KARNS CITY – It one of the most intriguing non-conference games of the season, Greenville, ranked No. 6 in the state in Class AAA by the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Honorable Mention by the Pennsylvania Football News (PFN), travels to Karns City, ranked No. 6 in the state in Class AA by the Patriot-News and No. 2 by the PFN. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Trojans of Greenville enter the game with a 5-1 record with their lone loss coming 19-6 to Erie McDowell in the opening week of the season. McDowell is currently ranked Honorable Mention by the Patriot-News in Class AAAA. In their five wins, Greenville is outscoring their opponents by an average score of 32.2-13.2.

The Gremlins of Karns City enter the game with a 6-0 record and have not really been tested in 2001. Karns City’s closest game was a 25-7 win at Clarion-Limestone in Week One of the season. The Gremlin have outscored their six opponents by an average of 43.8-5.3. Karns City’s defense has pitched two shutouts in 2001 and only one teams, Clarion, was able to score more than one touchdown against the Gremlins, and the Bobcats second score came late in the game against the Karns City reserves. Meanwhile, Karns City’s offense has put up 40 or more points in five straight weeks and have scored 50 or more points twice in 2001.

Last week saw very different games for the two teams.

Greenville needed a last minute touchdown to pull out a come-from-behind 14-13 victory over Titusville, while Karns City routed A-C Valley 50-6.

In the Greenville game, quarterback Phil Mason hit Travis Zuschlag with a 4-yard touchdown pass with 23 seconds left in the game, and Dennis Reynolds added the extra point to give the Trojans the one-point win.

In the Karns City game, it was the Billy Graham show as the senior running back rushed for 199 yards and four touchdowns to pace the Gremlin attack.

Greenville is led by a strong running attack that features halfback Mike Stephens, a 5-9, 180-pound senior. Stephens is the Trojans leading rusher with 523 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. His top game was a 26 carry, 180 yard, four touchdown performance in a 34-14 win at Franklin in Week Three. He has three 100-yard games this year.

In addition to Stephens, the Trojans also use fullback Mike Maluk (97 yards & 2 TDS), Brad Barker (151 yards & 1 TD), Mason (72 yards & 1 TD), Brent Richards (144 yards & 1 TD) and Reynolds (117 yards & 1 TD) to tote the football.

Reynolds has been a late addition to the Trojans backfield picking up all his yards the past two weeks.

Mason, a 5-11, 175-pound senior, is the triggerman for the Greenville offense. He is 35-for-77 (45.5%) passing this season for 515 yards and three touchdowns while throwing one interception. The Trojan passing game has picked things up a notch in the last two weeks with Mason going 17-for-29 (58.6%) passing for 265 yards and three touchdowns in wins over Erie East (47-20) and Titusville.

The Trojans main receivers are Zuschlag, a 5-7, 150-pound senior, and Maluk, a 6-1, 245-pound senior.

Zuschlag has 10 catches for 123 yard and two touchdowns and had seven grabs for 73 yards and two scores in the win over Titusville.

Maluk has seven catches for 142 yards this season with 66 of the yards coming on two grabs in the McDowell game.

Greenville also has a very strong special teams game thanks to Richards and Reynolds.

Richards is a threat returning kicks having returned to kickoffs for touchdowns this season on returns of 82 and 85 yards and one punt (65 yards) for a score.

Reynolds is almost automatic in the kicking game making 21 of 23 extra points along with kicking one field goal in 2001.

Karns City relies on a more balanced approach on offense.

Junior quarterback Erik Fuhrer is the signal caller for the Gremlins. Despite missing the first game of the season with an injury, Fuhrer is the third best passer in District 9. He has gone 33-for-67 (49%) throwing the football for 647 yards and nine touchdowns while throwing just one interception.

Senior Brian Hilderbrand is Fuhrer main target. The speedy Hilderbrand has caught 15 passes for 288 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Ian Ferguson, who also serves as back-up quarterback is adding 12 catches for 242 yards and four touchdowns. Ferguson has also thrown for 96 yards and a touchdown in 2001.

Graham, meanwhile, is the leading rusher and scorer for the Gremlins. He has rushed the ball 99 times for 776 yards and 16 touchdowns. The 776 yards are fourth best in District 9 while the 16 touchdowns are tops in the district. He is averaging 7.8 yards per carry.