SHARPSVILLE ENDS COUDERSPORT'S SEASON

WEEK 12 -- PIAA CLASS A PLAYOFFS

DuBOIS – Sharpsville built a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter and held Coudersport at arm's length after that on its way to a 35-12 win over the Falcons in the opening round of the PIAA Class A playoffs Friday night at DuBoi’s E.J. Mansell Stadium.

The Blue Devils (11-1) now play the winner of the Bishop Carroll vs. Windber game, while District 9 champion Coudersport closes its season with a 10-2 record.

Coudersport, making its second trip ever to the state playoffs, was left to wonder "what if . . . " If a couple of plays had gone the Falcons' way, this game could have been much closer and Coudy might even have been able to pull the upset.

The game started with a bad omen for Coudersport, as Randy Veccia's 80-yard return of the opening kickoff gave Sharpsville an early 6-0 advantage.

The Blue Devils followed with a 69-yard, 11-play drive that ended on Ron Haywood's 15-yard touchdown run. Haywood also pulled in the two-point conversion pass from sophomore quarterback Mark Anglin to make the score 14-0.

Later in the first quarter, Sharpsville gained possession at its own 45 after a short punt. Haywood broke away for a 25-yard pickup leading to Anglin's TD on a quarterback keeper from less than a yard out. Ray Rotell drilled the extra point, and the Blue Devils led 21-0.

Coudersport was down, but not out.

In fact, the Falcons fought their way back into the game on an impressive 65-yard drive, highlighted by pass completions by junior quarterback Ben Cary to four different players. Cary hit Dane Haskins, Ross Simcoe, Steve Brink and Mike Maiuro on aerials before Maiuro carried into the end zone one yard over left tackle to cut the lead to 21-6.

Moments later, Falcon Jarrett Levavasseur intercepted an Anglin pass and Cary connected with Maiuro for a 15-yard gain to the Falcon 48. However, on the next play Rotell intercepted a Cary aerial to return the ball to the Blue Devils.

Anglin then connected with running back Eric Major for 18 yards and, two plays later, Haywood scored his second TD on a 7-yard run. Rotell's PAT made the score 28-6.

Their backs against the wall, the Falcons nearly cashed in as they raced the clock toward the intermission.

Again, it was Cary finding Maiuro and Haskins on pass completions, moving the ball to the Sharpsville 15 with just 0:01 on the clock. The southpaw QB then found Zach Hershey over the middle and the junior wingback made a valiant effort to break the end zone plane, only to come up inches short-- an officials' call that sparked some protest from Falcon players who thought Hershey had scored.

Down by three touchdowns entering the second half, Coudersport hung tough. The Falcon defense turned things up a notch while the offense, stopped just short of midfield on its first possession, cashed in after Zach Hetrick recovered a Haywood fumble at the Blue Devil 10.

On a do-or-die fourth down play, Cary drilled Brink with a hard pass in the end zone and the senior wideout held on for the TD. A two-point conversion attempt failed, freezing the score at 28-12, which left Coudersport within reach.

But Sharpsville was not about to let this one slip away.

The Blue Devils ground out a first down on the final play of the third period, and put the game away when Haywood took a handoff and then fired a halfback option pass. On the other end was the injury-plagued senior standout, Bill Stiger, who has seen limited action due to a leg injury. Stiger dashed into the end zone on a play that covered 35 yards and effectively brought the Falcons' season to a close.

Coudersport did reach Sharpsville territory on its next possession, but was forced to punt. Moments later, the Falcons turned the ball back over to the Blue Devils on a muffed punt with about five minutes left in the game and the writing was on the wall.