PORT ALLEGANY-COUDERSPORT TAKE RIVALRY TO A NEW LEVEL

D9 CLASS A PLAYOFF HOME

COUDERSPORT – The teams are the same. The rivalry is the same. Yet the circumstances are very new.

For the first time in the long, storied rivalry between Port Allegany and Coudersport – two schools and two towns separated by a mere 16 miles of U.S. Route 6 in Potter and McKean counties – the two teams will meet in the playoffs when Port Allegany travels west on Route 6 to play at Coudersport Saturday night.

It is the second meeting between the two teams in two months with Coudersport gaining a 21-14 victory at Port Allegany Sept. 20 in a game that ultimately decided the AML North title.

In that game, the Falcons (8-1) rallied from a 14-7 halftime deficit to get the win. Turnovers played a key role in the game with Port Allegany (8-1) giving the ball away seven times of four lost fumbles and three interceptions.

"We need to take better care of the ball this time around," Port Allegany head coach Bob Haskins said. "You won’t win many games turning it over seven times."

Coudersport head coach Paul Simcoe said there are advantages and disadvantages to playing the same team twice in one season. And Simcoe should know, as this is the second year in a row the Falcons have faced a team it had played during the regular-season in the playoffs. Last year Coudersport lost to Kane in both the AML Championship game and the first round of the District 9 Class A playoffs.

"The advantage is that we know what they run and what they like to do," Simcoe said. "The disadvantage is they know what we run and what we like to do."

Simcoe also expects the same type of game his team had the first time it played Port Allegany – close with turnovers being a key in who will win the ball game.

"We expect the same type of game," Simcoe said. "You have two good teams going at it in what should be another close game."

A big key to the game might be the health of Port Allegany star running back Claude Haskins. Haskins is the leading rusher in District 9 having rushed 213 times for 1,272 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has also caught nine passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. But Haskins injured his knee in a 21-14 win over Elk County Catholic last Friday and left the game not to return after just 10 carries.

"Claude is day-to-day," Bob Haskins said. "If he can’t play, it would have a big impact on us."

If Haskins can’t go, the Gators will turn to a couple of sophomores and a senior to carry the load. The sophomores are Bobby Nichols and Cody Anderson and the senior is BJ Greenman.

Nichols has done a solid job this year toting the ball 80 times for 479 yards and six touchdown, while Anderson has 28 carries for 82 yards and two scores. Greenman had seven carries for 26 yards.

Jeremy Tanner can also step in and play running back. He has 46 carries for 293 yards and two scores on the season.

Simcoe said his team is not allowing Haskins’ status to effect the way it prepares for the game.

"His status will have no bearing on our focus or how we prepare," Simcoe said. "We know that we have to beat Port to get to the D9 finals."

While Haskins is Port Allegany’s top weapon, he isn’t the only weapon that has helped the Gators average 31.2 ppg, the fourth best mark in District 9, while racking up an average of 330.8 yards per game, good for seventh in the district. The Gators are also averaging 230.8 yards per game on the ground, the fourth best mark in District 9.

"Port does an excellent job running the football," Simcoe said. "In the past few games, they have also been doing a good job utilizing the pass."

The Gators passing game starts with a two-headed quarterback of junior Craig Flint and sophomore Willie Bova. The cousins' act has combined to go 35-for-89 this season for 732 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Flint is 20-for-49 for 432 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions, while Bova is 15-for-40 for 300 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.

Jeremy Niece has been the top receiver with 14 catches for 409 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks 14^th in District 9 in receiving yards.

The Port Allegany offense will have to find a way to score on the Coudersport defense, which is tied with Clarion-Limestone for the stingiest "D" in District 9 allowing just 6.4 ppg. The Falcons have allowed only 58 points all season.

"Coudersport plays solid, fundamental defense," Haskins said. "They play their positions well, and they seldom give up the big play."

On offense, Coudersport has some weapons, and the Falcons are averaging 19.8 ppg and 241.1 yards per game.

Those yards are spread fairly evenly between the air and the ground with the Falcons averaging 103.4 yards per game in the air and 137.7 yards per game on the ground.

"They really have a solid passing game," Haskins said.

Just like the Gators, the Falcons use a two-head quarterback system with senior Scott Easton and junior John Gerhart sometimes switching spots on every play.

The two have combined to go 49-for-120 for 816 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Easton has thrown the most posting a 34-for-86 performance this season for 536 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He was the quarterback Simcoe turned to down the stretch in Falcons 21-13 AML Title game loss to Brockway last Saturday.

Gerhart, meanwhile, is 15-for-34 passing for 280 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also been looked to in crucial situations this season for the Falcons, and he threw the game-winning touchdown pass with less than two seconds left to help Coudersport beat Otto-Eldred 14-10 earlier in the season. That loss basically knocked the Terrors from the playoffs.

On the ground, the Falcons primarily use Ross Simcoe (111 carries, 437 yards, 6 touchdowns) and David Babcock (87 carries, 335 yards, 3 touchdowns.) But Brad Austin (40 carries, 216 yards) and Jeremiah Wagner (41 carries, 143 yards) have also seen considerable action.

Mike Kehr is Coudersport’s leading receiver with 22 catches for 452 yards and eight scores. He ranks 11^th in the district in receiving. Wagner has added nine catches for 158 yards.

The Coudersport offense has also used some trickery this season with three non-quarterbacks throwing the ball. Wagner is 3-for-6 passing for 91 yards and attempted two halfback options against Brockway last week.

Punter Caleb Morris is 1-for-1 for 24 yards, and Jesse Whitman is 0-for-2.

The Port Allegany defense the Falcons will be going against has had a solid season allowing an average of 12.6 ppg. The 21 points Coudersport scored where the most Port Allegany allowed all year, while the Gators held two opponents under 10 points including a shutout of Otto-Eldred.

"They play an aggressive defense, and they attack the line of scrimmage," Simcoe said.

According to Haskins the keys to his team’s victory will be on both sides of the football.

"As with every football game, we must stop them offensively and be able to move the ball offensively," Haskins said.

Simcoe believes his team must be solid on both sides of the football to win.

"We need to move the ball with some consistency on offense and give up no big plays or quick scores on defense," Simcoe said.

Simcoe believes his team will show no ill effects from the disappointing AML Title Game loss last week.

"The kids know they played hard and gave a good effort," Simcoe said. "They are working to eliminate the turnovers (that hurt us last week)."