CLARION-LIMESTONE REPEATS AS DISTRICT 9 CLASS A CHAMPIONS

BROCKWAY – Clarion-Limestone became just the second school in District 9 history to win back-to-back Class A football titles thanks to a 20-8 victory over Port Allegany Friday night at Brockway.

The Lions (11-0) join Smethport (1991-92 and 1995-96) as the only school to repeat as Class A champions.

"It is not easy," a subdued C-L head coach Todd Smith said. "It was tough. People start having high expectations. What we have done here the last couple of years is not easy to do. It takes a lot of hard work, and a lot of focus each week for the kids. The credit on our team goes to the kids."

Port Allegany gave the Lions all they could handle nearly matching them yard for yard on offense (294-276) while holding the Lions to just 103 yards and two first downs in the second half.

"Port Allegany has a nice team," Smith said. "Besides Karns City, they might be the best team we have played all year. They have a good football team."

C-L hurt itself all game with penalties finishing with 11 infractions for 81 yards.

"That was by far not our best game of the year," Smith said. "I am not sure about some of those penalties. We still haven’t figured them out yet. But our kids battled back and still won the game. The credit goes to them."

While the Lions hurt themselves with penalties, Port Allegany hurt itself with turnovers and missed opportunities. The Gators turned the ball over four times (two interceptions, two fumbles) and twice failed to score inside the Lions 10-yard line.

"You have to give the C-L defense credit," Haskins said. "I think they are as good defensively as they are offensively. They are good defensive club."

On offense, C-L went with a familiar duo to produce its points – Hayden Johnston and Brad Beggs.

The two combined for 76.5 percent (225 yards) of the Lions total offense and all three touchdowns. Johnston was 9-for-14 passing for 136 yards and three touchdowns while running seven times for 73 yards. Beggs had five catches for 96 yards and three scores.

"Tonight our big plays came through the air," Smith said. "Brad and Hayden just have a connection."

While C-L was using its familiar package, Port Allegany went away from the game plan that carried it to the title game.

The Gators came into the game averaging 50 rushes for 244 yards per game. But against the Lions Port Allegany carried the ball just 26 times for a season-low 79 yards while passing the ball a season-high 26 times for 197 yards, the second highest total on the year. District 9’s leading rusher Claude Haskins, who carried the ball 40 times for 204 yards in last week’s semifinal win over Coudersport, had only 11 carries for 73 yards, his third lowest total of the season.

"We just believed we were going to need to score some points tonight," Bob Haskins said. "They are so good on defense we believed we needed to pass the football to score."

The balanced attack caught C-L a little off guard.

"We thought Haskins would carry the ball 40 times," Smith said. "I think they believed with our speed and everything they needed to do some different things. Overall, I thought our defense did a nice job."

Port Allegany struck first using a little trickery to get the job down.

On the Gators second offensive play of the game, Craig Flint, who spilt time all season with Willie Bova at quarterback, handed the ball to Claude Haskins who then gave it to Bova on a reverse. Bova found a wide-open Jeremy Niece down field for a 70-yard touchdown pass. Niece was so open there wasn’t a Lion within 20 yards. The touchdown gave the Gators a 6-0 lead with 7:30 left in the first half.

"We knew they were going to key on Claude," Bob Haskins said. "We were just hoping they would fire up like they did."

C-L answered right back going 56 yards in 11 plays to take the lead on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Johnston to Beggs on a fourth-and-goal play.

"Brad Beggs called the play," Smith said. "He came over and said ‘Coach I think I am going to be open on this play.’ I trust Brad. He is a smart kid, and he has smart ideas."

On Port Allegany’s next play the C-L defense came up with a big play when Johnston stripped Jeremy Tanner of the football and Dave Eggleton recovered the fumble at the Gator 37-yard line.

Four plays later, Johnston found Beggs for a 27-yard scoring pass giving the Lions a 14-6 lead with 13 seconds left in the first quarter.

"That has been a big play for us all year," Smith said. "Brad has caught six or seven touchdown on that play this year."

C-L came up with another turnover early in the second quarter when Erik White intercepted a Flint pass at the C-L 23-yard line.

While the interception didn’t turn into any thing big for the Lions, it really hurt the Gators with Flint suffering an apparent concussion on the play. He would not return to the game.

"I think Craig brings some leadership and composure out there," Bob Haskins said. "He seems to see things out there. But Willie (Bova) had a good game. He threw the ball well and made some nice throws."

After getting the ball back on a punt, Port Allegany drove to the C-L 27-yard line. But Niece dropped a sure first down pass giving the Lions the ball back.

That turned out to be the last threat of the half with C-L taking the 14-6 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the two teams traded punts with Port Allegany taking over at its own 20-yard line.

The Gators were then able to spring Haskins, who had just three carries for eight yards in the first half, for a 49-yard ruin to the C-L 22-yard line. Port Allegany then moved the ball to the Lion 1-yard line where it faced a second-and-goal.

Disaster struck when Bova fumbled a handoff attempt with C-L’s David Ferguson recovering the ball at the Lions 2-yard line.

