PLAYOFFS COULD BE ON THE LINE AS CLARION-LIMESTONE VISITS CLARION

Clarion-Limestone at Clarion 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28

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CLARION -- Clarion and Clarion-Limestone renew their backyard rivalry for the 30^th time since 1972 when the Lions of C-L travel down U.S. Route 322 to battle the Bobcats of Clarion at 7 p.m. Friday night.

Clarion (3-1 overall, 2-1 KSAC) leads the overall series 16-13, and the Bobcats have won the last two meeting between the schools by a combined score of 85-0 including a 34-0 win last season. C-L's last win in the series came in 1998 when the Lions (3-1, overall 2-1 KSAC) won 19-6.

"It’s a pretty exciting game," Clarion head coach Larry Wiser said. "The kids all grew up together, and everyone knows everyone. They have all had shared experiences, and it has been a really positive experience.

"In addition to that Clyde (Conti) is one of the more premier coaches in the league’s history with all of the innovations he has brought along."

Clarion-Limestone head coach Clyde Conti also believes that the series is a special thing.

"We have a high respect for their program," Conti said. "They are a sound football team every year. They are a fine team with great kids, fine athletes and excellent coaching. They are a championship-caliber team year-in-and-year out.

"The one thing I appreciate about the series is that it may not always be a good football game, but it is always a clean football game. It is a game that is played hard but played the way the game should be played."

While the series has been a tight one over the year, Clarion has dominated the last few seasons winning four of the last five times the teams have met. In those four wins, the Bobcats have outscored the Lions 172-0.

"The last four times we have beaten them, we have had pretty good teams," Wiser said.

Winning four of the last five games also marks a turnaround in the series. Prior to Clarion's 41-0 win in 1996, the Lions had won nine games in a row in the series dating back to 1988 including the series' most important game the 1990 District 9 championship game which C-L won 21-14 in overtime.

While this year's game might not have quite the importance of that 1990-title game, a lot of weight does lie on the game.

With both teams 2-1 in the KSAC, the winner become the clear-cut favorite to be the top Class A team in the KSAC therefore earning the KSAC's automatic berth in the District 9 Class A playoffs. The loser, on the other hand, will be facing a tough up-hill battle in hopes of securing one of two wild card slots in the District 9 playoffs. And gaining one of those two wild card slots won't be easy. The lose of this game will need to most likely win out the rest of the season and then hope from some help from some teams in the Allegheny Mountain League.

"I don’t think you have to say any more than we are playing C-L," Wiser said. "Whether the playoffs are on the line or we are both winless, its is always a big game. I think we all know what it means. It is kind of an unsaid thing."

Conti said while the game might have some big implications, the most important thing for his team is to play the best that it can.

"Once everything is said and done victory is never final," Conti said. "One way or the other you have to come back and play again and focus on the next game. All you can do is prepare as well as you can prepare. You can’t control the other team’s talent level or the other team’s coaching level. The only thing you can do is play as well as you can play. If you have done that then no matter what the outcome is you don’t have to hang your head when the game is over."

The game features two teams who had very different outcomes a week ago.

The visiting Lions were a 28-21 double overtime winner at home against Keystone last week in a game that saw C-L trail 14-7 with just over five minutes to play in regulation before getting a late touchdown from Ryan Smith to tie the game and force overtime. The Lions then trailed 21-14 in overtime and were facing a fourth-and-inches from inside the 1-yard line before Dan Alderton tied the game. Alderton then caught the game winning touchdown pass from J.J. Ferguson in the second overtime to give the Lions the victory.

"Our kids know that we were very fortunate to win that game," Conti said. "Keystone has a fine football team, but we also made some mental mistakes we can’t afford to make. We got a second chance and made the most of it. I think we learned some things from that game."

Clarion, on the other hand, saw its 21-game regular season unbeaten streak halted in a big way 41-12 by Karns City last week at Karns City. The loss was the Bobcats first regular season defeated since C-L beat them 19-6 on Oct. 30, 1998. The loss was also Clarion's first KSAC loss since that defeat to the Lions in 1998. The Bobcats had won 18 consecutive conference games before last week.

"It was a struggle coming back Monday," Wiser said. "We knew we had to work on a lot of things. But I was pretty pleased with the way we practiced both Tuesday and Wednesday."

One streak, though, for Clarion is still in tack and that is the Bobcats home winning streak which stands at 16 games. The last team to beat the Bobcats at home was Redbank Valley on Sept. 4, 1998.

