KEHR'S BIG NIGHT LEADS COUDERSPORT PAST SHEFFIELD

Junior scored four touchdowns, intercepts three passes

COUDERSPORT – Junior Mike Kehr scored four touchdowns and intercepted three passes to lead Coudersport to a 35-7 win over Sheffield Friday night in Coudersport.

"That was one of the most outstanding individual performances I have seen in more than 30 years of coaching," Coudersport head coach Paul Simcoe said. 

With the win the Falcons have clinched the top seed from the AML in the Class A playoffs. They will be the top seed if Clarion-Limestone loses to Moniteau next week and the second seed if C-L wins next week.

Sophomore David Babcock rushed for 134 yards and scored on a touchdown pass.

With an 8-0 record, the Falcons can clinch their second unbeaten regular-season in school history with a win over Brockway in the AML Title game. If Coudersport wins that game, the Falcons will have captured the school’s first-ever AML championship.

Friday night's contest was not as lopsided as the final score might suggest.

"Sheffield came to play," Simcoe observed. "They were a big team up front, hard hitters, and they were taking away our inside running game."

The Falcons responded with a more wide-open offensive attack.

"We basically spread the field a lot more and that created some opportunities for us," Simcoe said. "The kids came through, and I am very proud of them."

The visitors seized the early momentum, driving into Coudersport territory on their second possession, only to have Kehr record his first pick.

Three plays later, Sheffield's Jim Mosher recovered a fumble at the Falcon 10 and scored on a one-yard run. Robin Copley booted the extra point.

Coudersport didn't take long to tie the score.

Quarterback John Gerhart hit Steve Minor for a 28-yard gain on the final play of the first quarter. Then Kehr took a handoff on a reverse, slid through a hole on the left side and rambled 37 yards for a touchdown. Nick Keagle added the first of his five extra points.

Kehr's heroics continued as he intercepted another pass by Copley and, on the next play, hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Scott Easton.

Sheffield promptly launched a long drive that consumed most of the second quarter, but stalled inside the Coudersport 5.

In the closing minute of the first half, Babcock provided a sign of things to come, as he ran 13 yards for a first down, then hauled in a Gerhart pass covering 37 more yards to the Wolverine 17. After an incomplete pass, Gerhart fired toward the end zone and Kehr made a shoestring catch, helping the Falcons to a 21-7 advantage at halftime.

Defense dominated the third quarter. Coudersport had a chance to put the game out of reach, but Keagle's 30-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Moments later, Sheffield faced a fourth-and-2 at midfield and, oddly enough, opted to punt.

Coudersport made the Wolverines pay, as Babcock got the call on nine consecutive carries for 66 yards, then grabbed a pass from Easton and covered the final 18 yards for a touchdown.

Kehr returned to center stage by tipping a Copley aerial, tiptoeing the sideline to remain in-bounds, then grabbing the loose football and embarking on a 35-yard interception return.

Coudersport's defense turned in another solid effort. Linebacker Ross Simcoe had a hand in 16 tackles to lead the attack.

Statistics:

First Downs-- Coudersport 18, Sheffield 14

Rushing-- Coudersport 33-210 (Babcock 22-134), Sheffield 42-149

Passing-- Coudersport 20-8-0-149; Sheffield 22-10-3-70

Total Yards-- Coudersport 359, Sheffield 219

Penalties-- Coudersport 3-20, Sheffield 8-61

Fumbles Lost-- Coudersport 1, Sheffield 1

Total Turnovers-- Coudersport 1, Sheffield 4