D9SPORTS.COM "GAMES OF THE WEEK"

ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN LEAGUE

Port Allegany (6-4 overall, 6-3 AML North) at Johnsonburg (5-4 overall and AML South) 

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

JOHNSONBURG - It will be a match-up of teams in opposite situations when defending AML North champion Port Allegany visits Johnsonburg Friday night.

The Gators return only four starters from last year's team that played in the AML Championship game. Head coach Bob Haskins wants to make sure his team gets off to a fast start, but anticipates the Gators' first three games against Johnsonburg, Smethport and Coudersport to be "real tough."

If you look at the amount and quality of personnel Port Allegany lost, his assessment is right on the money. The Gators lost running back Cliff Fillhart, quarterback Tom Nasto and receiver Kerry Hawver, who were three main contributors to Port's success last season. 

Senior Tony Flint takes over at quarterback and senior Kevin Donovan will be the main running back, but both men lack varsity experience in their respective positions. 

Port Allegany's strength may lie in its offensive line, with senior guards Jesse Cimino and Alan Lovell, senior tackle Mike Ventresca and junior tackle Corey Petteys. Petteys weighs in at 275 pounds and Ventresca at 300.

On the other side of the field, Johnsonburg looks like they are a team in prime position to shift the balance of power in the AML. The Rams return 11 players including guys at the quarterback, running back and tight end positions. 

The Rams' fifth-year head coach Bob Vallone told the Tri-County Sunday the Rams' goals are to reach the AML title game and possible the District 9 title game.

But achieving those goals are largely contingent upon the performances of senior QB Francis Iorfido, senior back Francis Jovenitti and senior TE Ryan Yurchick. 

Iorfido was 42 for 109 last season for 898 yards and seven touchdowns while throwing six interceptions. Jovenitti carried the ball 79 times for 406 yards and one touchdown, while Yurchick caught seven passes for 127 yards. The Rams, despite returning numerous players, lost leading receiver Jake Sprague and top running back Joey Carnovale, both of who combined for 15 touchdowns.

The Rams' road to the AML Championship game will not be an easy one. Along with their AML South schedule, Johnsonburg will also face Coudersport and Smethport, two of the top teams in the AML North.

Coudersport (7-3 overall, 6-3 AML North) at Ridgway (5-4 overall and AML South) 

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Coudersport head coach Paul Simcoe told the Olean Times-Herald his team is shooting for the AML title game and the D-9 playoffs.

Though Ridgway head coach Mark Morelli is more concerned right now with his early season schedule that include the Falcons, Brockway and Curwensville (both schools were playoff teams last season).

For Coudersport, the Falcons return an astounding 20 starters, 10 on each side of the ball. Coudy returns almost everyone in the skill positions, including junior QB Ben Carey (800+ yds. passing, 8 TD's), and senior receivers Steve Brink and Dane Haskins, both major contributors last season.

While Coudy boasts robust offensive and defensive lines, the Falcons need to take better care of the football this season, having fumbled the ball away 24 times, including seven times in a 14-0 loss to Smethport last season. Once Coudy started holding onto the ball better, the Falcons won five of their last six games.

Meanwhile, Ridgway returns an impressive 16 starters (nine offensive, seven defensive) and five other lettermen. The Elkers return the majority of their key offensive players, including QB Brandon Steger, backs Dusty Dickant and Cody Mathis, tight end Jesse Depanfilis, tackle Dan Bjorkquist.

Steger was the fourth leading passer in D-9 last year during the regular season completing 48 of 102 passes for 888 yards and nine touchdowns but threw seven interceptions.

Ridgway did lose one key player on offense, last year's leading receiver Kaleb Fitch, who had 22 receptions for 387 yards and 3 TD's.

Smethport (6-3 overall and AML North) at Brockway (9-2 overall, 8-1 AML South) 

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Many questions. Few answers. One game. 

It's back to the good, old days for Smethport, or, to be more precise, back to two years ago when Defilippi was last at the helm. Defilippi, who compiled a 174-30 record in 19 years as the Hubbers coach, returns after watching replacement John Petruzzi and Smethport go 6-3 last season, a season in which the Hubbers DIDN'T make the playoffs.

Defilippi has his work cut out for him, having lost 16 letterwinners from last season and having only eight starters and 13 letterwinners back.

Also, the Olean Times-Herald reported Aug. 20th that seven players are academically ineligible for the first two games of the season and three other players are out with injuries until mid-September.

The Hubbers return four starters on offense, including senior QB Jeff Shostak, senior split end Steve Bartas, and senior tailbacks Dan Mitchell and Eric Raydo.

Smethport has a good sized offensive line with senior Jeff Larson (6’3", 260 pounds) and junior Bryon Stebbins (5’10", 275) at the guards.

But will Smethport be able to overcome all the obstacles? We will see soon enough.

For Brockway and 17th-year head coach Ray Reckner, it is the beginning of the post-Aaron Cantafio era. But, perhaps as important as losing Canatfio, the Rovers lost 16 other starters.

Cantafio led the District 9 with 2,001 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns last year and is also District 9’s all-time leading rusher (4.694 yards) and touchdowns scorer (57). The Rovers also lost quarterback Adam Kulbatsky, running backs Mike Grecco and Jesse Vivian and offensive linemen Eric Wymer and Frank Varischetti from a team that lost to Karns City in the D-9 Class AA title game.

No matter who lines up in the backfield, an experienced offensive line should be able to create some running room for the backs. Leading that line will be seniors Justin Calhoun and Aaron Meredith, juniors Matt Grieneisen and sophomore Kyle Smith.

