DISTRICT 9 CLASS A PLAYOFF OUTLOOK

Predications

(8) CURWENSVILLE AT (1) KANE

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at Paul R. Miller Stadium in Kane (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Coudersport/Port Allegany winner, Nov. 16

GAME NOTES: It’s a rematch of a Week 6 game that Kane won 32-0. The Wolves led 32-0 by halftime as Dustin Moran rushed for three touchdowns and 87 yards. Mike Punk returned a punt 50 yards for a score and quarterback Zach Anderson threw for 146 yards and a touchdown. Tide quarterback David Kalgren completed 9 of 21 passes for 91 yards and rushed for 48. Historically, Curwensville leads the all-time series, 8-4.

ABOUT THE CURWENSVILLE GOLDEN TIDE

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Andy Evanko

2007 RECORD: 4-5 (4^th in AML South)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 42-41 (.506), 3^rd among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-4

TOP PLAYERS: QB David Kalgren (57-of-126, 789 yards, 3 TDs, 9 Int. passing; 60-258, 6 TDs rushing); RB Jed Greslick (76-577, 6 TDs rushing; 6-124, 1 TD receiving); RB Ben McGary (105-506, TDs); WR Jesse Hoover (33-479, 2 TDs)

NOTABLE: Since coming to the AML in 1999, the Golden Tide have made six playoff appearances in nine years. Each time, the Tide have been a title contender. This year is different as head coach Andy Evanko’s squad comes into the postseason as the lowest seed with a losing record thanks to Clarion’s loss to Brookville last week. … Curwensville’s four wins came against teams with a combined 7-29 record, including three one-win teams (Johnsonburg, Smethport, and Sheffield).

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 5 / 2006 (Class A)

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 2 / 2004 (Class A)

ABOUT THE KANE WOLVES

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jason Barner

2007 RECORD: 10-0 (AML South and AML champion)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 45-49 (.479), tied for 5^th among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 5-0

TOP PLAYERS: QB Zach Anderson (85-of-142, 1,644 yards, 18 TDs, 5 Int.); RB Dustin Moran (150-930, 20 TDs rushing; 11-208, 2 TDs receiving); RB Matt Mix (66-350, 5 TDs rushing; 21-295, 3 TDs receiving); RB Mike Punk (23-298, 5 TDs rushing; 7-144, 3 TDs receiving); TE John Bizzak (16-529, 7 TDs)

NOTABLE: The Wolves, just 3-7 a year ago, could not have done anything more to prove themselves as one of the favorites if not the favorite to win the Class A title as the top seed. They set a school record for wins in a season and went unbeaten in the regular season for the first time since 1962. Head coach Jason Barner’s squad is coming off its two toughest games at the end of the season with wins over Coudersport (39-7) and Cameron County (21-13) in last week’s AML title game. … The Wolves have plenty of threats offensively as indicated above. Punk is a dangerous return specialist. … In Kane’s last playoff appearance in 2005, the Wolves lost to eventual champion Coudersport 42-15 in the first round. Kane lost in the 2002 title game to Clarion-Limestone 27-14. … The last time Kane played a team twice in a season was 2005 when it lost to Coudersport in the regular season and playoffs.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 3 / 2005

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE:  None

(7) ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC AT (2) REDBANK VALLEY

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at Redbank Valley High School (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Cameron County/Keystone winner, Nov. 17

GAME NOTES: It’s the first time that these teams have ever met on the football field … Redbank Valley earned the top KSAC seed and is one of only two KSAC teams in the Class A playoffs … The game boasts some of the top statistical leaders in the district as quarterback Jake Smith and running back Alex Bladel pace the Bulldogs while Eric Mastrogiacomo leads the Crusaders.

ABOUT THE ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC CRUSADERS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Keith Lecker

2007 RECORD: 5-5 (5-4 AML South, 3^rd place)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 52-44 (.542), 1^st among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-3

TOP PLAYERS: RB Eric Mastrogiacomo (174-1,088, 12 TDs rushing; 10-105 receiving); QB Kyle Garner (45-of-118, 869 yards, 10 TDs, 16 Int.); WR Nick Brennen (22-486, 7 TDs)

