WEEK ONE PREVIEW STORIES

WEEK EIGHT PREVIEW STORIES

Oct. 17-18

By Chris Rossetti and Rich Rhoades

SHIPPENVILLE – Week Eight 2003. It means so much to some teams and so little to others. Division crowns have been captured in the AML North and South and in the D9 League with most of teams in those conferences just playing out the string.

But over in the wild-and-woolly KSAC nothing has been decided with any one of five teams still in the hunt of at least a portion of the title.

One of them, Clarion-Limestone, controls its own destiny. The Lions clinch their second straight outright title with two wins. C-L can also clinch a portion of the title with one win in its final two games. Moniteau can clinch a portion of the conference crown by winning its final two games and the outright crown by winning its final two and C-L losing its final two including a Week Nine match with Moniteau. Karns City, Clarion and Redbank Valley could each claim a share of the conference title with wins in their final two games and two loses by C-L. And the reason for all the possibilities: The KSAC does not have a tiebreaker. Not even head-to-head. Once upon a time the principals of the conference decided sharing the title among as many as five schools was a much better option than breaking the ties. Wins by Moniteau and Karns City are also important in the District 9 playoff race. If both teams win this week they are in the Class AA playoffs.

The games in the KSAC aren’t the only important ones this weekend. Ridgway and Port Allegany can each clinch a Class A playoff spot with wins this week. Brockway, meanwhile, can get closer to the top seed in Class AA with a win. Brookville needs to win to keep its hopes alive for the top seed in Class AA, while Otto-Eldred needs to win twice and have either Karns City or Moniteau lose twice to clinch a playoff spot.

Because of their importance in both the KSAC race the District 9 Class A and Class AA playoff races, the Redbank Valley at Clarion-Limestone and Clarion at Moniteau games are our games of the week. The remainder of the match-ups can be checked out in the capsule previews below.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Friday

Clarion (5-2 overall, 4-2 KSAC) at Moniteau (5-2, 5-1); 7 p.m.

Redbank Valley (4-3 overall, 4-2 KSAC) at Clarion-Limestone (7-0, 6-0); 7:30 p.m.

