PLAYOFF LIVES BEING FOUGHT FOR IN KSAC SHOWDOWN

Clarion (4-0 overall, 3-0 KSAC) at Karns City (3-1, 3-1)

Week Five - 7 p.m. Friday Sept. 26

KARNS CITY – As the 2003 season rounds the halfway points, both Clarion and Karns City find themselves in tight playoff battles as they prepare to meet at 7 p.m. Friday night in Karns City.

The Bobcats (4-0 overall, 3-0 KSAC), winners of six of their past seven games going back to last season, would be the second seed in the District 9 Class A playoffs if it were to start today. But a loss could very easily drop Clarion out of the playoffs altogether.

Meanwhile, Karns City (3-1, 3-1), winners of 28 of their past 33 games dating back to the 2000 season, would not be in the District 9 Class AA playoffs if they would start today. The Gremlins are currently the fifth team in a four-team playoff scenario.

All that means Friday night’s game as a ton of playoff implications for both squads despite the fact there are four regular-season games left after the game.

Clarion is coming off an easy 56-0 win over Union last week, while Karns City narrowly edged out Redbank Valley 7-6 in overtime when Josh Fiscus scored on a 10-yard run in the extra session and Jake Sweeney added the extra point.

The Bobcats, who gave head coach Larry Wiser is 100^th career win in the Union game, are primarily a running football team having 926 yards in four games, an average of 231.5 yards per game which is good for fourth best in District 9. Clarion has only thrown 17 passes this season, but when it does pass it is successful. The Bobcats have completed nine of those 17 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, Clarion is averaging 272 yards per game, which ranks 11^th in District 9.

The Clarion ground attack is a running back-by-committee approach that has seen three different running backs each gain at least 200 yards this season.

Senior Dave Larson leads the way having carried the ball 57 times for 264 yards and four touchdowns. James Myers, who missed the Union game with an injury and who is questionable Friday, has carried the ball 32 times for 238 yards and two scores. Fullback Chris McSwain has 30 carries for 205 yards and one touchdown.

The Bobcats offensive line is anchored by 6-2, 280-pound senior tackle Nate McClaine, who Wiser said has played great all season.

When Clarion does pass it looks to senior quarterback Zac Toven who is 9-for-17 for the 162 yards and two touchdowns while throwing an interception. Toven has also run the ball 25 times for 36 yards and three scores.

Toven’s favorite target is senior wide receiver Cole Sessions who has five catches for 113 yards and two scores.

While Clarion’s offense has been more than adequate all season, it has been the Bobcats defense that has really been the difference. Clarion has not allowed an offensive touchdown in two weeks, and, of the 16 quarters of football the Bobcats have played this season, they have allowed offensive touchdowns in just four of them. In their three KSAC games, Clarion has allowed only 14 total points and one defensive touchdown.

Overall Clarion has allowed just 42 total points and 35 offensive points while limiting opponents to an average of 222.5 yards per game. Take away the 349 yards St. Marys gained on Clarion in Week Two, and the Bobcats are allowing just 180 yards per game in their three KSAC games. In the past two games, wins over Union and Redbank Valley, Clarion has allowed just 18 yards rushing and 276 yards passing for an average of 147 yards per game.

While Clarion has used a combination of offense and defense to forge its unbeaten record, Karns City has relied a lot more on defense this season while going 3-1. The Gremlins have allowed just 30 points all season while scoring 88. But of the 88 Gremlin points, 45 came against a West Shamokin team that is allowing 48.3 ppg. In the other three games, wins over Keystone and Redbank Valley and a loss to Clarion-Limestone, Karns City is averaging just 14.3 ppg.

On the year, the Gremlins defense is allowing an average of 155.3 yards per game including just 51.5 yards per game on the ground. The rush defense has gotten tighter each week allowing 99 yards rushing in Week One to West Shamokin, 67 in Week Two to C-L, 54 in Week Three to Keystone and negative 14 last week to Redbank Valley. Opponents are averaging a measly 1.7 yards per carry against the Gremlins.

On offense, Karns City has racked up 1,157 yards, an average of 289.3 yards per game good for ninth in the district. But once again a large portion of those yards came against West Shamokin with 493, or 42.6 percent of all their offensive yards this year, against the Wolves. In the other three games, Karns City has managed just 664 yards or an average of 221.3 per game, which would only be 20^th best in District 9.

Most of the Gremlins offense has come on the ground with Karns City averaging 206.3 yards per contest on the ground. Of the Gremlins 332 passing yards, 165 came against West Shamokin.

Like Clarion, Karns City also uses a running back-by-committee approach with five runners getting at least 24 carries.

Fiscus leads the way with 42 totes for 287 yards and four scores. Mike Stitt has carried the ball 35 times for 245 yards and two touchdowns, Mike Stimac has 25 carries for 125 yards and three scores and Sweeney has 24 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Mike Croyle has carried the ball 25 times for negative 35 yards and is 25-for-48 passing for 263 yards and two interceptions. Chris Picket and Dave Black are Croyle’s favorite targets each catching eight passes. Picket’s eight have gone for 146 yards and a score (on a halfback option), while Black has 82 yards receiving.

Next week both teams are back in action with rivalry games. Clarion hosts Clarion-Limestone Friday, while Karns City is at Moniteau Friday.