OSKALOOSA — The William Penn football team gave its seniors a great parting gift from Statesmen Community Stadium, defeating Clarke 14-3 in Heart of America Athletic Conference North Division action Saturday.

The defensive battle, which opened with light rain and breezy frigid conditions, saw William Penn (3-6, 1-3 Heart) and Clarke (3-7, 0-4 Heart) go back-and-forth with little to show for it until late.

In a game that featured six fumbles (four lost), Tyler Terrance (So., Lee’s Summit, Mo., Sports Management) jumped on the first loose ball early in the second stanza, giving the navy and gold the pigskin on the Pride 10-yard line.  The offense unfortunately could not capitalize on the tremendous field position, being forced into a field goal that was blocked.

The defense of both teams showed up on the ensuing possessions as the Statesmen fumbled the ball on the goal line, but on the next play from scrimmage, Kyriee Lewis (So., Eight Mile, Ala., Sports Management) recovered a fumble, putting the ball back in the hands of the home team deep in CU territory.  Again, the Statesmen offense was limited to a field goal with the attempt hitting off the crossbar.

Neither team got anything going late in the second quarter as they went into the locker room tied 0-0.

The second half finally saw the sun shine and it also witnessed a bend-but-not-break stand from the Statesmen defense that ended in a blocked field goal by Zenin Hall (Jr., Chicago, Ill., Business Management).  WPU’s offense took the field after the blocked field goal, but the drive was cut short as the Pride forced an interception. Clarke took advantage of the turnover, kicking a field goal and taking a 3-0 lead.

The remainder of the third quarter and the start of the fourth continued to be dominated by the defenses.  That was until the navy and gold finally caught a break as Sterling Ramsey II (Fr., Tulsa, Okla., Business Management) found a wide-open Rafael Irizarry (Fr., Cypress, Texas, Engineering Technology) for a 48-yard touchdown pass. Ramsey II was 10-for-21 passing for 141 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Irizarry finished the day with 77 receiving yards and the score.

The Statesmen defense kept the momentum with a stop and the navy and gold put the game away as Destynd Loring (Fr., Charleston, S.C., Sports Management) ran in for a 14-yard touchdown.

WPU outgained Clarke 229-155, including 141 yards through the air.

Jagger Blubaugh (Jr., Wichita, Kan., Exercise Science) topped the defense with 12 tackles and a sack, while Harlan Plumber (Jr., Bryan, Texas, Exercise Science) tallied 10 stops of his own (one for loss).  Lewis also added eight tackles with two sacks.

“This was such a great win for our seniors!” said Head Coach Todd Hafner.  “We had so many opportunities on offense that we did not convert, but our defense stood tough all day long!  I am so proud of how our guys battled and stayed together and played for each other!  We have one more time for this team to be as one and we are going to try to make it the best week of the year!”

Next Up: William Penn will travel down to Lamoni next Saturday to take on Heart North foe Graceland in the season finale at 2 p.m.