Can you believe it’s Week 9 already? Judging by the weather outside, it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s this late in the season.

After slopping through muddy field conditions last week, District 9 football teams go into this week trying to nail down playoff spots, solidify playoff positioning or just improve on a record that might not be headed to the postseason.

Karns City and Coudersport, both 8-0, hope to continue their undefeated runs through the regular season. The Gremlins host Union (2-6) Friday night, one of 15 games this week, trying to win their first outright Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference title since 2001. Karns City shared the title last year with Clarion and Clarion-Limestone.

Coudersport hosts Kane (3-5) as the Falcons prepare to host Curwensville Nov. 4 in the Allegheny Mountain League Championship game. The Golden Tide clinched the AML-South Division with a win over Ridgway last week.

Games of the week? A couple of interesting matchups that feature Clarion (4-4) hosting Moniteau (6-2) and Johnsonburg (6-2) traveling to Cameron County (6-2).

Mathematically speaking, Clarion hasn’t clinched a playoff spot. The Bobcats are in with a win over a Moniteau squad trying to shake off a two-game losing streak or loses by Elk County Catholic, Otto-Eldred and Kane. Johnsonburg and Cameron County are playing for homefield advantage, likely in a playoff matchup against each other in the Class A quarterfinals in two weeks.

Here’s a closer look at this week’s games along with some other news and notes:

The Bisons (6-2) can only claim a share of the league crown with a win over the visiting Punxsutawney Chucks (3-5). A loss to the Chucks would give the crown to Brookville since it would win a head-to-head tiebreaker with Bradford. A Bisons win, however, creates a three-way unbreakable tie for the league title.

Not that it’s never happened before. Bradford, Clearfield and DuBois tied at the top in 2000 and 2001.

This week, the Golden Tide (7-1) visit Sheffield (1-7) Saturday afternoon while Coudersport hosts Kane Friday night. In another AML Saturday matinee, Port Allegany (2-6) hosts Brockway (4-4).

In other AML games, Ridgway (5-3) visits Otto-Eldred (3-5) and Smethport (0-8) visits Elk County Catholic (3-5). The Hubbers are trying to avoid their first winless season since they went 0-8-1 in 1947. The last time they didn’t get a win or a tie was 1944 when they went 0-7.

Clearly the best matchup of the week in the AML is Cameron County hosting Johnsonburg in a battle of 6-2 squads. The Rams’ Calvin Grumley is coming off a Player of the Week performance against Elk County Catholic while Cameron County has won four straight with three shutouts since losing back-to-back games to Coudersport and Curwensville.

Both teams’ only losses were to Coudersport and Curwensville. Cameron County fell 8-6 to Coudersport and 46-29 to Curwensville. Johnsonburg lost 24-0 to Coudersport and 18-3 to Curwensville.

The Warriors haven’t beaten the Bobcats since 2003. Clarion owns a 28-5 all-time record against their Butler County foe. The Bobcats are also trying to avoid their first non-winning season since 2002 and just the second such year since 1994.

Keystone (4-4) hosts A-C Valley (0-7). The Panthers are on the verge of clinching their first playoff berth since 1997. A win over the Falcons and Keystone, which hasn’t won a playoff game since 1989, is in.

Playoff-bound Redbank Valley (6-2) hosts Clarion-Limestone (2-6) in the other KSAC game.

Brookville (7-1) visits Sharpsville (6-2), a longtime Class A power out of District 10. The Raiders have won six straight and need to keep winning to guarantee themselves of at least a first-round home game in the playoffs.

St. Marys (1-7) travels to Youngsville (2-6) while Bradford travels to East Pittsburgh (between Pittsburgh and Irwin on Route 30) Saturday afternoon to take on 1-7 East Allegheny, a Class AA school in the WPIAL.

For the record, the D-9 champion meets the District 4 champion in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Week 13 Nov. 24-25, which is Thanksgiving weekend.

