CURWENSVILLE HOPING THE SECOND TIME WILL END HAPPIER THAN THE FIRST IN REMATCH WITH SMETHPORT

SMETHPORT -- Will the second time be a charm for the Smethport Hubbers?

Less than one week after beating the Curwensville Golden Tide, 27-14, in the Allegheny Mountain League Championship game in Ridgway, the Hubbers host the Tide in the first round of the District 9 Class A playoffs. Kickoff is set for Friday at 7 p.m.

Smethport (9-0) is trying to get back to the top of the Class A mountain for the first time since the 1998 season when the Hubbers beat Clarion-Limestone for the title. Curwensville (7-2) is trying to shake off last week's loss and defend the D-9 Class A crown it won last year.

Will anything be different the second time around? Smethport's success centered around the defensive unit's ability to frustrate Curwensville and keep the Golden Tide out of the end zone and quarterback Jeff Shostak's ability to make the big play, even if he didn't have the ball.

Curwensville outgained Smethport, 274-166, but trailed 27-0 before scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The statistics show that numbers don't mean anything and they do mean something all at the same time.

The score could have been judged as not as close as it was on the field. The Golden Tide came within yard of a touchdown at the end of the first half, but failed to score. Smethport took a 13-0 lead into intermission.

Then in the second half, the Hubbers scored following a bad snap on a Curwensville attempted punt and after a Curwensville pass interference penalty on fourth down extended Smethport's drive and led to a touchdown.

The Hubbers' Shostak rushed for 60 yards on 15 carries and ran for a 10-yard TD to open the second-half scoring. He completed 3 of 8 passes for 28 yards, one of them an 8-yard pass to Shawn Dunkle to open the game's scoring. Shostak also intercepted a pass on defense, his sixth pickoff of the year.

For the season Shostak is the fifth leading passer in District 9 and the 14^th leading rusher. Passing wise he is 49-for-98 for 987 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing seven interceptions. Using his quick feet he has rushed the ball 101 times for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns running the Hubbers option offense to perfection.

Fullback Chuck Duffy turned in a solid night, rushing for 58 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns on runs of 8 and 15 yards.

For the year, Duffy has rushed 40 times for 190 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t really start carrying the ball until a couple of weeks ago when the Hubbers lost starting tailback Dan Mitchell (44-283 and 5 scores) to a separated shoulder.

In addition to Shostak and Duffy other key players for the Hubbers include running back Eric Raydo and wide receivers Dunkle and Steve Bartas.

Raydo has rushed for 452 yards and seven touchdowns on 90 carries, while Dunkle has five grabs for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Bartas is the third leading receiver in District 9 with 28 catches for 546 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Hubbers do have to replace starting center Cody Click who suffered an injury in the AML Championship game and will not play Friday night. A replacement had not been named as of Tuesday night.

In the AML Title game, Curwensville gradually shut down the Hubbers' attack, but Smethport had already built a big lead. It will be interesting to see what team makes the best adjustments. Smethport's biggest adjustment already may be its home-field advantage, achieved by beating Curwensville a week ago.

Curwensville quarterback Jim Thompson passed for 138 yards as Mark Records and Matt Kalgren each hauled in four receptions. Kalgren caught his first TD pass of the season, a 10 yarder with under a minute remaining in the game. Joe Bennett led the Tide rushers with 72 yards on 18 carries.

On the season Thompson has passed for the 10^th most yards in District 9 throwing for 685 yards and 13 touchdowns while going 41-for-96 with 10 interceptions.

Kalgren, who entered the AML Title game with one catch on the season now has five for 67 yards and a score, while Records is the fourth leading receiver in District 9 with 26 catches for 504 yards and eight touchdowns.

Bennett is the eighth leading rusher in District 9 this season with 891 yards and 11 scores on 135 carries.

In addition to Bennett, the Golden Tide will also give the football to Ryan Bilger, Keegan Prisk and Brooks Collins.

Bilger has rushed for 646 yards and six scores on 93 carries, Prisk has 248 yards and five touchdowns on 74 carries and Collins has 66 carries for 347 yards and four scores.

The winner gets Saturday's winner -- Clarion-Limestone or Coudersport -- in the championship game Saturday, Nov. 10, at either Brockway or Port Allegany starting at 1 p.m.

NOTES: Smethport has been the most successful District 9 team in terms of District titles since 1987. The Hubbers have won one Class AA title and five Class A title while making two trips to the Class AA finals and seven trips to the Class A finals … Smethport, though, is looking to make its first appearance in the District 9 Class A final since 1998 when they beat Clarion-Limestone 28-14 … Curwensville is looking for its second straight District 9 title game trip … The Golden Tide, who are in the District 9 playoffs for just the second time since 1987 won last year’s title with a 23-0 win over Clarion … Smethport, meanwhile has been to the District 9 Class AA playoffs twice since 1987 and the Class A playoffs eight times … The Hubbers last made the District 9 playoffs in 1999 when they host 28-21 to Clarion in the opening round. It was the first time the Hubbers had made the District 9 playoffs but failed to reach the championship game.