PLAYOFF LIVES BEING FOUGHT FOR IN KSAC SHOWDOWN

Port Allegany (3-1 overall, 3-1 AML North) at Otto-Eldred (3-1, 3-1)

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

By Chris Rossetti

DUKE CENTER – It has been a long time since a game in Week Five in Duke Center, Pa., has meant anything. But this week’s match-up between Port Allegany (3-1 overall, 3-1 AML North) and Otto-Eldred (3-1, 3-1) means an awful lot for both teams.

Port Allegany is coming off a 21-14 loss to Coudersport that damaged the Gators hopes for an AML North title but left them still with a great shot of making the District 9 Class A playoffs if they take care of business the rest of the way.

Otto-Eldred, meanwhile, is coming off a 20-7 win over Smethport, the Terrors first win over Smethport in 18 years, and if the District 9 Class AA playoffs were to start today the Terrors would be in the postseason. Not only that, Otto-Eldred knows that it control its own destiny toward winning the AML North crown. If they run the table in the final four games that count toward the title, the Terrors will be the champions.

Port Allegany has had a top-notch offense and tough-nosed defense all season. The Gators are averaging 26.5 points per game while allowing 13.5 per contest.

On offense, Port Allegany ranks sixth in District 9 in total yards per game averaging 323.3 and third in rushing yards per game averaging 235.5 yards per contest.

Running back Claude Haskins is the workhorse having carried the ball 101 times for a district-leading 546 yards and seven touchdowns. He has also caught a team-high six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.

In addition to Haskins, Bobby Nichols has rushed for 196 yards and four scores, and Jeremy Tanner has toted the ball for 176 yards and a touchdown.

The Gators have used two quarterbacks all season in junior Craig Flint and sophomore Willie Bova to varying degree of success.

Flint is 7-for-25 passing for 140 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions, while Bova is 7-for-19 for 116 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Jeremy Niece has five catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense, Port Allegany is allowing an average of 162.8 yards per game including 115.3 on the ground and 47.5 in the air.

The name of the game for Otto-Eldred has been defense. The Terrors have allowed just 42 points in four games and only 14 in their last three.

On offense, Otto is averaging just 15.3 ppg, twice being held to just seven points. The Terrors offense ranks 14^th in the district averaging 251 yards per game.

Virgil Graham is the main workhorse for Otto-Eldred with 101 carries for 380 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks eighth in District 9 in rushing.

Quarterback Luke Breese has added 103 yards rushing and three touchdowns and is 38-for-74 passing for 407 yards and two touchdowns. He ranks seventh in the district in passing but has thrown five interceptions.

Breese has spread the ball around with Tyler Ferguson catching 10 passes for 108 yards, Keith Barrett eight for 121 and two touchdowns, Graham eight for 64 and Ryan Little five for 78.

Next week Port Allegany hosts Sheffield Saturday and Otto-Eldred is at Coudersport Friday.