WEEK TWO PREVIEW STORIES

Sept. 6

BROCKWAY – Only one week has passed in the 2002 District 9 high school football season, but already there have been a couple of surprises with some traditionally strong teams suffering shocking losses in Week One.

With Week Two fast approaching, there are 15 games on tap including a couple of key early season match-ups. The two featured games this week are Ridgway at Brockway and Karns City at Keystone. To see full game previews on those games please click on the game below.

For information on the remaining 13 games, please look at the capsule previews located beneath the two games of the week links.

Karns City (0-1 overall, 0-1 KSAC) at Keystone (1-0, 1-0) 7 p.m. Friday Sept. 6

Ridgway (1-0, 1-0 AML South) at Brockway (1-0, 1-0) 7:30 p.m. Friday Sept. 6

Last week after scoring two quick touchdowns against Cameron County, Coudersport, a pre-season favorite in Class A, struggled to hold onto the ball in its 20-6 win over the Red Raiders. The Falcons were never forced to punt, but they did fumble the ball away twice times in the game while throwing four interceptions.

Eisenhower, meanwhile, was less than a minute away from upsetting Curwensville when Curwensville’s Cory Bailor hit a game-winning field goal with 25 seconds left to lift the Golden Tide to a 10-9 win.

Coudersport is led by quarterback Ben Cary (6-for-13, 90 yards, 1 touchdown), running back Zach Hershey (27 carries, 135 yards, 1 touchdown, kickoff return for a TD) and wide receiver/defensive back Jeremiah Frederick (3 catches, 39 yards, 1 touchdown, 7 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries).

Quarterback Jacoby Curtis, wide receiver Ryan Irwin and linebacker Jake Rulander lead Eisenhower.

Both of these teams lost by double digits in Week One with Sheffield falling 50-25 to Brockway and Otto-Eldred losing 46-18 to Ridgway.

Quarterback Nik Obenrader (7-for-22, 233 yards, 4 touchdowns) and wide receivers Jimmy Mosher (2 catches, 94 yards) and Robin Copley (2 catches, 71 yards, 2 touchdowns) pace the Wolverines of Sheffield.

Quarterback Joey Drake (7-for-14, 103 yards, 2 touchdowns) and wingback Josh Barnish (6 catches, 117 yards, 2 touchdowns; 5 carries, 48 yards, 1 touchdown) led the way for the Otto-Eldred Terrors.

If told before the season that one team in the Youngsville-Smethport game would be 1-0 and the other would be 0-1, most people would have said Smethport would have the win and Youngsville the loss. But this season it is the Eagles of Youngsville who are 1-0 coming off a 34-28 overtime win against Johnsonburg and the Hubbers of Smethport who are 0-1 following a 20-7 shocker by Elk County Catholic.

Smethport, which is young to begin with, reportedly has suffered a couple of injuries to its line that have the potential to make it tough sledding for the Hubbers. They are led by quarterback Mike Mitchell ( 3-for-7, 25 yards; 14 rushes, 100 yards) and running backs Andy Rounsville (8 carries, 55 yards) and Bryant Tronetti (11 carries, 43 yards).

Jamie Blum (16 carries, 144 yards, 2 touchdowns) leads Youngsville.

A week ago, Elk County Catholic shocked the District 9 world with a 20-6 beating of Smethport at Smethport, while Curwensville needed a 32-yard field goal by Cory Bailor with 25 seconds left to beat Eisenhower 10-9.

Quarterback Bob Pearsall (8-for-12, 78 yards,1 touchdown), running backs Ted Cherry (14 carries, 112 yards, 1 touchdown) and Shane Funair (22 carries, 100 yards, 1 touchdown) and wide receiver Randy Pearsall (3 catches, 58 yards, 1 touchdown) lead the ECC Crusaders.

Running back Brooks Collins (23 carries, 102 yards; 3 catches 16 yards), quarterback Travis McDonald (7-for-16, 63 yards, 1 touchdown), wide receiver Greg Gilbert (3 catches, 63 yards, 1 touchdown) and offensive/defensive linemen/kicker Bailor led the Golden Tide of Curwensville.

In Week One, Johnsonburg dropped a heartbreaking 34-28 decision at Youngsville despite the efforts of quarterback Greg Wonderly (16-for-31, 249 yards, 1 touchdown) and running back Quentin Shreffler (23 rushes, 134 yards, 2 touchdowns).

Kane, meanwhile, beat Port Allegany 34-17 behind the throwing of Tyler Smith (12-for-21, 144 yards) and the running and receiving of Mike Jamerson (17 carries, 117 yards, 2 touchdowns; 4 catches, 23 yards).

Last week both these teams suffered set backs with Port Allegany losing 34-17 to Kane and Cameron County dropping a 20-6 decision at Coudersport.

Quarterback Craig Flint (5-for-15, 116 yards, 1 touchdown) wide receiver Matt Rankin (2 catches, 86 yards, 1 touchdown) and running back/linebacker Adam Rohrer (11 rushes, 49 yards, 18 tackles) lead the Gators of Port Allegany.

Quarterback Kyle Vogt (11-for-20, 177 yards, 1 touchdown) and wide receiver Scott Aikens (6 catches, 133 yards, 1 touchdown) lead the Red Raiders of Cameron County.

