GAME PREVIEW

Derek Buganza Jason Blose Mike Vervoort Andrew Fragale Photo by George Powers - http://www.georgepowersphotos.com/ Photo by Shawn Murray - http://photos.reflectingmemories.net/ Photo by George Powers - http://www.georgepowersphotos.com/ Photo by Randy Frey - Web site

By Chris Rossetti

EMPORIUM – Is 2010 finally the year Cameron County gets that elusive AML Title or will it be another title-game disappointment for the Red Raiders.

Cameron County hosts Brockway in the 25^th edition of the AML Championship game at 7 p.m. Friday night, and it’s the fourth straight AML Championship game for the Red Raiders, who have lost three straight.

Last year, Cameron County fell 6-0 to Curwensville after losing 7-6 to Kane in 2008 and 21-13 to Kane in 2007. The 2008 game was played at Cameron County. The Red Raiders have one AML Title to their name winning the 1999 championship 21-14 over Smethport.

Brockway, meanwhile, is making just its second AML Championship-game appearance since joining the conference in 1999. The Rovers beat Coudersport 21-13 for the 2003 crown at Brockway.

Both teams enter the game on rolls.

Brockway is unbeaten at 9-0 and is looking for its first undefeated regular season since 2003.

Cameron County, meanwhile, has won seven straight after starting the season 0-2.

Brockway is the more balanced of the two clubs with the Rovers surprisingly showing a run-to-pass ratio if 1.7-1.

Some of that has to do with the Rovers trying to protect the injured thumb of star quarterback Derek Buganza and some of that is by design.

Buganza, while not having the type of season many thought he would (he threw for a PIAA-record 3,824 yards and 37 touchdowns as a junior but has “just” 1,923 yards and 19 touchdowns this year), is still the best quarterback in District 9 and is completing 66.3 percent of his passes. During the year, he became the all-time Pennsylvania passing leader and has 8,670 career yards and 84 career touchdowns.

But now teams can’t just concentrate on Buganza. They have to worry about a Brockway running attack that averages 268.6 yards per game.

That rushing game is led by Mike Vervoort who has 888 yards and 16 touchdowns on just 90 carries (9.87 yards per carry average). Vervoort is adding 32 catches for 588 yards and eight more touchdowns giving him 1,476 total yards of offense and 24 scores.

Chris Marshall (383 yards, 4 TDs) and Zach Freemer (355 yards, 9 TDs; 10 catches, 181 yards, 3 TDs) also see a lot of carries, while Kyle Braun (35 catches, 706 yards, 7 TDs) and Jake Shaffer (26 catches, 361 yards, 2 TDs) give Buganza plenty of weapon to throw to.

Cameron County, meanwhile, is a ground-oriented team led by senior running back Jason Blose, who was the quarterback the last two seasons. Blose has rushed for 1,167 yards and 10 scores on the year while averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He is the main reason the Red Raiders are averaging 260.6 yards per game on the ground compared to just over 50 yards per game in the air.

In the rare instance that Cameron County elects to throw the ball, first-year quarterback Zach Austin, a junior, is the man for the job. He is completing just shy of 40 percent of his passes (33 of 83) for 443 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is also a threat to run the ball with 398 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Also a threat on the ground for the Red Raiders is Andrew Fragale who has 476 yards and seven touchdowns as a bruising back. Blose (12 catches, 143 yards, 1 TD) and Ryan Grimm (12 catches, 122 yards) are the leading receivers.

Cameron may have the advantage on defense allowing 14.1 points per game to Brockway’s 21.7 ppg.

The leaders of the Red Raiders defense are Fragale, a linebacker, (74 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, Blose, a defensive back, (62 tackles, 2 interceptions) and defensive lineman Aaron Burnside (48 tackles, 11 sacks).

Leading the Brockway defense are linebacker Zack Brinkley (78 tackles, 2 sacks), nose guard Morgan Murray (66 tackles, 7 sacks, Vervoort, a linebacker, (44 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 sacks) and defensive back Joe Caruso (36 tackles, 4 interceptions).

The game probably has more at stake for Cameron County. A Red Raider win and they are the No. 1 seed out of the AML in the District 9 Class A playoffs and with that distinction are the overall No. 1 seed in the D9 postseason. A loss, and Cameron County falls to the No. 3 team out of the AML and with that the No. 5 seed and a road playoff game.

Brockway has already locked up the top seed in the District 9 Class AA playoffs, and with Karns City electing not to participate in the postseason will most likely get a bye into the title game.  

NOTES – No team has ever lost four straight AML Title games. Coudersport lost three in a row from 2002-2004 but won in 2005 and 2006. … Cameron County is just the fourth team to be making four straight AML Title Game appearances. Smethport appeared in 11 straight from 1989 to 1999 going 6-5, Coudersport made five in a row from 2002 to 2006 going 2-3 and Eisenhower made four straight from 1994-97 going 2-2.