C-L got to the 4-yard line, but the tables quickly turned when Fran Ludwig tackled Tuffy Brooks in the end zone for a safety cutting the Lion lead to 14-8 with 5:57 left in the third quarter.

"That was probably a bad play call," Smith said.

The ensuing free kick gave Port Allegany great field position at the C-L 44-yard line, and the Gators drove inside the 10 thanks to a 29-yard pass to Bobby Nichols and a penalty on the Lions.

But the first two plays netted minus one yard, and on third-and-goal Johnston batted down a sure touchdown pass in the front of the end zone.

"That is what Hayden does," Smith said. "He makes big plays like that especially in big games. He is just a ball player."

On fourth-and-goal, Port Allegany tried a swing pass to Haskins, but the Lions defense swarmed him at the 5-yard line stopping him cold.

"We had the ball down there twice in the third quarter," Bob Haskins said. "One time we fumbled at the 1-yard line, and the second time Hayden comes over the middle and makes a great play. That’s the difference in the ball game, I think."

After a 1-yard run by Huwar got the ball to the 6-yard line, Johnston took off on a 61-yard run to the Port Allegany 33-yard line.

"That run was unbelievable," Smith said. "I just trust the ball in his hands."

A couple of plays later Johnston hit Beggs with a 22-yard scoring pass using the same play the two had hooked up on for their second touchdown of the first half. The score came with 13 seconds left in the third quarter and gave the Lions a 20-8 lead.

"Beggs came across the middle a couple of times on us, and we just didn’t get to him," Bob Haskins said. "We even locked a guy up on him the second half, and he still got away."

Neither team was able to put together much offense until Port Allegany’s last drive of the game.

After getting the ball back on their own 14-yard line with 4:13 left to play, the Gators drove to the C-L 32-yard line thanks to passes of 23 and 17 yards from Bova to Niece. But on fourht-and-11 from the 32, Dave Eggleton came up with the game clinching sack with just 1:24 left.

Despite the loss, Port Allegany head coach Bob Haskins was pleased with his team’s performance and its season.

"I thought we played a real good game," Haskins said. "We knew they were a tough offensive team, and we had to try to score some points.

"You don’t like to end the season this way, but it is going to end somewhere anyhow unless you are state champions. It was nice to get back to the playoffs."

C-L now gets a rematch with District 10 champion West Middlesex, a 7-6 double overtime winner over Cochranton, in the opening round of the PIAA tournament at 7 p.m. Friday night at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium. Last season C-L beat West Middlesex 40-7 at Sharon High School.

CLARION-LIMESTONE 20, PORT ALLEGANY 8

Score by Quarter

PA 6 0 2 0 – 8

CL 14 0 6 0 – 20

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

PA – Jeremy Niece 70 pass from Willie Bova (Kick failed), 7:30

CL – Brad Beggs 7 pass from Hayden Johnston (Nate Tote kick), 2:17

CL – Beggs 27 pass from Johnston (Tote kick), :13

Third Quarter

PA – Safety, Fran Ludwig tackled Tuffy Brooks in the end zone, 5:57

CL – Beggs 22 pass from Johnston, :13

PA CL

First Downs 10 12

Rushes-Yards 26-79 42-158

Passing Yards 197 136

Passing: Comp-Att-Int 12-26-2 9-15-0

Total Yards 276 294

Penalties-Yards 3-15 11-81

Fumbles-Lost 2-2 2-0

Punts-Avg. 3-36.7 6-30.2

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Port Allegany: Claude Haskins 11-73, Jeremy Tanner 3-13, Bobby Nichols 6-13, Willie Bova 5-(-14), Jeremy Niece 1-(-6). Clarion-Limestone: Brendan Huwar 23-73, Hayden Johnston 7-73, Brad Beggs 2-16, Neil Reynolds 2-6, Tuffy Brooks 3-5, Team 3-(-4), Scott Davis 2-(-11).

Passing – Port Allegany: Willie Bova 12-for-22, 197 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Craig Flint 0-for-2, 1 interception. Claude Haskins 0-for-1. Jeremy Niece 0-for-1. Clarion-Limestone: Hayden Johnston 9-for-14, 136 yards, 3 touchdowns. Brad Beggs 0-for-1.

Receiving – Port Allegany: Jeremy Niece 4-123, Jeremy Tanner 4-37, Bobby Nichols 1-29, Wade Barber 1-1, Claude Haskins 2-7. Clarion-Limestone: Brad Beggs 5-96, Tuffy Brooks 3-34, Scott Davis 1-6.

Punting – Port Allegany: Claude Haskins 3-110. Clarion-Limestone: Hayden Johnston 6-181.

Interceptions – Clarion-Limestone: Erik White, Tuffy Brooks.

Fumble Recoveries – Clarion-Limestone: Dave Ferguson, Dave Eggleton.

Sacks – Port Allegany: Jeremy Tanner. Clarion-Limestone: Kenny Rossey (2), Dave Eggleton, Brendan Huwar (1/2), Dan Jeannerat (1/2).