Right now, the seeding would go Karns City, Brookville, Moniteau and Brockway, but Karns City has a tough game against Forest Hills of District 6 next week while Brookville and Moniteau each have Clarion on schedule. The Raiders also have that tough game this week at Sharpsville. If Brookville and Karns City each finish 9-1, the Raiders would get the top seed on power rating.

The District 9 champion has the tall order of playing the WPIAL (District 7) champion in the PIAA playoffs on Week 14 Dec. 1-2.

Who’s in: Coudersport, Curwensville, Ridgway, Cameron County and Johnsonburg from the AML and Redbank Valley from the KSAC.

Anybody else have a chance? Mathematically, Elk County Catholic, Otto-Eldred and Kane, but it’s a stretch for all but the Crusaders, who still need a lot of help.

If Clarion beats Moniteau and Keystone beats A-C Valley, both advance to the postseason. Both also get in if ECC, Otto-Eldred and Kane lose.

As far as seedings go, and assuming that upsets don’t happen the next two weeks in the AML or KSAC, here is a likely seeding scenario:

1. Winner of Coudersport-Curwensville AML title game
2. Redbank Valley
3. Coudersport-Curwensville AML title game loser
4. This week’s Johnsonburg-Cameron County winner
5. This week’s Johnsonburg-Cameron County loser
6. Ridgway, with a win over Otto-Eldred this week
7. Clarion, Keystone or other
8. Clarion, Keystone or other

73 – Curwensville’s Nick Sipes’ career touchdown total, tying him with cousin Kyle Cathcart of Clarion. He’s seven behind Clearfield’s David Richards’ mark of 80. More on him below.

31 – Sipes’ streak of games with 100 or more yards rushing. The last time Sipes failed to get to the century mark was the opening game of the 2004 season when he rushed for 54 yards in a 68-7 blowout of Smethport.

26 – Coudersport’s winning streak against AML-North opponents. The Falcons have also won 15 straight regular season games, including the AML title game last year.

16 – Sipes’ streak of games with at least one touchdown. He’s scored 42 TDs in that span. The last game he failed to score a TD in came in last year’s loss to Johnsonburg.

11 – A-C Valley’s losing streak, the longest active in D-9, which is one more than DuBois’ 10.

13-5 – The AML South’s record against the AML North in crossover games this year. Coudersport (3) and Cameron County (2) have all of the North’s wins.

12-13 – District 9’s overall record against non-district opponents. Last year, District 9 compiled a 12-24 mark against non-district opponents, including 1-4 in the playoffs.

Clearfield receiver Adam Jury needs 205 yards to reach 1,000 yards receiving, which would make him the first in the district to get to four digits since Clearfield’s own Brian Kaspick had 1,138 yards in 1999. Jury is also a pretty good passer, completing all three of his passes this year for 126 yards and two touchdowns. That equals a hefty passing rating of 672.8.

Speaking of passing ratings, Cameron County’s Jordan Crane leads all starting QBs with a rating of 175.91. He’s only attempted 51 passes in seven games, but he leads the district with 10 TD passes. He’s the only passer with double figures in scoring throws. Last year, 10 quarterbacks passed for 10 TDs or more.

Brookville’s Max Kutz is poised to go over 1,000 yards rushing, needing only 12 against Sharpsville this week to become the first Raiders to reach 1,000 since Doug Miller did in back in 1995, the year before Chris Dworek became head coach at Brookville.

The Raiders have had an outstanding season on the field and especially statistically. They have a chance to get a second running back over 1,000 with junior Joe Galbraith, who has 752 yards. Brookville has at least three more games and as many as five if it wins the District 9 Class AA title, so it’s possible.

Brookville could pull off a triple 1,000 too, with quarterback Shane Heschke’s passing total at 743 yards. Two 1,000-yard rushers and a 1,000-yard passer has been accomplished at least once before back in 1998 when Clearfield’s Kenny Wisor and Jimmy Lewis rushed for 1,500 and 1,368 yards respectively and quarterback Derrick Yohe passed for 1,273 yards. The Bisons needed 12 games to do it, finishing with an 11-1 record.