CLEARFIELD FACES PERRY IN STATE PLAYOFFS

PIAA CLASS AAA PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND

GAME PREVIEW

CLEARFIELD – Clearfield, the District 9 Champion, will take its high-powered offensive show on the road this week when it travels to George K. Cupples Stadium on the South Side of Pittsburgh to face District 8 (Pittsburgh City League) Champion Perry in the opening round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday.

It is the second time in three years the two teams have met in the postseason with both games being at Cupples Stadium, Perry’s home field. The reason Perry gets a home game is because it is District 8’s turn to host this year, and Cupples Stadium is the only suitable playing facility in the district. Two years ago, Perry destroyed a Dave Richard’s led Clearfield squad 61-0 in a second-round game.

Clearfield (10-0) reached the game thanks to a 41-21 win over Bradford Friday night in the District 9 Class AAA title game at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium.

Perry (11-1) enters the PIAA playoffs fresh off a 23-12 win over Peabody in the City League Championship game Friday night at Heinz Field. The victory sewed up its fifth straight City League title, its seventh in the last eight years and its 14 overall with the win.

Clearfield is led by a triple-threat offense that includes running back Josh Harbold, quarterback Tanner Kelly and wide receiver Mike Scoggins, all three of whom are experienced senior starters.

Harbold, who rushed for over 800 yards as a sophomore the year Clearfield and Perry met and for over 1,000 yards last year, is the second leading rusher in District 9 with 162 carries for 1,784 yards and 21 touchdowns. He is adding 12 catches for 348 yards and two more scores while also starring at middle linebacker for the Bisons, who have won 17 of their past 18 games dating back to last season.

Kelly, a two-year starter, is a double-threat at the quarterback spot and is completing nearly 54 percent of his passes. He is 57-for-106 passing for 1,121 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 173.0, while running 84 times for 312 yards and eight touchdowns.

Scoggins has 28 catches for 518 yards and six touchdowns.

On the year, the Bisons have rushed for 2,860 yards and 40 touchdowns while passing for 1,187 and 10 scores. But Clearfield has become a much more balanced team over the past three games having rushed for 663 yards and thrown for 467 during that span, a 59 percent rush ratio compared to 75.3 percent rush ratio in the season’s first seven games.

"I have been saying all year that if we are balanced offensively we have a chance to be in the game and beat some people," Clearfield head coach Tim Janocko said following the D9 title game win.

Perry is a team that likes to throw the football. The Commodores have the top passer in the City League this season in junior Desmond Brentley.

Going into the Peabody game, Brentley had thrown for 1,767 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Brentley’s top targets include wide receivers Aundre Wright and Gary Nolen.

Sophomore Jared Williams is the Commodores running back. In the City League title game he rushed 12 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns including scoring the game sealer at the end of a 98-yard fourth-quarter drive after Perry had recovered a Peabody fumble at its own 2-yard line clinging to a 16-12 lead.

On defense, both teams have been very stingy this season. Clearfield is allowing just 9.6 points per game with Harbold leading the way, while Perry, behind defensive end Kendrick Davis, is allowing 12.5 points per game and has allowed opponents into double digits six times this season.

Special teams could also play a role in the game.

Harbold has big-play capability every time he returns a kick or a punt for the Bisons, while Perry got a huge punt return for a touchdown from Jerod Venson, the Commodores first punt return for a score this year, in the win over Peabody.

NOTES – District 9 did get some revenge on Perry last year when Bradford upset the Commodores 13-7 at Warren on its way to the PIAA semifinals … Perry’s only loss this season came to Ohio powerhouse Youngstown Ursuline 27-13 Sept. 18 at Youngstown State University … The Commodores have won 53 of their last 54 games against Pittsburgh City League opponents.