Will Brockway be able to overcome all the lost talent at excel? We will see soon enough.

DISTRICT 9 LEAGUE

Clearfield (7-3 overall, 4-1 D-9 League Tri-Champions) 

at Bradford (9-3 overall, 4-1 D-9 League Tri-Champions, D-9 Class AAA Champions)

Friday, 7 p.m.

Both teams finished 4-1 in league play and were, along with DuBois Area, tri-champions of the D-9 League. Also, the two teams met twice last year. In the first game of the year for both teams, Clearfield beat the Owls 35-14. But in the D-9 Class AAA Championship game, Bradford defeated the Bison 48-14 to advance into the PIAA State playoffs and eliminated Clearfield.

The win was Bradford's first over Clearfield in 11 tries.

Clearfield returns 16 starters and 20 letterwinners from last year's squad. On offense, Clearfield returns its entire backfield from last season including junior quarterback Michael Sayers (46-of-103, 779 yds., 8 TD's), the team's leading back, senior Matt Meckey (767 yds., 10 TD's) and junior running back Dave Richards (625 yds., 8 TD's).

The one area that is still a question on the Clearfield offense is wide receiver where the Bison lost Brian Kaspick to graduation. Kaspick caught 22 passes for 536 yards and eight scores during the regular season a year ago.

For the defending D-9 Class AAA champs, who lost in the second round of the PIAA state playoffs, Bradford has a new man at the helm. Steve Ackerman takes over for Tim Walters, who is the school's athletic director. 

"We’re not changing anything on either side of the ball," Ackerman said and for good reason. The Owls return 14 starters and 18 letterwinners and have their sites set on making a return trip to the state playoffs.

The top returning players on offense for Bradford include guards Mike Fair (who has switched to guard after being the Owls' leading rusher last year with 560 yards and 2 TD's), Pete Kervin and Andy Reid, tackle Mike Reinhardt, halfbacks Elliott George and Jason Casey, fullback Jim Nuzzo, quarterback Kevin Rose and Ben Copeland at split end.

Rose will mainly be handing the ball off to George, Casey and Nuzzo, as Rose only passed the ball 52 times last year.

Bradford also possesses a weapon many teams do not have, a superb placekicker. Ken Ciolek, who might be one of the best place kickers in the entire state. He was 5 of 8 on field goals last year and 20 of 23 on extra points for 35 points. He also 35.1 yards per punt on 24 punts.

KEYSTONE SHORTWAY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Karns City (9-3 overall, 7-1 KSAC, D-9 Class AA Champions)

at Clarion-Limestone (7-3 overall, 6-2 KSAC)

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

In what is figured to be a three-team race for the KSAC championship between Clarion, Clarion-Limestone and Karns City, the winner of this contest will have the upper-hand and will set the tone in the conference. 

This could be the year of the Lion in C-L's case. The Lions only lost five players to graduation and return players in all of their skilled positions. C-L will also carry a 36-man roster, which is a higher number than usual for 22nd-year head coach Clyde Conti.

Still at his disposal is senior Dan Alderton, the Lions' leading rusher, receiver and scorer last season. The All-KSAC First Team running back and Second Team defensive back gained 935 yards of total offense, scored 15 touchdowns including one kickoff return for a score and grabbed three interceptions.

"He's probably the best athlete I have ever coached and probably ever will," Conti said. "He brings a great deal to the team."

Also returning is two-year starting quarterback, senior J. J. Ferguson (32-for-85, 593 yds., 9 TD, 5 INT.),  but Ferguson is facing stiff competition for the job from freshman phenom Hayden Johnston.

The starter at quarterback, whomever that may be, has other weapons at his disposal besides Alderton, having the luxury to the hand the ball off to an experienced backfield of senior tailback Chad Conti and junior fullback Ben Brooks (85 att., 589 yds., 8 TD).

With a strong running game to boot, the Lions boast experience and talent in the wide receiver positions in seniors Ryan Smith and Justin McKissick. Another weapon in the C-L passing game will be junior Harley Doane, who started in the D-9 playoff game against eventual district champion Curwensville last year. Conti plans on gaining yards through the air and is confident in his quarterbacks and receivers to get the job done. Conti could also get some points from his kicker, junior Rocky Davis.

Conti feels a key to success will be the play of both lines. C-L usually has a smaller line compared to many of the elite teams, but the players are athletic and quick.

"We have some kids on our lines that can run," Conti said. "All our good teams always had at least one sophomore who has done well. We would like to be a lot more aggressive defensively. That is something we have talked to the guys about. We want to get more people to the football. The type of teams in the past that have hurt us have been the Karns Citys, the Clarions, the Curwensvilles, they are all powerful teams. That will be something that we need to address."

Speaking of Karns City, the team to beat in the KSAC with Clarion Area "reloading," the Gremlins, under the guidance of Ed Conto, who is in his second year at KC, lost 10 players but return many key players especially in the skilled positions.

Junior Erik Fuhrer (50-for-102, 901 yds., 12 TD's) emerged as a solid starter last year and should guide the Gremlins. Despite losing Jim Belles (77 att., 635 yds., 11 TD's), KC still sports a very solid running attack with seniors Billy Graham (106 att., 782 yds., 12  TD's) and Beau Rattigan (82 att., 592 yds., team-leading 13 TD's).

As for Fuhrer's targets, Greg King, the team's leading receiver is gone, but seniors Ian Ferguson, Brian Hilderbrand and Rattigan should provide ample opportunity for yards through the air.