NOTABLE: The Crusaders stood at the end of the season last year with the same 5-5 record as they do this year, but missed the playoffs. In fact, ECC has finished 5-5 in each of the past three seasons prior to this year … Head coach Keith Lecker’s squad’s last playoff appearance was two years ago when they fell to Clarion 20-16 in the first round … This year, ECC has one win against a team with a non-losing record (Brockway, 5-5). … Eric Mastrogiacomo is the second-leading rusher in District 9. … ECC is looking for its first win over a KSAC opponent since beating Clarion-Limestone in the 1995 semifinals. Since then, it has lost to C-L twice (1998, 2004) and Clarion last year.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 5/2005

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: None

ABOUT THE REDBANK VALLEY BULLDOGS  

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Ed Wasilowski

2007 RECORD: 9-1 (6-1 KSAC, 2^nd place)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 33-55 (.375), 8^th among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-0

TOP PLAYERS: QB Jake Smith (98-of-171, 1,695 yards, 23 TDs, 4 Int. passing; 103-543, 13 TDs rushing); RB Alex Bladel (111-787, 13 TDs rushing; 10-150, 1 TD receiving); WR Jerrett Magagnotti (22-531, 9 TDs); WR Nash Rupp (22-363, 8 TDs); Craig Hibell (21-324, 3 TDs); WR Kasey Haines (19-300, 2 TDs).

NOTABLE: The Bulldogs have routed just about everybody on their schedule with the exception of a 23-0 loss to KSAC champion and Class AA top seed Karns City, a 13-12 win at Keystone in Week 1 and a 49-36 shootout win over Moniteau in Week 8 that at one points was a blowout before Moniteau rallied in the second half … Head coach Ed Wasilowski’s squad has scored 40 or more points in five straight games and eight of 10 for the year … QB Smith and RB Bladel have combined to account for 87.6 percent of the team’s total offense. Smith set the team’s single-season passing yardage and touchdown marks and is tied with R.J. Dick for the career TD passes mark with 38. This year, Smith has passed for a district-best 23 TDs with only four interceptions … Making Smith’s job easier, the Bulldogs have the deepest receiving corps in the district with four players with 19 or more receptions. … This is the second year in the Class A playoffs for the Bulldogs, traditionally a Class AA team. Last year, they beat Keystone 34-0 before losing to Curwensville in the semifinals 32-7 at Clarion University. … The Bulldogs haven’t beaten an AML team in the postseason since beating Port Allegany 7-0 in the 1996 Class AA Championship game. Since then, they have lost to Brockway in 2005 and Curwensville last year.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST:  10 / 2006 (Class A)

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 3 / 1996 (Class AA)

(6) KEYSTONE AT (3) CAMERON COUNTY

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at Cameron County High School (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Redbank Valley/Elk County Catholic winner, Nov. 17

GAME NOTES: It’s been a long time since either of these teams have won a playoff game, so something has to give in the first-ever meeting between these teams. For third-seeded Cameron County, it’s been since 1999 when its dream season ended in the PIAA Western Semifinals. For Keystone, it’s been longer, like 1989 when it beat Clairton in the PIAA Class A semifinals … That 1999 season had been on the minds of many a Cameron County fan until perhaps last week’s AML title game loss to Kane. But the Red Raiders are expecting to get a rematch in the district finals … First things first, though, as the Keystone Panthers are looking for a road upset. The Panthers returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1997 last year, losing 34-0 to Redbank Valley. The Panthers’ four losses have come to playoff a team, including a 13-12 season-opening loss to second-seeded Redbank Valley and three loses to Class AA postseason participants Brookville, Karns City and Moniteau.

ABOUT THE KEYSTONE PANTHERS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jason Nellis

2007 RECORD: 6-4 (4-3 KSAC, tied for 3^rd place)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 46-50 (.479), tied for 5^th among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-1

TOP PLAYERS: RB Derek Swartfager (122-562, 8 TD rushing; 17-154, 2 TDs receiving); QB Dan Reed (65-of-131, 855 yards, 7 TDs, 10 Int.; 53-359, 2 TDs rushing); QB Ben Black (39-of-86, 630 yards, 7 TDs, 4 Int.); WR Kyle Rhoads (32-398, 5 TDs); WR Mike Switzer (31-597, 5 TDs).

