LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Caden Bauer drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired to cap a wild Homecoming Weekend victory as the Lock Haven football team outlasted Clarion, 38-35, Saturday afternoon at Hubert Jack Stadium.
 
With the victory, Lock Haven improved to 3-2 overall and remained unbeaten in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play at 2-0. Clarion dropped to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in conference action.
 
The Bald Eagles are out to a 2-0 start in conference play for the first time since 1981.
 
The Bald Eagles piled up 509 yards of total offense, including 369 through the air, and finished with 29 first downs.
 
After Clarion erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game at 35-35 with 41 seconds remaining, Rob Footman Jr. calmly directed the Bald Eagles into field-goal range. Lock Haven took over at its own 46-yard line with 34 seconds left, and Footman completed three straight passes before Bauer delivered the walk-off winner.
 
Footman turned in a huge performance under center, completing 32-of-44 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns. His top targets were Jake Roberts, who hauled in five passes for 116 yards, and Mekhi Watson, who finished with eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown.
 
Ezequiel Johnson added 73 rushing yards and a score while also catching a touchdown pass.
 
Clarion jumped out to a 21-7 advantage midway through the second quarter, but Lock Haven responded with a furious rally before halftime. Troy Miller intercepted a Clarion pass to set the Bald Eagles up in plus territory, and Footman found Watson for a 17-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-14.
 
Lock Haven struck again just before the break. Footman engineered an eight-play, 80-yard drive in just 1:16 and connected with Johnson for an 18-yard touchdown with 23 seconds remaining, sending the Bald Eagles into halftime trailing by just one, 21-20.
 
The Bald Eagles carried that momentum into the second half and grabbed their first lead of the afternoon on the opening drive of the third quarter. Tucker Teats capped a 10-play, 78-yard march with a four-yard touchdown run to put Lock Haven ahead, 27-21.
 
Lock Haven stretched the lead to 35-21 early in the fourth quarter. Footman connected with Roberts for a 53-yard gain to set up the score before finding Teats for a two-yard touchdown. Roberts then converted the two-point attempt to give the Bald Eagles a two-touchdown advantage with 9:20 remaining.
 
Clarion refused to go away, scoring twice over the final eight minutes and tying the game on Jase Ferguson's one-yard touchdown run with 41 seconds left.
 
That left just enough time for Footman and the Lock Haven offense.
 
Starting at the Bald Eagles' 46 following the kickoff and a Clarion penalty, Footman connected with Watson for gains of 16 and 12 yards before finding Roberts for eight more. After a short rushing loss, Bauer came on for the 37-yard attempt and split the uprights as the clock hit zero to send the Homecoming crowd into celebration.
 
Defensively, Gavin Papp led Lock Haven with 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. Miller added six tackles, an interception and three pass breakups as the Bald Eagles held Clarion to 81 rushing yards.
 
Lock Haven finished the afternoon with a 509-429 advantage in total offense and converted an impressive 12-of-15 third-down attempts while controlling possession for 34:38.
 
Next up for The Haven:
The Bald Eagles hit the road and will visit Indiana (Pa.) for a PSAC West clash at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10.