It’s the final week of the regular season for most teams in District 9. Up to 16 of the 26 football teams in the district could be heading to the postseason.

What’s at stake this week? Playoff positioning in Class A and Class AA along with some conference titles in the Allegheny Mountain League and the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference.

It’s the second straight year that Curwensville (8-1) and Coudersport (9-0) square off for the league title. Last year, the Golden Tide won at Coudersport, 26-14. This year, the Tide host the Falcons at Riverside Stadium in Curwensville Saturday night at 7 p.m.

It’s the third straight trip for the Falcons, who won their fourth straight AML North title. Still, head coach Paul Simcoe is searching for his first-ever AML title.

Curwensville won the South Division for the fourth time in six years. The Tide also won the AML title back in 2000. The Tide lost to Smethport in the 2001 AML title game.

Who is the favorite? Perhaps the Tide with the home-field advantage, but that might be the only difference. Both teams are capable of winning. The game features two standout running backs in Coudersport’s David Babcock (1,160 yards, 19 TDs) and Curwensville’s Nick Sipes (1,227, 22). Sipes and Babcock rank 2-3 in the district in rushing.

Since the KSAC doesn’t have head-to-head tiebreakers, it could be as many as three teams sharing the title -- Clarion, Clarion-Limestone and Karns City, who are all 5-1 in conference play heading into this week. Even if there were head-to-head, it would be a three-way tie because each team is 1-1 against the other two teams.

But that could be a big "if." Clarion-Limestone (7-1) hosts Redbank Valley (5-3) in one of the better matchups of the week. Clarion (6-2) also has a challenge with a trip to Moniteau (4-4). Karns City (6-2) has the easiest matchup with a game at winless Union (0-8).

The DuBois Beavers (8-0) will try for their second perfect regular season in school history and first since 1952 when they host Altoona (3-5) at E.J. Mansell Stadium. The Beavers, who will play the McDowell-Cathedral Prep winner in sub-regional playoff game in two weeks, will try to cap off a memorable regular season.

The DuBois Fantastic Four of quarterback Ryan Liddle and running backs Mark Malacarne, Rob Hanzely and Adam Lawrence have accounted for or had a hand in 38 of the team’s 39 touchdowns.

Altoona is led by speedy quarterback/return man A.J. Alexander, who is only a sophomore.

In the Allegheny Mountain League, the other five games are set for Friday. Ridgway (0-8) hosts Cameron County (3-5), Port Allegany (6-2) heads to Elk County Catholic (5-3) in what could be a good game. Sheffield (0-8) visits Johnsonburg (5-3) and Kane (5-3) hosts Smethport (2-6). Brockway (5-3) hosts Otto-Eldred (2-6).

In the District 9 League, Clearfield (4-4) visits Punxsutawney (0-8), which is trying to avoid its first winless season since 1973.

In the other KSAC game, Keystone (1-7) visits A-C Valley (1-6).

Non-conference matchups have Brookville (4-4) hosting Grove City (5-3) in a rematch of last year’s state playoff game between the two teams. Grove City beat Brookville twice a year ago on its way to the PIAA Championship game, where it lost in the Class AA final to Lansdale Catholic. Bradford (2-5) hosts Harborcreek (4-4) and St. Marys (4-4) visits Philipsburg-Osceola (2-6).

Here’s an update on what’s going on in the playoffs, which will start for most teams next week. The official pairings and schedule will be announced Sunday or Monday. The following was done with the help of Tournament Chairman Bob Tonkin.

DuBois will be off next week, waiting for the winner of the District 10 title, either Cathedral Prep or McDowell. DuBois beat McDowell 33-21 in Erie on Sept. 30. McDowell beat Prep a week before that in overtime. DuBois will play McDowell or Prep Nov. 11 or 12.

It appears that St. Marys and Clearfield are in and Bradford is out, based on stories last week. That means a week off for the Dutch and Bisons before they go at it again in the championship game. It’ll be the first ever playoff game for St. Marys.

It could be up to five teams in the playoffs. Karns City, Brockway, Redbank Valley are in for sure. Brookville is likely playoff bound regardless of the result of the Grove City game while Moniteau may not go if it loses to Clarion this week.

Assuming all five are in, here’s how the seeding will go. Karns City has clinched the top seed. Brockway and Redbank Valley are battling for the second seed. Since Redbank Valley would win any tiebreaker on power rating if both teams finish with the same record, the Rovers must beat Otto and have Redbank lose to Clarion-Limestone to claim the second seed.

If Redbank Valley and Brockway lose and Brookville beats Grove City, the Raiders would win a three-way tiebreaker on power rating. In fact, the Raiders would win a tiebreaker with any team head-to-head.

Most likely scenario: 1. Karns City, 2. Brockway or Redbank Valley, 3. Brockway or Redbank Valley, 4. Brookville, 5. Moniteau. In a five-team tournament, the top seed would get a bye with 2-3 playing and 4-5 playing in the first round.

This is where it gets complicated. Eight teams have already secured playoffs spots, so it’s just a matter of seeding. Plenty of games will determine how the dust settles.

Coudersport, Curwensville, Clarion and Clarion-Limestone have the inside track on claiming the top four seeds. The only exception to that would be if Clarion loses and Port Allegany beats Elk County Catholic. That would drop the Bobcats to No. 5.

The other four teams are Kane, Johnsonburg, Port Allegany and Elk County Catholic, which would be five through eight in most scenarios.

You want scenarios? You want the truth? You got it. Please read slowly.