KANE WINS SECOND STRAIGHT AML TITLE WITH LATE SCORE

AML Title Game: Kane 7, Cameron County 6

Oct. 31, 2008

AML Title Game Home

By Andy Close

EMPORIUM – Kenny Kane's 2-yard touchdown run with 2:08 remaining in the fourth quarter coupled with Arie Paup's extra point lifted Kane to a 7-6 win over Cameron County and their second straight AML Championship Friday night at Cameron County.

“That's a very, very good football team we just beat that's very well coached,” said Kane head coach Jason Barner. “Nothing's going to be given to you, guys have to step up and make plays. I thought we had some kids do that tonight, and I’m proud as heck of them.”

Kane's offense, which totaled just 56 yards for the game, was set up for the game-winning score when Tyler Smith recovered a muffed punt by Cameron County at the Red Raiders 36-yard line with just over four minutes to play.

After an 11-yard loss on first down, Tyler Smith came up with two big catches for 37 yards to set up Kane's 2-yard plunge.

“Kenny (Kane) actually lost his voice before the game,” said Barner. “Our center had to call the cadence so that really limited us offensively.”

Cameron County (9-1) got the ball back with just over two minutes to play at their own 12-yard line. Jason Blose was able to find Andrew Kesterholt on a 32-yard pass on fourth-and-10 to keep the drive alive.

Blose was able to pick up another first down on the ground before the Kane defense stiffened. 

With the ball at the Kane 27-yard line, Blose ran for two yards before throwing three incompletions to end the drive and any hope the Red Raiders had of a win.

“We really persevered tonight especially defensively,” Barner said.

After a scoreless first half, Cameron County came out and drove the ball right down the field on the first possession of the third quarter. 

A couple of nice runs by Andy Lippert and Randy Schatz set up the Red Raiders with a first-and-goal from the 6-yard line. After three straight runs netted just two yards, Blose looked to the air on fourth down but his pass was dropped and Kane took over on downs.

Three plays later Kane running back Ross Nicholson fumbled the ball, and Andy Beer recovered for Cameron County setting them up with another goal-to-go situation at the Kane 10.

As Andy Lippert dove into the end zone to give the Red Raiders a 6-0 lead on the very next play, the officials huddled briefly before flagging Lippert for excessive celebration forcing Cameron County to go for the two-point conversion from the 17-yard line. A false start moved the ball back to the 22, and Blose's pass attempt into the end zone was incomplete.

“Two evenly matched teams unfortunately we came out on the wrong end of this one,” said Cameron County head coach Tony Defilippi. “I thought we left a lot of plays out on the field.”

Kenny Kane completed 7 of 10 passes for 61 yards as well as scoring what proved to be the game-winning touchdown for the Wolves. Shane Todd added 43 yards on 12 carries.

Lippert had a solid game on the ground for Cameron County, carrying the ball for 110 yards on 20 carries. Blose finished 3 of 12 passing for 58 yards.

“I think that's probably the best he's run all year,” Defilippi said of Lippert.

Kane will open up play in the District 9 Class AA playoffs against Karns City next week, while the Red Raiders will play host to Keystone in the Class A playoffs.

NOTES - Kane is the fifth team to repeat as AML Champions ... It is the third AML Title for the Wolves who also won the crown in 2002 ... Last year, Kane beat Cameron County 21-14 in Kane for the AML Title ... It was the lowest scoring AML Title Game ever surpassing the 1990 contest that featured 19 points in a 13-6 Smethport win over Eisenhower. The seven points Kane scored also surpassed the fewest points by a winning team in the game, which was previously the 13 points Smethport scored in 1990. Cameron County's six points tied for the third fewest points ever scored in an AML Title Game, while Kane's seven tallies tied for the sixth fewest. 

KANE 7, CAMERON COUNTY 6

Score by Quarters

Kane                0          0          0          7

CC                   0          0          6          0

Scoring Summary

Third Quarter

C – Andy Lippert 10 run (Conversion failed)            , 4:24

Fourth Quarter

K – Kenny Kane 2 run (Paup kick), 2:08

TEAM STATS

                                                K                                             CC

First Downs                            6                                              11

Rushes-Yards              29-minus 5                              50-201

Passing Yards                         61                                            58

Comp-Att-Int              7-10-0                          3-12-1

Total Yards                             56                                            259

Penalties-Yards                       6-53                                         6-49

Fumbles-Lost              2-1                                           1-1

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing – Kane: Shane Todd 12-43, Ross Nicholson 8-7, Kenny Kane 6-minus 10, Mark Ross 1-minus 11, Andrew Olson 2-4, Team 2-minus 36. Cameron County:  Andy Lippert 20-110, Randy Schatz 13-45, Andrew Kesterholt 4-6, Jason Blose 13-40.

Passing – Kane: Kenny Kane 7-for-10, 61 yards.  Cameron County: Jason Blose 3-for-12, 58 yards, 1 interception. Andrew Olson 0-for-1, 0 yards.

Receiving – Kane: Tyler Smith 2-37, Ross Nicholson 2-minus 6, Shane Todd 2-22, Arie Paup 1-8. Cameron County: Andy Beer 1-13, Mike Malizia 1-13, Andrew Kesterholt 1-32.