a bruised knee on the ensuing series and did not return. Laurel Highlands’ Matt Humbert replaced him at quarterback.
Mike Dodson recovered a Clarion fumble, setting up Humbert and the Cal offense at the Clarion 26. Humbert converted a fourth-and-7 with a 14-yard pass to Marcellus Garner before Bagwell ran untouched for a 9-yard touchdown to make it 26-0 11:02 before halftime.
Dumm’s third interception of the game came 10:52 before halftime and, with 4:45 still on the clock, Gary Butler recovered a Clarion fumble, the Golden Eagles’ fourth turnover of the half.
Bagwell took it from the 26-yard line to the end zone with 2:32 left in the second quarter to make it 33-0. Bagwell went over 100 yards on his touchdown run marking the 13th time in 14 career games here that he has surpassed the century mark.
Bagwell then went 62 yards for another touchdown with 33.3 seconds remaining in the half to make it 40-0.
Humbert played through the third quarter and completed 6 of 15 passes for 81 yards. Forse caught three passes for a team-high 63 receiving yards.