COUDERSPORT-BROCKWAY MEET TO DECIDE AML TITLE

Saturday, Oct. 25, 2003 - 7 p.m.

AML TITLE GAME HOME

BROCKWAY – The 18^th edition of the AML Title game will be played at 7 p.m. Saturday night when Coudersport (8-0) travels to Brockway (8-0) with both teams looking for their first AML Title.

One team – Brockway – is an expected participant in the title game because of an experienced group of seniors the Rovers brought back from last season’s District 9 Class AA championship team.

"On both sides of the ball we’re relying on people who have been there for three years," Brockway’s 19^th-year head coach Ray Reckner said. "Guys like (Andy) Martino, Seth (Rhed), (Jeremy) Sickeri and Kyle Smith have all played three years. These guys have a lot of experience."

The other team – Coudersport – is making its second straight trip to the AML Title game but a trip that not many predicted in the pre-season considering the Falcons returned just three starters from the offensive side of the ball and four from the defensive side of the ball. But Coudersport, who had to replace nearly all its skilled position players including quarterback Ben Cary, has used a strong defense and a little bit of lady luck to get back to this point while.

"Teamwork and a belief in each other has been the key to our success this season," Coudersport’s 25^th-year head coach Paul Simcoe said. "The players have had a commitment to work to get better this season."

Brockway in a lot of ways has had an easy season rolling through its schedule with nary a scare. The Rovers are averaging a District 9-leading 35.4 ppg while allowing 8 ppg, the third-best mark in the district. Only one opponent, Kane, has even come within two touchdowns of beating Brockway and even the Wolves lost 14-0. The Rovers have won six games this season by 20 or more points, three by 30 or more points and two by 40 or more points.

Coudersport, meanwhile, has been the exact opposite. The Falcons have found themselves in many close games winning five times by 10 points or less and three times by seven points or fewer. Coudersport needed a last-second touchdown pass to beat Otto-Eldred 14-10 and an interception in the end zone in the closing minute of the season-opener to knock off Cameron County 7-6. The Falcons offense is averaging 20.6 ppg, but the real strength has been the defense which is allowing a District 9-best 4.6 ppg. Only 37 points have been scored on Coudersport all season, and the Falcon defense has pitched four shutouts.

"On defense we are solid at every position," Simcoe said. "We work together and have a bend but don’t break philosophy."

Brockway’s Wing-T offense will probably be one of the strongest tests that Coudersport defense will face this season. The Rovers use three running backs – Martino, Sickeri and Rhed – to great success. The three-some has combined for 260 carries, 1,735 yards and 27 touchdowns with the yardage and carries being nearly equally distributed among the three. Overall, the Rovers rushing attack is averaging 272.8 yards per game, the second best total in District 9.

"We have three very good backs," Reckner said. "Actually we have five, but our starting three are unselfish. They do a heck of a job and stat-wise they are close. Who are you going to key on? With us, we’re so well balanced. And with John (Himes) at quarterback the last three years, the backfield has been a real joy to coach this year."

Sickeri is the leading rusher for the Rover having carried the ball 92 times for 645 yards and six touchdowns. He ranks ninth in District 9 in rushing.

Rhed has toted the ball 84 times for 575 yards while scoring a team-high 13 rushing touchdowns. He ranks 13^th in District 9 in rushing.

Martino has added 84 carries for 515 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranks 17^th in the district in rushing.

Martino and Rhed have also proved to be valuable weapons catching the ball. Martino has eight grabs for a team-high 190 yards and two touchdowns, while Rhed has nine catches for 101 yards.

While the Rovers running game is what they are known for and what opponents have to find a way to stop, Brockway’s passing game has matured over the last few years to the point where the Rovers ranked in the middle of the pack (15^th) in the district in passing yards per game averaging 86 yards per contest.

Himes is a big reason for that. The senior has gone 35-for-74 this season for 676 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He ranks 11^th in the district in yards thrown for, and his quarterback ranking of 144.44 is second only to C-L’s Hayden Johnston.

