WEEK THREE DISTRICT 9 FOOTBALL WRAP-UP

Sept. 15-16

Last updated: 09/17/06 10:52:04 PM

PORT ALLEGANY – Colby Brookens scored two touchdowns to lead Port Allegany to a 35-0 win over visiting Smethport Saturday afternoon.

Brookens, who had two catches for 85 yards and one run for three yards, had a 75-yard touchdown catch for a touchdown and a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Derick Morey (5 of 8 passing, 119 yards; 6 carries, 24 yards) also ran for a touchdown and threw for a touchdown to held the Gators improve to 2-1 on the year.

Chad Saltsman (10 carries, 54 yards), Nick Nichols (15 carries, 75 yards) and Mark Chelgren (5 carries, 25 yards) also ran for scores for Port Allegany, which led 28-0 at halftime.

Devon Baumgardner was 3 of 9 passing for 22 yards and an interception while running 13 times for 24 yards for Smethport (0-3), while Zach Rittberg added nine carries for 26 yards. Joel Kohler caught two passes for 59 yards.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 14, KANE 6

KANE – Elk County Catholic needed two fourth quarter touchdowns to get a come-from-behind 14-6 win over Kane Friday night in Kane.

The Wolves (1-2 overall, 1-2 AML South) led 6-0 following a 1-yard run by John Bizzak midway through the third quarter, but ECC took the lead on a 12-yard Mike Moore run and Josh Catalano PAT 54 seconds into the final frame. Catalano then gave the Crusaders (2-1, 2-1) some breathing room with a 4-yard run with 5:19 to play.

Andy Herbstritt was 6 of 14 passing for 129 yards for ECC but threw three interceptions. Jimmy Higgins had three catches for 83 yards, and Moore two for 39. Moore ran three times for 28 yards and the touchdown, while Catalano had seven carries for 32 yards and a score. Eric Mastrogiacomo had 14 carries for 42 yards.

Bizzak led Kane with 18 carries for 66 yards and the touchdown, while Matt Mix had 19 carries for 71 yards. Kenny Kane was 6 of 13 passing for 41 yards. Ross Nicholson had two catches for 22 yards. D.J. Horton had an interception giving him five on the season.

KNOX – The early-season formula for Keystone is to play tough defense and give the other team’s defense a heavy dose of Derek Swartfager.

That was exactly what the Panthers did Friday night in getting a 25-7 win over visiting Union.

On defense, Keystone (2-1 overall, 2-1 KSAC) limited Union to 135 yards of offense while coming away with seven sacks led by three from Adam Dechant and two from Matt Bashline.

Offensively, Swartfager carried 20 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns including a back-breaking 52-yard run late in the first half after Union had closed to within a touchdown at 13-6.

Special teams scored Keystone’s first touchdown when Bashline recovered a bad snap punt in the end zone for a touchdown. It was the third bad punt snap Union has had in two weeks.

The Panthers then went on a 95-yard drive after Union was stopped on a fourth-and-goal play from the Keystone 3-yard line to make it 13-0 on a 20-yard Mike Switzer touchdown run.

Union made it 13-7 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Zach Himes to Kasey Kriebel with 5:24 left in the first half.

But Keystone made it 19-7 going into halftime on a 52-yard Derek Swartfager run.

NEW BETHLEHEM – The Jake Smith show continued at Redbank Valley, as the junior quarterback threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more to lead the Bulldogs to a 48-26 win over visiting Pittsburgh City League Class AAAA Schenley (0-3) Friday night.

Smith went 7 of 14 passing for 121 yards and the two scores while running 10 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

He ran for scores of 70 and 35 yards and threw touchdowns of 34 and 31 to Mike Booher, who finished with three catches for 76 yards.

Sophomore Alex Bladel continued his run through teams rushing 17 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns giving him 453 yards and five touchdowns in three weeks.

Redbank (3-0) also scored on a 60-yard interception return by Nash Rupp.

Cody Buchleitner added 11 tackles for Redbank which led 27-6 at halftime.

KARNS CITY – Karns City (3-0, 1-0 KSAC) scored three defensive touchdowns on its way to a 55-6 win over visiting Clarion-Limestone (1-2, 1-2) Friday night.

The Gremlins scored on two interception returns – Devin Collins (25 yards) and Cameron Turner (25 yards) – and a fumble recovery in the end zone by Cody Williams helping them to a 41-6 halftime lead.

Roy Beham added three touchdowns and 50 yards on just five carries, while Ben Pyle had four carries for 90 yards and a touchdown. Matt Endlish also added a score for Karns City.

C-L’s lone score came late in the first half on a 17-yard pass from Dan Miller to Brent Rhoades. Rhoades had four catches for 80 yards, while Miller was 7 of 16 passing for 91 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Rhoades also had an interception on defense.

WEST SUNBURY – Adam Cousins scored three times to lift Moniteau to a 35-0 win over A-C Valley.

Cousins scored on runs of 19 and nine yards and returned a punt 41 yards. He ran eight times for 76 yards.

Tyler Armagost was 10 of 13 passing for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Adam Pry had four catches for 67 yards and a score.

A-C Valley had 35 yards and four first downs. Cody Anthony had 11 carries for 23 yards, while Brad Rembold was 3 of 12 passing for 29 yards.

PUNXSUTAWNEY – E.J. Moore ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns to lead Bradford to a 28-7 win over Punxsutawney Friday night in Punxsy.

Moore scored on runs of 24 and 43 yards, while Tom Morris and Taylor O’Brien also scored for the Owls (3-0 overall, 2-0 D9 League), who led 21-0 at halftime.

Morris got the scoring started catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Ben Walter that capped a 93-yard drive giving Bradford a 7-0 lead.

Moore then scored on a 24-yard run following a bad punt snap by Punxsy to make it 14-0 before O’Brien’s 6-yard scoring run made it 21-0.

Punxsy cut the lead to 21-7 late in the fourth quarter on a 60-yard pass from Zack Smith to Austin Furman, but the Chucks failed to recover the on-side kick.

Moore then put the game away with the 43-yard touchdown run.

Mike Smiley led Punxsutawney with 23 carries for 104 yards.

CURWENSVILLE – Nick Sipes moved into third place in District 9 history in both rushing yards and touchdowns while leading Curwensville (2-1, 2-1 AML South) to a 29-0 win over visiting Brockway (1-2, 1-2) Friday night.

Sipes rushed 31 times for 247 yards and two touchdowns and now stands at 4,475 yards and 59 touchdowns. He has passed his cousin Kyle Cathcart of Clarion for third all-time in District 9 history in rushing and is now 49 yards behind Dave Richards for second in D9 history and 219 yards back of Brockway’s Aaron Cantafio, D9’s all-time leading rusher. The 59 touchdowns moves Sipes into a third-place tie with A-C Valley’s Mike Leach in District 9 touchdown history. He is 14 behind Cathcart for second place and 21 behind Richards, the all-time D9 leader.

Shawn Sopic (eight carries, 83 yards; 4 of 7 passing, 71 yards) and Brandon Hess (nine carries, 38 yards) also scored for Curwensville. Jesse Hoover had three catches for 57 yards, while Sipes had one grab for 14 yards.

Ben Kuhar ran three times for 44 yards to lead Brockway, while Andy Linden added four carries for 30 yards. Anthony Varischetti had 20 yards on 15 carries with going 2 of 15 passing for 26 yards an an interception.