Five teams remain unbeaten in District 9 and two of them face off in a big Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference matchup.

Clarion visits Clarion-Limestone in a battle of two 5-0 squads. The Bobcats are trying to hand the Lions their first regular-season loss since 2001. The Lions’ 30-game winning streak is the longest current regular-season winning streak in the state. Click here for Clarion-C-L series history.

Meanwhile, the three other 5-0 teams take their act on the road. Coudersport will be tested as the Falcons take on the resurgent Smethport Hubbers (3-2), who have won three straight games. Click here for Coudersport-Smethport series history. Curwensville visits Ridgway (1-4), a team that’s given the Golden Tide fits since they entered the Allegheny Mountain League. Clearfield visits traditional power Huntingdon (3-2) in a Mountain Athletic Conference-Seven Mountains Division game.

In other Friday games, Bradford (3-2) hosts Brookville (1-4), DuBois (3-2) travels to St. Marys (0-4), Brockway (4-1) visits Kane (0-5) and Johnsonburg (2-3) hosts Elk County Catholic (3-2). Two interesting KSAC games have A-C Valley (3-2) hosting Redbank Valley (3-2) and Moniteau (4-1) traveling to Karns City (3-2). In non-conference games, Keystone (1-4) hosts District 6’s Bald Eagle Area (1-4) and Union (0-5) hosts District 10’s Cochranton (0-5). Punxsutawney (1-4) hosts Lewistown (0-5) in a MAC matchup. Saturday, Cameron County (0-5) visits Sheffield (1-4) and Port Allegany (3-2) hosts Otto-Eldred (3-2).

It’s the 33^rd meeting between backyard rivals and the series is dead-even at 16-16. The Lions, however, have won the last three games.

Clarion’s physical running game against C-L’s speed will be at the forefront of the matchup. Can the Bobcats stop Hayden Johnston and his speed merchants? Will C-L be able to contain a strong Clarion running game led by Chris McSwain?

It’s the start of a tough stretch for the Bobcats, whose next three opponents counting C-L are a combined 14-1, including unbeaten Clearfield next week on the road and Moniteau (4-1) at home in two weeks.

The unbeaten Falcons can solidify their hold on the AML North and high seed for the Class A playoffs with a win. The Hubbers, after losing their first two games, will try to extend their winning streak to four games and establish themselves as a team to beat despite two early losses that could cost them an AML-North title.

Last week, the Hubbers gutted out a 29-28 overtime victory over Otto-Eldred. Head coach Rob Cosper elected to go for two after Mike Switzer’s TD run put the Hubbers within a point of the Terrors, who scored on their first possession of OT. The move paid off as Switzer scored on the two-point conversion.

PLAYOFF WATCHING — With the District 9 Class A playoffs expanding to eight teams this season, the playoff race should go down to the final couple of weeks. But four District 9 teams could wrap-up playoff berths in Week Six.

Coudersport, Curwensville and either or both Clarion or Clarion-Limestone can clinch playoff berths with wins this week and a Johnsonburg loss to Elk County Catholic Friday night.

All four teams are 5-0 heading into this weekend. The Clarion-Clarion-Limestone winner clinches a playoff berth. The loser clinches if Johnsonburg loses to Elk County Catholic. Coudersport and Curwensville clinch playoff berths with a win and a Johnsonburg loss.

If the playoffs were to start after five weeks, Clarion, Clarion-Limestone, Coudersport, Curwensville, Otto-Eldred (3-2), Port Allegany (3-2), ECC (3-2) and Smethport (3-2) would qualify.

Johnsonburg (2-3) is one game back of a playoff berth, while Keystone and Ridgway, both 1-4, are two games back with four to play.

Meanwhile, Johnston’s football numbers continue to pile up. He’s 219 yards shy of 4,000 career passing yards and his career TD passes now total 61, which is in shouting distance of D-9 all-time leader and former state record-holder Chad Kroell of Clearfield. Kroell, who finished his career at Clearfield in 1994, passed for 79 career TD passes, including 49 in 1994.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING — The Curwensville Golden Tide running game is churning out some big numbers, averaging 375 yards rushing per game. Their top three running backs -- Nate and Nick Sipes, and Adam Pennington -- average at least 8.3 yards per carry. As a team, the Tide are gaining a whopping 7.9 yards per carry. … Thanks to his 301-yard effort against Kane last week, D-9’s leading rusher Nate Sipes could reach 1,000 this week, needing just 95 yards. Clearfield’s Josh Harbold is 199 yards away from four digits. Harbold is averaging 10 yards per carry while Sipes is at 9.9 yards per carry. … Last year, seven back reached 1,000 yards. That number should be around nine this year at the current pace. Twelve runners went over 800 yards a year ago. Right now, 16 backs are over 400 yards rushing. … C-L quarterback Hayden Johnston needs 31 yards to reach 1,000 yards passing. In a distant second place, Karns City’s Stephen Black has passed for 685 yards. Last year, seven QBs passed for more than 1,000 yards and three more passed for more than 900 yards. Those numbers will be hard to repeat this year based on the first five games.