DISTRICT 9 CLASS AA PLAYOFF OUTLOOK

Predications

(4) Brookville vs. (1) Moniteau

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Nov. 7: Karns City High School (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Kane/Karns City winner in D9 title game, Nov. 14-15 at TBA

GAME NOTES: This is a rematch of an Oct. 10 games won 42-7 by Moniteau at Moniteau. In that game, Brookville managed just 67 yards of offense and had minus 31 yards rushing. The 67 yards was less than Tyler Armagost, Tony Campbell and James Shope each had for Moniteau … Moniteau is searching for its first-ever District 9 title but is looking to make it to the District 9 title game for the second straight year and for the third time in four season. Brookville is looking for its first District 9 title game appearance since winning the Class AA title two years ago and for its 10^th all-time … This is also a rematch from a semifinal game last year won 38-12 by third-seeded Moniteau at second-seeded Brookville … Overall, this is the fourth playoff meeting between these teams. Moniteau also won 35-25 in 2005 after Brookville had won 20-13 in 2004.  

ABOUT THE BROOKVILLE RAIDERS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Chris Dworek

2007 RECORD: 5-5 (5-4 in KSAC, 5^th place)

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-2

TOP PLAYERS: RB Kyle Galbraith (126 carries, 702 yards, 7 TDs); RB Ethan Harmon (93 carries, 503 yards, 6 TDs); RB Cayliff Worling (42 carries, 365 yards, 5 TDs); QB Tyler Dombrowski (36 of 91, 514 yards, 5 TDs, 9 Ints); WR Jared Heschke (18 catches, 315 yards, 2 TDs); CB Dan Haines (14 catches, 192 yards; 7 interceptions on defense); TE/DE Taylor Heinrich (6 catches, 92 yards, 4 TDs; 5 ½ sacks on defense)

NOTABLE: Dombrowski is only a freshman, one of three freshmen quarterbacks who started in the KSAC this season … Brookville need a win at Punxsutawney last week to clinch the playoff spot, the Raiders 17^th all-time … Of Brookville’s five wins, none came against a team with an above .500 record and in fact the five teams the Raiders beat were a combined 10-35.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 16/2007 – Class AA

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 6/2006 – Class AA

ABOUT THE MONITEAU WARRIORS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jeff Campbell

2007 RECORD: 9-1 (9-0 in KSAC, 1^st place)

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-0

TOP PLAYERS: RB James Shope (123 carries, 998 yards, 15 TDs; 12 catches, 106 yards, 1 TD); QB/LB Tyler Armagost (84 of 159, 1,596 yards, 17 TDs, 6 Ints; 367 yards rushing, 7 TDs; 10 sacks on defense); WR Tony Campbell (34 catches, 832 yards, 13 TDs); WR Clayton Casper (22 catches, 437 yards, 2 TDs); FB/DT Justin Sanderson (75 carries, 467 yards, 5 TDs; 10 sacks on defense); LB Jacob Boy (18 sacks); DB Victor Santoyo (5 interceptions)

NOTABLE: Moniteau won its first conference title in school history this year … The Warriors 9-0 start was the best in school history, and only a 12-7 Week 10 loss to Riverside from the WPIAL, in a game that saw Moniteau heavily substitute, kept the Warriors from going through the regular-season unbeaten … Moniteau is the second-highest scoring team in District 9 (37.0 ppg) and missed tying Clearfield for the highest-scoring regular-season team by one point 371-370. Moniteau’s defense was second in the KSAC allowing 11.9 ppg.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 6/2007 – Class AA

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: None

(3) Kane vs. (2) Karns City

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Nov. 7: Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Brookville/Moniteau winner in D9 title game, Nov. 14-15 at TBA

GAME NOTES: Both of these teams won District 9 titles last year. Kane was the Class A champion knocking off Cameron County 14-6, and Karns City was the Class AA champion beating Moniteau 50-14. Kane moved up to Class AA prior to this season. It is the first time two champions from the previous year have met in the District 9 playoffs since 1992 when Brookville, the 1991 Class AAA champion, met Redbank Valley, the 1991 Class AA title winner, in the Class AA Championship game. Redbank Valley won that contest 34-8.

ABOUT THE KANE WOLVES

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jason Barner

2007 RECORD: 8-2 (8-1 in AML South, 1^st place; Won AML Title)

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-0

TOP PLAYERS: RB Shane Todd (116 carries, 724 yards, 6 TDs); RB/DE Ross Nicholson (110 carries, 573 yards, 10 TDs; 11 catches, 98 yards, 1 TD; 10.1 TPG, 13 sacks on defense); WR/DB Arie Paup (23 carries, 197 yards, 1 TD; 16 catches, 276 yards, 3 TD; 4 interceptions on defense); QB Kenny Kane (54 of 122, 753 yards, 9 TDs, 4 Ints; 6 rushing TDs).

NOTABLE: Nicholson was co-CHAMP D9Sports.com District 9 Defensive Player of the Year last season … Kane has the No. 2 scoring defense in District 9 allowing 9.5 ppg and has allowed 20 or more points just twice while allowing just 27 points in its last five games. During that five-game stretch, the Wolves have shutdown the high-powered offenses of Brockway, Cameron County, Curwensville and Johnsonburg. Those teams averaged 28.9 ppg on the season but scored a combined 21 points vs. Kane’s defense including Curwensville and Cameron County combining to score a total of six points the last two weeks … Kane had a playoff-type game last week beating Cameron County 7-6 in the AML Title game despite just 56 yards of total offense.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 4 /2007 – Class A

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 1/2007 – Class A

ABOUT THE KARNS CITY GREMLINS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Ed Conto

2007 RECORD: 9-1 (8-1, 2^nd place in KSAC)

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-1

TOP PLAYERS: QB Anthony Stimac (47 of 101, 736 yards, 13 TDs; 6 Ints; 69 carries, 570 yards, 9 TDs); RB/S Markus LaVan (73 carries, 483 yards, 3 TDs; 4 interceptions on defense); WR Josh Callender (10 catches, 111 yards, 3 TDs; 22 carries, 331 yards, 4 TDs); FB Jake Wagner (25 carries, 257 yards, 2 TDs; 8 catches, 122 yards, 1 TD); WR Cody Williams (5 catches, 136 yards, 3 TDs); FB/DE Levi Buck (38 carries, 189 yards,5 TDs; 7 sacks on defense); OL/DL Earl Everetts (5 sacks on defense)

NOTABLE: Karns City’s real strength is an experienced offensive line that has been together for three years now and has helped pave the way for two consecutive District 9 Class AA title-game appearances including last year’s title … The Gremlins had their 27-game KSAC win streak, the second longest in history, and 17-game regular-season win streak snapped Oct. 17 35-34 by Moniteau. Karns City then had the week off thanks to a forfeit by A-C Valley but responded in grand fashion last week knocking off previously unbeaten and state-ranked Wilmington out of District 10 22-21 on the road after rallying from a 21-6 third-quarter deficit.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 13/2007 – Class AA

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE:  6/2007 – Class AA