In Week One these two teams had very different results.

Clearfield, behind the play of D9Sports.Com District 9 Player of the Week Dave Richards (302 yards of offense, 4 touchdowns); 26 carries, 188 yards, 3 touchdowns; 4 catches, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) and quarterback Michael Sayers (13-for-20, 243 yards, 2 touchdowns; 12 carries, 1 touchdown) easily beat Bradford 41-20.

Titusville, on the other hand, beat Brookville. Quarterback Cole Cook (11-for-20, 144 yards; 10 rushes, 47 yards) and wide receiver Cory Santoriello (4 catches, 51 yards) lead the Blue Raiders.

Week One saw DuBois fall 27-7 to Central Mountain, while Punxsutawney beat Slippery Rock 21-7.

The DuBois Beavers are led by running back Vance Newell (12 carries, 36 yards) and quarterback Joe Wanson (3-for-13, 33 yards; 11 carries, 34 yards).

Quarterback Joe Martin (14-for-20, 214 yards, 2 touchdowns), wide receivers Andy Snyder (2 catches, 88 yards) and Kyle Barilar (4 catches, 56 yards) and running backs Kory Blose (9 carries, 26 yards; 4 catches, 29 yards, 1 touchdown) and Dustin Guidash (16 carries, 39 yards; 4 catches, 32 yards) lead Punxsutawney.

In Week One Clarion used two big plays to topple St. Marys 21-7, while Redbank Valley overcame a slow start to beat West Shamokin 33-14.

The Bobcats got a long kickoff return by Will Lewis to set up one touchdown and an interception return for a score by Jason Reed to beat St. Marys, while Redbank Valley trailed 14-0 at one point before rolling off 33 unanswered points.

Running back Dave Larson (11 carries, 42 yards, 1 touchdown) paces the Bobcats of Clarion, while running back Ron Geist (28 rushes, 192 yards, 2 touchdowns) and wingback Brandon Johnston (3 carries, 60 yards; 1 catch, 34 yards, 1 touchdown) set the tone for the Bulldogs of Redbank Valley.

In Week One Moniteau opened the Steve Wilson era with a convincing 28-0 win over A-C Valley behind the throwing of Clay Kohlmeyer (7-for-14, 81 yards) and the running of Ben Elliott (10 carries, 65 yards, 2 touchdowns).

Union, meanwhile, might have lost 30-8 to Keystone, but the Golden Knights showed for most of the game they could be a team to be reckoned with in the KSAC this season playing even with the heavily favored Panthers for the first three quarters.

The quarterback tandem of Adam Milanovich (3-for-7, 46 yards) and Zach Toven (7-for-16, 89 yards, 1 touchdown) along with wide receiver Darren Laughlin (4 catches, 69 yards, 1 touchdown) lead Union.

In Week One West Shamokin blew a 14-0 lead at Redbank Valley losing 33-14, while A-C Valley failed to score being shutout 28-0 against Moniteau.

The Wolves of West Shamokin are led by quarterback Trevor Henderson (3-for-12, 76 yards; 15 carries, 113 yard) and running backs Steven Cupec (23 carries, 84 yards, 1 touchdown) and Craig Kaplon (9 carries, 79 yards, 1 touchdown).

No information on A-C Valley has been provided to D9Sports.Com.

Bradford could have a long road to haul Friday night when they cross the New York/Pennsylvania state line to take on archrival Olean.

The Owls came into the season needing to replace 19 of 22 starters from last year, and following a 41-20 loss to Clearfield those losses seem to have effected Bradford. To make matters worse, Jim Melaro of the Olean Times Herald, said that the Owls will be without star running back Jason Casey for an undisclosed amount of time because of personal reasons.

Without Casey, Bradford will look toward freshmen toward freshmen quarterback Jake Long (5-for-8 passing, 71 yards; 16 rushes, 63 yards), running back Sean Hvizdzak (5 carries, 40 yards, 1 touchdown; 2 catches, 22 yards) and wide receiver Shawn Colligan (3 catches, 49 yards) to lead the way.

Olean, meanwhile, returns 17 starters from a team last season that went to the Final Eight in the New York state championship.

Quarterback Brandon Kiffer and wide receivers Bobby Bell, Mike LaRue, James Wright and Jordan Parks lead the Huskies, who are playing their first game of the season.

In Week One, Clarion-Limestone showed it was going to be a team to deal with in District 9 and the KSAC handing Karns City its worst loss to a District 9 school since 1978 with a 42-6 win at Karns City.

St. Marys, on the other hand, lost 21-7 against Clarion despite equaling the Bobcats offensive production yardage wise.

Quarterback Hayden Johnston (4-for-8, 54 yards, 2 touchdowns; 13 carries, 104 yards, 1 touchdown), fullback Ben Brooks (13 carries, 90 yards), running back Brendan Huwar (14 carries, 66 yards, 1 touchdown), wide receiver Brad Beggs (2 catches, 28 yards, 1 touchdown) and tight end Harley Doane (2 catches, 26 yards, 1 touchdown) lead the Lions of C-L.

Quarterback Brandon Bennett (2-for-12, 20 yards) and running back Doug Surra (10 carries, 84 yards, 1 touchdown) lead St. Marys.