LAKEVILLE — In its run to the sectional championship last weekend, Clay avenged two Northern Indiana Conference losses with wins over Adams and St. Joseph's.

If the Colonials want to add a regional title to this season's accomplishments, they will have to avenge a third.

Clay advanced to the regional championship game with 3-1 win over LaVille and Penn survived with a 2-1 win over a spirited Concord squad Wednesday at the LaVille Regional at Newton Park.

The Kingsmen (14-3-3) and Colonials (8-11-1) play Saturday at 7 p.m. for the regional crown. Penn beat Clay 2-0 during the regular season.

Clay 3, LaVille 1: Junior forward Clarence Jackson was all the offense the Colonials would need.

Jackson scored three times for Clay — an outburst that coach George Lund was very pleased to see.

"We've been waiting for that all season long," Lund said. "He's been very dangerous. We think he should have more goals than he has scored this season. It was nice to see him break out of it and score."

"I was real happy with the way that we played as a team," Jackson said. "But this next game is big for us just because we already lost (to Penn). We need to win that one."

Jackson scored in the 14th minute after dribbling by and around two defenders in the box and then fired a shot past the LaVille keeper.

He added two more goals in the second half, each time displaying some fancy footwork.

"Sometimes he tries to make too many moves," Lund said. "It seems like sometimes he'll beat a guy and then slow down just so that he can try and beat him again."

Jacob Mangus scored in the 73rd minute for LaVille (10-10).

CLAY 3, LAVILLE 1

FIRST HALF

C — Clarence Jackson 14th minute.

SECOND HALF

C — Jackson (Ben Burnett) 45th minute.

C — Jackson 51st minute.

L — Jacob Mangus 73rd minute.

Shots: LaVille 7, Clay 17; Saves (goalkeeper): LaVille 11 (Joseph Vest), Clay 4 (James Pluta); Corners: LaVille 4, Clay 3.

Records: LaVille 10-10, Clay 8-11-1.

Officials: David Spradlin, Jim Hoover, Tim Van Duyne.

Penn 2, Concord 1: Tim Wilson headed a cross from Eric Walker in for a goal in the first minute for Penn.

A sure sign of smooth sailing for the Kingsmen, right?

Wrong.

Concord took the blow, punched back and gave Penn everything it could handle.

"The whole game is kind of a blur," Penn coach Larry McClements said. "Concord just played so well and so hard. We were very fortunate to come away with the win."

After Wilson's first goal, Concord (8-10-1) appeared to wake up. The Minutemen turned up the intensity and Andrew Shelly scored in the 32nd minute after deflecting a shot from Nick Wysong.

"I don't know if that first goal was a curse or what," McClements said. "But they really took it to us the rest of the first half."

In the 55th, Wilson chipped a shot over Concord keeper Shayne Hambrice, who charged on the play, and the ball rolled gently in for the game-winner.

"Tim was the difference for us tonight," McClements said. "He's been more of a complementary player for us this season but he was the difference tonight."

PENN 2, CONCORD 1

FIRST HALF

P — Tim Wilson (Eric Walker) 1st minute.

C — Andrew Shelly (Nick Wysong) 32nd minute.

SECOND HALF

P — Wilson (Weston Craker) 55th minute.

Shots: Penn 16, Concord 12; Saves (goalkeeper): Penn 11 (Aaron Hunter), Concord 5 (Shayne Hambrice); Corners: Penn 10, Concord 2.

Records: Penn 14-3-3, Concord 8-10-1.

Officials: David Spradlin, Jim Hoover, Tim Van Duyne.