SLIPPERY ROCK - 1954.

Slippery Rock University's senior football players wanted to leave that year where it belonged - in the past.

SRU avoided its first six-game losing streak in 50 years Saturday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium by posting a season-ending 31-14 victory over Clarion.

"We were talking under our goalposts right before our names were called for pre-game introductions," senior defensive end Jesse Kelly said. "Our message was clear: We had to win this game."

Kelly got The Rock (4-7, 2-4) the lead in the first quarter when he blocked a punt by Clarion's Joe Farkas and returned it the remaining eight yards for the game's first score.

It was also Kelly's first-ever touchdown in football - in his final game.

"Pop Warner ball, junior high, you name it, I'd never scored a touchdown," Kelly said. "The Good Lord was with me on this one. The ball bounced right up for me."

There was plenty of emotion for The Rock on this day.

Senior H-Back Brandon Richardson caught four passes for 106 yards, including a 48-yarder to set up the go-ahead touchdown late in the first half, after his mother died earlier in the week.

"They postponed the funeral until tomorrow so Brandon could play his last game," SRU coach George Mihalik said. "This has been a very tough week for that young man.

"His mother couldn't wait to walk with her son on the field on Senior Day. Still, he came out and played hard for his team."

And for his mother.

"You never know what wearing the Green and White means to you until it's over," Richardson said. "I'll never forget this day. I'll never forget this win."

Quarterback Nate Crookshank, sidelined by a strained rotator cuff, didn't throw a pass in practice all week. Come Saturday morning, he still couldn't throw one.

"He didn't even participate in pre-game drills," Mihalik said. "As far as we were concerned, he was out. Justin Fisher was our backup quarterback today because we didn't want to ruin our other quarterbacks' redshirts."

But when starter A.J. Ruperto and The Rock offense struggled early, Crookshank said he was ready.

"He came over to me on the sidelines and said he was there if we needed him, so we gave it a try," Mihalik said. "I don't even know how he threw the ball. He must have been in intense pain."

Crookshank wound up completing 9 of 15 passes for 141 yards. After Clarion (3-8, 1-5) took a 14-10 lead with 1:43 left in the first half, his 48-yard pass to Richardson set up Josh Kniess for a 5-yard touchdown run with 32 seconds left in the half.

Kniess, a Slippery Rock High graduate, added scoring runs of 9 yards and 1 yard in the third quarter to account for the final margin of victory.

Kniess had 199 all-purpose yards, including 82 on three punt returns. His 43-yard punt return set up one of his third-quarter touchdowns.

Kniess ended the season with more than 1,100 yards rushing and 17 total touchdowns. He is among The Rock's single-season top 10 in both categories.

Clarion suffered five turnovers, including four fumbles, and 103 yards in penalties in suffering its sixth straight loss.

"That's the game right there," Golden Eagles coach Malen Luke said. "You saw it. We don't need a punter. We either score or turn the darn ball over."

The Golden Eagles punted only twice in the second half but didn't score in the final two quarters.

"I told our team Friday … this is a very important game for the future of our program, probably the most important of the year in that regard," Mihalik said. "And they responded."

Notes:

Richardson ended the season with 46 catches for 676 yards. Both figures led the team. … Seneca Valley graduate Mike Jennings recorded his team-leading eighth sack of the year. … Greg Baker, Brian Godfrey, Ron Miller and Seneca Valley graduate Greg Ames recovered fumbles for SRU and Jared Palmer intercepted a pass.