COUDERSPORT HOSTS KANE IN 17th ANNUAL AML TITLE GAME

AML TITLE GAME - Saturday Oct. 26 7 p.m.

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COUDERSPORT – The 2002 version of the AML Title game has a couple of different twists.

First, the two teams playing in it, Kane (7-1 overall, 7-1 AML South) and Coudersport (7-1, 7-1 AML North) are making their first ever appearances in the games.

Second, the game will not be played at a neutral site, as the AML coaches before the season decided to hold the game at which ever team was originally scheduled to have a home game in Week Nine. It just so happens this year that Coudersport was already scheduled to host Kane this week.

So the 17th edition of the AML Title game will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at Coudersport’s CARP field.

While both teams have already qualified for the District 9 Class A playoffs, the winner of the game will get the AML’s automatic bid in the District 9 Class A championship game and will host the loser in the opening round of the Class A tournament next week. It marks the second year in a row that the winner of the AML title game will host the loser in the first round of the playoffs. Last year Smethport won the AML title beating Curwensville but lost to the Golden Tide in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite the potential relative meaningless nature of the AML title game this season besides the home-field advantage, both coaches believe the game is an important one.

"It (the game) is important because it will help keep our momentum going," Coudersport head coach Paul Simcoe said. "Home-field advantage is important, because you eliminate the travel, and you are on your own turf."

"We approach our games on at a time like anyone else," Kane head coach Richard Bouch said. "We would like to be the AML Champs. But this game is huge in the attempt to win the District 9 title, because a win would give us a home playoff game. However, we have played well on the road all year. So it would be great to play at home, and give Kane something it has never seen before. But we will play anywhere."

And because both coaches want the home-field advantage, they both said they won’t hold anything back just because their teams will meet next week as well.

"You will play to win the AML game whatever it takes," Simcoe said. "Then you will make adjustments for the next game."

"We want to be the AML Champs," Bouch said. "That was the third goal on our list at the beginning of the season (1. Beat Port Allegany, 2. Win AML South, 3. Win AML Title). We will do whatever it takes to get is the title and then worry about the District 9 playoffs later."

The game is an interesting one because it features two teams who took different paths to the title game.

Coudersport, the defending District 9 Class A champion, was a preseason favorite to appear in the game.

Kane, meanwhile, suffered through a 1-8 season last year, and no one expected the Wolves to rebound to the point where they could win the AML South title. But they did.

Considering the paths the two teams took from last year, many would assume that Coudersport has the advantage because of its playoff experience.

"Our playoff experience from last year should be an advantage," Simcoe said. "Our players have been in a must-win, pressure situation."

But the Falcons experience might not be that great because many of Kane’s seniors including some key skill position people were starting as sophomores on the Wolves District 9 Class A playoff team two seasons ago.

"I think the experience of being in a playoff game gave our kids a taste of what it was like," Bouch, an assistant on the 2000 team, said. "They knew they would have their work cut out for them to get back there. And as it turns out it took them two years. Coudersport on the other hand, has been there more than we have and won the District 9 title last year before going onto the state tournament. Many of their starters were part of that, and they know what it is like. We understand the magnitude of the game, and whether there is an advantage or not I don’t know."

Both teams bring high-powered offenses into the game.

Coudersport, who has won six in a row since dropping a 21-14 decision to Eisenhower is Week Two, is averaging 27.75 points per game. The Falcons offense has been a balanced one rushing for 1,294 yards while throwing for 978 yards.

"Our success is due to the great number of kids who are willing to work and improve their skills along with weight training and agility," Simcoe said.

Kane, who suffered its only loss three weeks ago 20-6 to Curwensville, is averaging 28.7 ppg. The Wolves have also had a balanced offense rushing for 1,321 yards while throwing for 822 yards.

"The success of our offense can be attributed to a couple of things," Bouch said. "One, our kids have played the system for three years and understand what our philosophy us. Two, for the first time in three years we have had outstanding offensive line play that has allowed us to run the football with a lot of success. Third, we have some pretty good players at the key positions in our offense: quarterback, running back and wide receiver."

Both teams’ offensives will be tested by talented defensives. Coudersport has allowed just 66 points all season, an average of 8.3 ppg, while Kane has allowed 92 points, an average of 11.5 ppg.

"In order to win the game, we need sustained drives," Simcoe said. "We need to score when we have opportunities, and we need not to turn the ball over.

"On defense, we need to be aggressive while under control and not give up big plays."

Bouch believes to win the title game his team needs to continue to do the same things it has done all year.

"We need to be able to run the football with success and have our ‘studs’ make plays when they need to be made," Bouch said.

"When Coudy has the ball, they have some great skill people. We saw them at Sheffield in person, and they have three quality running backs, a great quarterback and some good wide receivers. We need to control the line of scrimmage and slow down their running game. They have a great trapping game, and their running backs run with authority. If we can force them into some situations where they need to throw the ball, we can be successful. But that is if we can control Ben Carry, who is an impressive quarterback."

Cary is one of the main cogs of the Falcons offense. He is 62-for-136 passing this season for 961 yards and eight touchdowns. He has thrown just three interceptions.

But Cary isn’t the only piece of Coudersport’s offense.

The Falcons have three talented running backs in Zach Hershey, Ross Simcoe and Zach Pucci.

Hershey is the leading rusher with 760 yards on 136 carries. He has scored 18 touchdowns on the ground. Hershey has also added 12 catches for 125 yards. He has also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Simcoe, the fullback, has rushed 55 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns and has also caught four passes for 56 yards.

Pucci has toted the ball 44 times for 192 yards and one touchdown and has 14 catches for 245 yards.

Top wide receivers for the Falcons are Jarrett Levasseuer (10 catches, 192 yards, 3 touchdowns), Jeremiah Frederick (9 catches, 198 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Paul Strayer (7 catches, 66 yards, 3 touchdowns).

Quarterback Tyler Smith, who is a three-year starters, leads Kane’s offense.

Smith is completing 57.3 percent of his passes this season (71-of-124) for 822 yards and eight touchdowns. He has thrown six interceptions. Smith has also ran the ball 76 times for 256 yards and five touchdowns.

In the backfield, the Wolves used Mike Jamerson for most of the season, and he has rushed 87 times for 391 yards and eight touchdowns. But in the past two weeks, Jamerson has been a little banged up and has been replaced by Matt Burton as the starter on the depth chart. Burton has rushed 48 times for 340 yards and six touchdowns.

"Mike is more of a power runner and was starting to get banged up some," Bouch said. "He’s very valuable to us defensively.

"Matt does two things for us. He relieves Mike from getting pounded, and he gives us another dimension. He is faster than Mike and more of a cutback type of runner."

The Wolves are also loaded at the wide receiver position led by Hugh Rich and Tim Smith.

Rich has 23 catches for 248 yards and two touchdowns, while Tim Smith has 13 grabs for 179 yards and one touchdown. Jamerson, who played tight end last year, has added 12 grabs for 113 yards and one touchdown.

The two teams had four common opponents in 2002, Curwensville, Cameron County, Port Allegany and Smethport. Coudersport beat Curwensville 33-12 at Curwensville, Cameron County 20-6 at Coudersport, Smethport 20-7 at Smethport and Port Allegany 39-0 at Coudersport. Kane lost to Curwensville 20-6 at Curwensville and beat Cameron County 27-20 at Cameron County, Port Allegany 34-17 at Port Allegany and Smethport 32-7 at Kane.