CLARION LOOKING TO RETURN TO THE PLAYOFFS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2000

CLARION – With an expanded playoff format and an experienced and talented team coming back, the 2004 Clarion football team is setting it sights on a return for the District 9 Class A playoffs for the first time since the 2000 season.

"I am excited about the team we have coming back this year," Clarion head coach Larry Wiser said. "We have experience coming back, and I am always pretty optimistic going into the season. If the right things work together for us, if the team chemistry comes together and if we get the right breaks, we could be in there in the end. We are going in with a shot to win the KSAC."

A year ago, Clarion was a respectable 6-3 with all three loses coming against playoffs teams (Clarion-Limestone, Karns City and Moniteau) with two of the loses coming against Class AA opponents (Karns City and Moniteau).

This season, the Bobcats returns a talented group of players including three-fifth of an offensive line that has the coaching staff very excited.

"We have an experienced offensive line and an experienced offensive backfield," Wiser said. "The offensive line kids have worked very hard. They are all very strong, and they have all really worked on their foot speed."

Not only is the offensive line strong, it is also big averaging 6-1, 250 pounds.

Returning starters Jason Best (6-4, 310), Jason Brosius (5-10, 240) and Sam Eagleton (5-8, 215) will anchor the line. They will most likely be joined by Zack Seitz (6-2, 260) and Joel Peters (6-3, 225).

The Bobcats quarterback will be junior Sean Wolf, who saw action last season going 5-for-21 passing for 119 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The tailbacks will be junior Chris McSwain (71 carries, 402 yards, 3 TDs) and sophomore Brad Rapp (13 carries, 77 yards, 2 TDs), while senior Cody Dolby and junior Elliot Fabri (21 carries, 143 yards, 2 TDs) will be the fullbacks.

A young, inexperienced but talented receiving corps will be anchored by senior Kody Wolf and juniors Blake Lantelme, Manny Carpin and Nick Hager.

The defense will be an attacking, aggressive one for the Bobcats.

""We will definitely be an attacking defense," Wiser said. We have a few new wrinkles we are hoping to implement including some zone blitzes and some other things. We are inexperienced at some positions, but we have some talented kids coming back."

The linebacking corps should be solid with Fabri, McSwain, Rapp and Dolby at linebacker.

Juniors Rick Schmader (6-5, 220 pounds) and Zack Botzer and sophomore Ryan Hritz will be at defensive end with Seitz and others in the interior.

The secondary will include Arner at strong safety, Lantelme at free safety and a combination of Carpin, Kody Wolf, Hager and sophomore Paul McGinley at cornerback.

Sophomore Danny L’Insalata could be the place kicker with Seitz handling the kickoff duties and McSwain the punting.

Lantelme will return punts and kicks and will be joined on kicks by Carpin and Hager.

Clarion opens play at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at home against Keystone.