In addition to Rhed and Sickeri, favorite targets for Himes include Ben Donlin (6 catches, 141 yards) and Matt Foradora (6 catches, 127 yards, 4 touchdowns).

While Brockway’s offense has been explosive ranking second overall in District 9 with 358.8 yards per game, Coudersport’s has been steady.

The Falcons average 247 yards per game, which ranks 15^th in District 9 including 145.9 yards per game on the ground (16^th) and 101.1 in the air (12^th).

"For our offense to be successful, our line must get off the ball to establish the run and pass protect to allow us to utilize our skill people," Simcoe said. "We also have to stay away from turnovers."

Coudersport ended up replacing Cary, who threw for over 1,000 yards in each of his final two seasons, with not one player but two.

Senior Scott Easton is the starter, and he has been solid this season going 29-for-75 for 447 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. At times, Easton has been relieved by junior John Gerhart, who has gone 15-for-28 for 280 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. It was Gerhart who threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Mike Kehr with less than two seconds left to beat Otto-Eldred in Week Six.

Kehr, a junior, is the main target for the Falcons quarterbacks with 19 catches for 391 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks 13^th in District 9 in receiving yards.

Jeremiah Wagner is adding nine catches for 158 yards, while David Babcock has six for 98 and a touchdown. Ross Simcoe, Paul’s son, is contributing six grabs for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Coudersport’s rushing attack has been a team affair this season with five backs gaining at least 100 yards.

Simcoe leads the team with 100 carries for 393 yards and six touchdowns. Babcock is adding 78 totes for 308 yards and two scores, while Brad Austin has 40 rushes for 216 yards. Wagner has contributed 40 carries for 142 yards, and Kehr has 11 totes for 102 yards.

Both coaches know it is going to take a maximum effort to win this football game.

"We need to attack and not give up big plays," Paul Simcoe said. "We need to score when we have the opportunity, and we need to execute on offense and try to control their offense."

Reckner said Coudersport has a solid all-around team especially on defense.

"They are well disciplined and well coached," Reckner said. "They don’t vary out of the 4-4 defense that much. They wait for you to make a mistake. That’s their strong point. Offensively, they score enough to win.

"You don’t go 8-0 and not have talent and ability. We’ll have our hands full. But we believe we can play with anybody in the area if we bring our best game to the field."

Besides what the two teams bring on the field, there are some other intangibles that could come into play in this game.

Coudersport has the experience of having played in the AML Title game, a hybrid of a game which isn’t a postseason contest but isn’t really a regular-season game either. The Falcons do hope to turn around last season’s disappointing 35-19 loss to Kane in the championship contest, though.

"What did we learn from last year?" Simcoe said. "We learned we can’t let the other team run up and down the field and score a lot of points."

The game could also have a lot of bearing on where both teams are seeded in the District 9 playoffs.

Coudersport has qualified for the Class A postseason for the third straight year, and the Falcons – the 2001 champions – are guaranteed one of the top two seeds and with it a home playoff game. Coudersport can be the No. 1 seed if C-L loses to Moniteau Friday night and the Falcons win the AML Title game. Any other situation and the Falcons will be the No. 2 seed.

"Our playoff seeding and the fact that we have a home playoff game, won’t make any difference in how we approach this game," Simcoe said.

For Brockway, the Rovers are into the Class AA playoffs and will be seeded either No. 1 or No. 2 and get a home playoff game. A win in the AML Title game assures the Rovers the top seed as will a Brookville loss Friday night against Meadville. A Brookville win and a Brockway loss would make the Rovers the No. 2 seed. But either way, Brockway knows it will be entering the playoffs this season in a lot better shape than last year. In 2002, the Rovers needed a win in their final game just to qualify for the playoffs before starting a magical run that included the District 9 title and a spot in the second round of the PIAA Playoffs.

"The mindset is totally different this year," Reckner said. "Last year we had mixed emotions heading into the postseason. Some player didn’t believe we deserved to be there and some of the coaches agreed with that too. We decided we had to beat Youngsville and finish 5-4 last season to go to the postseason, and we did that."