NOTABLE: The Panthers have some decent numbers to boast defensively, allowing only five points per game against Class A opponents with three shutouts. Can they match up with Cameron’s size? That’s the big question. Head coach Jason Nellis’ two-QB system of Reed and Black has been effective. Swartfager, Rhoads and Switzer are playmakers as well.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST:  5 / 2006 (Class A)

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 2 / 1989 (Class AA)

ABOUT THE CAMERON COUNTY RED RAIDERS  

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Tony Defilippi

2007 RECORD: 9-1 (9-0 AML North champions, AML runner-up)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 43-41 (.512), 2^nd among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 4-1

TOP PLAYERS: RB Cameron Clingan (73-744, 9 TDs); RB Abram Zoschg (57-483, 12 TDs rushing; 12-272, 4 TDs receiving); QB Jordan Crane (46-of-90, 894 yards, 16 TDs, 5 Int. passing; 32-113, 3 TDs rushing); WR Sean McManigle (10-164, 4 TDs)

NOTABLE: The Red Raiders have basically named the score in all of their games but two, those being a win over Coudersport and a loss last week to Kane in the AML title game. A whopping eight players have at least 100 yards rushing. The team is big and balanced with several players stepping up at times to contribute. Can they bounce back from a tough loss to Kane? The road starts with a home game as a favorite.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST:  2 / 2006 (Class A)

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE:  1 / 1999 (Class A)

(5) PORT ALLEGANY AT (4) COUDERSPORT

WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at Coudersport Area Recreation Park (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Kane/Curwensville winner, Nov. 16

GAME NOTES: Considering how this game played out during the regular season, this could be an interesting game to watch. Coudersport won at Port Allegany 28-7 in Week 5. The win notched Coudersport head coach Paul Simcoe his 200^th career win, the first coach to achieve the milestone in the district. However, controversy arose when Port Allegany took umbrage to the Falcons’ play calling when Coudersport did not punt on fourth-and-10 from the Gators’ 45 with about a minute remaining and the Falcons up 21-7. The play resulted in a 50-yard touchdown pass. Smart move to make sure the game was over or running up the score? Port Allegany coach Mike Bodamer told the Olean Times-Herald that he wished, “(Coudersport) hadn’t done that (bleep) at the end. The kids played their hearts out and to get stomped on at the end like that…” … Coudersport will try to become the first team to win three Class A titles in a row … It’s the 112^th meeting between these longtime rivals. Port Allegany leads the series 62-46-3 but Coudersport has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the only loss being a 10-9 playoff setback to the Gators in 2003.

ABOUT THE PORT ALLEGANY GATORS  

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Mike Bodamer

2007 RECORD: 6-3 (3^rd place AML North)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 41-44 (.482), 4^th among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-3

TOP PLAYERS: RB Derick Morey (118-573, 11 TDs rushing, including 384 yards and 5 TDs in three games since becoming starting RB, moving over from QB; Was 13-of-52, 141 yards, 1 TD, 2 Int. passing as the QB); RB Nick Nichols (112-597, 5 TDs); RB Mark Larson (66-315, 2 TDs), FR. QB Camrin Stuckey (4 of 9, 74 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int)

NOTABLE: It’s a simple observation for the Gators. They beat everybody in the AML except for its three best teams — Kane, Coudersport and Cameron County — which happened to be in three consecutive weeks. Port rebounded with three straight wins to end the regular season … It’s pretty much run-only in Gator-land as the team threw only 68 passes in nine games (an average of just 7.6 passes per game).

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 7 / 2005

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: None

ABOUT THE COUDERSPORT FALCONS  

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Paul Simcoe

2007 RECORD: 7-2 (2^nd place AML North)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 40-45 (.471), 7^th among Class A playoff teams

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 3-2

TOP PLAYERS: QB Boomer Wetzel (93-of-155, 1,432 yards, 16 TDs, 8 Int.); RB Dirk Cowburn (56-292, 3 TDs rushing; 12-216, 2 TDs receiving); RB Kyle Gee (61-242, 9 TDs rushing; 13-160 receiving); RB Nick Reddick (50-214, 2 TDs); RB Colton Corey (15-318, 4 TDs receiving); WR Brett Whitman (28-475, 5 TDs); Justen Kinder (13-178, 4 TDs)

NOTABLE: Other than Kane or Cameron County, it’s been no problem for the Falcons … Coudersport has the winningest coach in District 9 history on its sideline, so the team would love to get another shot at either of those teams, which would be Kane first in the semifinals, if they take care of business … The Falcons have struggled running the ball and only Keystone has a worse running game among District 9 playoff teams. However, QB Boomer Wetzel can sling it, passing for 1,432 yards and 16 TDs.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 11 / 2006 (Class A)

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 4 / 2006 (Class A)