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By Andy Close

PORT ALLEGANY – One team left the field feeling pretty good about themselves, while the other left scratching their heads.

Just a week after Port Allegany’s (9-0) 55-20 pasting of Brockway (8-1), the two teams meet again on the same field for the AML championship.

It’s the second time in as many seasons the two clubs will square off for AML supremacy, with the Gators earning a 56-27 win in last year’s game. It was one of three wins Port had over Brockway in 2011.

The Gators did whatever they wanted offensively in Week 9, with their first-team offense scoring every time they had the ball.

In the process, quarterback Matt Bodamer became Pennsylvania’s career passing yardage king, surpassing former Brockway quarterback Derek Buganza. He has now thrown for 9,787 yards and 126 touchdowns, also a state record, which he broke against Sheffield in Week 7. On the season, he is completing 74.6 percent (159-223) percent of his passes for 2,790 yards with 41 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Bodamer picked apart the Rovers’ secondary last week, completing 18 of 22 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns, three of which went to Nick Conway.

Conway (46 catches, 910 yards, 16 touchdowns) and Tyce Miller (55 catches, 1,055 yards, 15 touchdowns), the latter of whom is broke the D-9 record for touchdown catches and yardage this season, team to form the top statistical receiving tandem in the state. Conway’s 16 touchdowns are tied for second in the state.

Tight end Rickie Bova (29 catches, 385 yards, 6 touchdowns) and Trey Miller (17 catches, 302 yards, 1 touchdown) are also at Bodamer’ s disposal in the passing game.

Trent Neal leads the ground game with 529 yards rushing and six touchdowns, while Bodamer has rushed for 500 yards and 11 scores for an offense that is averaging 53.3 points per game, tops in the state.

Defensively, Port is giving up just 11.2 points per game, much of that coming with their first-teamers out of the game.

Brockway, which comes in averaging 43.1 ppg but also allows 25.8 ppg, relies on a balanced offensive attack for most of the season.

QB Alec Shaffer-Doan leads the way with 1,927 yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs and a 61.2 percent completion percentage. He completed just 6 of 20 passes last week, but also didn’t start the game at QB.

Jake Perrin, the Rovers’ leading receiver with 56 catches, 830 yards and TDs saw looks at quarterback in the wildcat package in Week 9. Anthony Benson (27 catches, 555 yards, 7 touchdowns) is another weapon in the passing game.

Chad Melillo is District 9’s fourth-leading rusher with 1,108 yards and 17 touchdowns.

The Rovers also have a special teams weapon in kicker Phil Esposito, who has deep range as a field goal kicker and on kickoffs.

NOTES: Port Allegany is seeking to win back-to-back AML titles for the first time in school history … This is the sixth appearance for Port Allegany in the AML Title game … The Gators appeared in the first three AML Title games winning 23-14 in 1986 over Johnsonburg, losing 21-20 to Johnsonburg in 1987 and defeating Ridgway 19-14 in 1988. The Gators also lost to Curwensville 33-21 in 2000 … Brockway, which lost in the AML Title game for first time last season, is making its fourth appearance (2-1) … Both teams have already qualified for the Class A playoffs, with the winner of this game earning the No. 1 overall seed. Both teams have assured themselves of hosting a first-round playoff game.