GAME CAPSULES

AML NORTH
Youngsville (2-5 overall, 2-5 AML North) at Port Allegany (6-1, 6-1)
WHERE	Port Allegany
WHEN	Saturday 1:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK	Youngsville lost to Coudersport 41-0 Port Allegany beat Eisenhower 44-13
GAME NOTES	Port Allegany can clinch a District 9 Class A playoff berth with either a win or losses by Clarion and Redbank Valley. It would be the Gators first playoff berth since they qualified for the Class AA playoffs in 2000 before losing 49-14 to Karns City. The Gators were also in the Class AA playoffs in 1996 and 1997 losing in the title game each year. The last time Port Allegany made the Class A playoffs was 1988. That was so long ago that they lost in the title game 14-12 to a school that no longer exists (East Brady).
YOUNGSVILLE LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
PORT ALLEGANY LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Youngsville is at Kane Friday Port Allegany is at Elk County Catholic Friday
Sheffield (3-4 overall, 3-4 AML) at Coudersport (7-0 overall, 7-0 AML)
WHERE	Coudersport
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Sheffield 20, Smethport 0 Saturday Coudersport 41, Youngsville 0 Saturday
GAME STORY	Undefeated Falcons continue to pursue undefeated season and play their final regular season game. Next Saturday, they travel to Brockway to meet the Rovers in the AML Championship game.
SHEFFIELD LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
COUDERSPORT LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Coudersport at Brockway in AML Championship game Saturday Sheffield at Curwensville Friday
Eisenhower (3-4 overall, 3-4 AML) at Otto-Eldred (4-3 overall, 4-3 AML)
WHERE	Duke Center
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Port Allegany 44, Eisenhower 13 Friday Otto-Eldred 36, Elk County Catholic 6 Friday
GAME STORY	Otto-Eldred is in a must-win game in race for a District 9 Class AA playoff spot. The Terrors will be watching the scoreboard and hoping Karns City and or Moniteau lose.
EISENHOWER LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
OTTO-ELDRED LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Otto-Eldred at Johnsonburg Friday Eisenhower at Cameron County Friday
AML SOUTH
Ridgway (6-1 overall, 6-1 AML) at Cameron County (1-6 overall, 1-6 AML)MONEY
WHERE	Emporium
WHEN	7:30 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Ridgway 37, Curwensville 36 Friday Johnsonburg 19, Cameron County 12 Friday
GAME STORY	A Ridgway win clinches the Elkers a berth in the District 9 Class A playoffs.
RIDGWAY LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
CAMERON CO. LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Eisenhower at Cameron County Friday Smethport at Ridgway Friday
Johnsonburg (2-5 overall, 2-5 AML) at Curwensville (1-6 overall, 1-6 AML)
WHERE	Curwensville
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Johnsonburg 19, Cameron County 12 Friday Ridgway 37, Curwensville 36 Friday
GAME STORY	Golden Tide trying to rebound from heartbreaking loss to Ridgway last week. Johnsonburg tries to make it two straight wins.
JOHNSONBURG LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
CURWENSVILLE LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Sheffield at Curwensville Friday Otto-Eldred at Johnsonburg Friday
Elk County Catholic (1-6 overall, 1-6 AML) at Brockway (7-0 overall, 7-0 AML)
WHERE	Brockway
WHEN	7:30 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Otto-Eldred 36, ECC 6 Friday Brockway 14, Kane 0 Friday
GAME STORY	Rovers warm up for next week’s AML Championship game against Coudersport with the struggling Crusaders.
ECC LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
BROCKWAY LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Coudersport at Brockway in AML Championship game Saturday Port Allegany at Elk County Catholic Friday
AML CROSSOVER
Kane (4-3 overall, 4-3 AML South) at Smethport (2-5, 2-5)
WHERE	Smethport
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Kane lost to Brockway 14-0 Smethport lost to Sheffield 20-0
GAME NOTES	Kane had its playoff hopes extinguished with last week’s loss to Brockway, but the Wolves could still clinch their third winning season in four years with a win over Smethport. The fall in Hubbers nation is complete. For the second straight year Smethport will have a losing record. Not only that the fifth loss came against Sheffield which has now beaten the Hubbers two straight years. Before last year the last time Sheffield had beaten Smethport was in 1964.
KANE LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
SMETHPORT LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Kane hosts Youngsville Friday Smethport is at Ridgway Friday
DISTRICT 9 LEAGUE
Brookville (6-1 overall, 3-1 D-9 League) at Punxsutawney (1-5 overall, 1-3 D-9 League)
WHERE	Punxsutawney
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Brookville 16, Oil City 12 Friday Punxsutawney 36, St. Marys 28 Friday
GAME STORY	Raiders have continued to win close games while Chucks finally won a game, scoring the go-ahead touchdown late against St. Marys on a Devin Mesoraco TD pass. What’s at stake? Route 36 Trophy along with the Raiders trying to solidify hold on one of the top two seeds in the District 9 Class AA playoff race, which would mean a home playoff game.
BROOKVILLE LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
PUNXSUTAWNEY LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Meadville at Brookville Friday Punxsutawney at West Shamokin Friday
Clearfield (5-2 overall, 1-2 D-9 League) at St. Marys (0-7 overall, 0-4 D-9 League)
WHERE	St. Marys
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Clearfield 48, Bald Eagle Area 0 Friday Punxsutawney 36, St. Marys 28 Friday
GAME STORY	Bisons gave up just eight yards of offense last week while St. Marys got beat late by Punxsutawney. Clearfield has won five straight since starting the year 0-2.
CLEARFIELD LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
ST. MARYS LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	DuBois at Clearfield Friday St. Marys at Philipsburg-Osceola Friday
KSAC
Keystone (2-4 overall, 2-4 KSAC) at A-C Valley (1-6, 1-5)
WHERE	Foxburg
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Keystone was off A-C Valley lost to Karns City 35-0
GAME NOTES	None
KEYSTONE LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
A-C VALLEY LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Keystone hosts Redbank Valley Friday A-C Valley is at Clarion Friday
Union (0-7 overall, 0-6 KSAC) at West Shamokin (1-6, 1-6)
WHERE	NuMine
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Union lost to Clarion-Limestone 54-6 West Shamokin lost to Clarion 46-14
GAME NOTES	Union is trying to break its District 9-leading 9-game losing streak. The Golden Knights last won Oct. 10, 2002, 20-6 over West Shamokin
UNION LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
W. SHAMOKIN LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	Union hosts Karns City Friday West Shamokin hosts Punxsutawney Friday
NON-CONFERENCE
Karns City (5-2) at Meadville (1-6)
WHERE	Meadville
WHEN	7:30 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Karns City beat A-C Valley 35-0 Meadville lost to Erie East 34-19
GAME NOTES	NONE
KARNS CITY LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
MEADVILLE LEADERS	N/A
NEXT WEEK	Karns City is at Union Friday Meadville is at Brookville Friday
Oil City (3-4) at DuBois (2-5)
WHERE	DuBois
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Brookville 16, Oil City 12 Friday Bradford 36, DuBois 7 Friday
GAME STORY	Oilers try to get back to .500 mark against Beavers, who played Bradford close last week until the Owls scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. Both teams played Brookville and lost, Oil City last week and DuBois 14-7.
OIL CITY LEADERS
DUBOIS LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
NEXT WEEK	DuBois at Clearfield Friday Oil City at Franklin Friday
Bradford (7-0) at Bellefonte (1-6)
WHERE	Bellefonte
WHEN	7 p.m. Friday
LAST WEEK	Bradford 36, DuBois 7 Friday Bellefonte 37, Lewistown 20 Friday
GAME STORY	The Owls try to keep their season perfect on the road in District 6. Red Raiders are coming off their first win of the season. Both teams played Clearfield. Bradford won, 22-15, while Bellefonte lost, 56-13.
BRADFORD LEADERS	CLICK HERE FOR STATISTICS
BELLEFONTE LEADERS	N/A
NEXT WEEK	Bald Eagle Area at Bellefonte Friday Bradford at Strong Vincent Friday