C-L, under head coach Clyde Conti, will once again employ what is essentially a Wing-T offense. The Lions have been using a two-quarterback platoon this season with freshman Hayden Johnston and senior J.J. Ferguson sometimes alternating snaps.

Johnston is probably the better athlete of the two, while Ferguson probably throws a better ball at this point in his career. One thing is certain, Conti has said many times that the Lions need both players in order to win.

And both players have put up similar numbers.

Johnston is 8-for-23 passing for 139 yards and one touchdown while throwing one interception. Ferguson, meanwhile, is 11-for-28 for 165 yards and three touchdowns while throwing three interceptions. The duo has combined to go 19-for-51 for 304 yards and four touchdowns along with four interceptions in 2001.

Johnston is more of a threat to run the football rushing 25 times for 131 yards and one touchdown this season, while Ferguson has rushed four times for –36 yards all on sacks.

"We need both quarterback to be successful," Conti said. "They both bring something different to the game. They are both fine athletes, and they are both fine boys. I think J.J. has really handled the situation well and has helped Hayden out a lot."

Behind whoever is at quarterback is a stable of very capable backs that all have similar numbers led by senior standout Dan Alderton.

Alderton, who missed most of the first game and all of the second game with a shoulder injury, has come back to rush for 219 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries, an average of 6.8 yards per carry. He also has caught four passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns. He scores a touchdown once every 5.1 times he touches the ball on offense.

Senior Chad Conti, Clyde's son, has added 145 yards rushing on 26 touches and has scored one touchdown. Conti is also a fine receiver having caught five passes for 138 yards and one touchdown to led all Lions receivers this season.

Brendan Huwar is adding 137 yards rushing on 29 carries, while senior Ben Brooks leads the way for the runners at fullback. Brooks has 29 carries for 130 yards and one touchdown.

The top wide receiver for the Lions is Ryan Smith. Smith has four catches for 35 yards and one touchdown, while fellow receiver Ryan McKissick has three grabs for 44 yards and a score.

"I like the situation of being able to spread the ball out," Conti said. "Having three and sometimes four backs on the field at one time who can run the football is a luxury."

One of the Lions best assets is their kicker Rocky Davis. Davis constantly kicks the ball inside the opponent’s 15-yard line on kickoffs and has the leg to hit field goals from 40-plus yard out. He is also almost automatic on the point after touchdown.

Conti said the one thing that needs to happen for his team to win is his line needs to play well.

"It is all a matter of how you play up front," Conti said. "And up front we are small and young. That is a big concern for me. It is a concern every week. But the kids are going out there and giving it their all and playing as well as they can all season."

Clarion, under head coach Larry Wiser, will run more of a power formation that features senior running back Kyle Cathcart.

Cathcart, the all-time District 9 touchdown leader with 59, has rushed for 841 yards and 12 touchdowns this season while catching two passes for 30 yards. In his career he now has 3,468 yards rushing on 422 career and 135 yards receiving on nine catches.

Cathcart is also the key defensive player for the Bobcats. Going into the Karns City game he had 48 tackles, including 40 solo tackles and one interception.

Leading the blocking charge at fullback for Clarion will be Matt Watterson. Watterson has hauled the ball 32 times for 198 yards and one touchdown this year.

Quarterbacking for the Bobcats will be senior Ben Bevevino. Bevevino is 13-for-34 this season for 22 yards and four touchdowns while throwing three interceptions.

Clarion's top receiver is junior Will Lewis who has seven catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bobcats have gotten good kickoffs from Dave Larson, but Clarion has struggled all season long in points after touchdown converting just one kick in four games.

NOTES: Although Clarion only leads the all-time series with the Lions by three games, the Bobcats have outscored C-L 577-265 in the series. The Bobcats defense has pitched nine shutouts, while the Lions defense has come up with four shutouts. Clarion has won the blowout games going 13-4 in games won by 14 points or more, while C-L has faired better in the close games going 9-3 in the games settled by 13 points or less including 6-3 in games decided by eight points or less … Clarion has limited C-L to one or fewer touchdowns in 19 of the 29 meetings, while the Bobcats have scored three or more touchdowns in 12 of the 29 meetings … Clarion’s biggest win the series is by 51 points accomplished twice. The first time was a 63-8 win in 1986 and the second time was a 51-0 win in 1999. The Bobcats smallest margin of victory was one points, 7-6 in 1975 … C-L’s biggest win in the series is by 24 points, 30-6 in 1993, while the Lions smallest margin of victory was 7-6 in 1991 … While C-L’s largest margin for a win is 24 points, Clarion has won by that many points or more 10 times in the 29 meetings.