KANE USES DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS TO CAPTURE AML TITLE

Kane 21, Cameron County 13

Nov. 2, 2007 at Kane (AML Title Game)

By Scott Shindledecker

KANE – The Kane Wolves are the 2007 Alleghany Mountain League champions after a thrilling 21-13 win over the Cameron County Red Raiders Friday night at Paul R. Miller Stadium in Kane.

The game, featuring two undefeated and ranked teams, lived up the hype, but defense and special teams play proved to make the difference for the Wolves.

“What a great high school football game and having the home field advantage was huge,” Kane head coach Jason Barner said. “It was a packed house and very exciting.”

Kane (10-0) held a slim 14-13 lead early in the fourth quarter when a handful of plays turned the tide in the Wolves’ favor.

The Red Raiders (9-1) faced a third-and-10 from the 50 when Kane defensive end Ross Nicholson sacked Jordan Crane for a 17-yard loss back to the 33.

That forced a punt by Crane, who booted it to Kane’s D.J. Horton. Horton caught the ball at his 25 and snaked his way to daylight returning the kick to the Red Raider 9.

Only a hustling Charlie Holjencin making the tackle saved the touchdown. But one play later, the Wolves were in the end zone as tailback Dustin Moran got some great blocking and went in from nine yards out.

Zach Anderson’s extra point kick made it 21-13 with 8:17 to play.

“D.J.’s punt return was absolutely enormous,” Barner said. “He thought he had the touchdown, but what a game-changer.”

Cameron County had one more chance to tie the game, but its third turnover, with 5:06 to play, stopped any hopes it had of tying the contest.

Andy Lippert returned the kick after Moran¹s touchdown to the Cameron 25, and the Red Raiders started to march.

But with Cameron on the Kane 40, the defense came up big on two straight plays.

On second down, a Kane defender hit Crane hard. The Red Raiders quarterback tried to stay in the game, but he had to leave the field and backup QB Kyle McManigle came in. He had trouble getting the snap, and Kane pounced on the ball.

“When you’re in a game like this against a very good opponent, turnovers can play a major role in the game, and they did tonight,” Barner said.

The Wolves picked up three first downs as they drove to the Cameron County 12. The Red Raiders used all three of their timeouts, but when Moran went for three yards on fourth down at the 15, it was all over.

The Red Raiders took a 7-0 lead early in the game after forcing a Wolves punt.

Starting at their 14, Cameron drove 86 yards on 13 plays with Abram Zoschg scoring from the 2. Zoschg had a 22-yard catch to the 6 on the drive.

Kane went to its potent combination of Anderson and tight end John Bizzak to set up its first score. The duo hooked up for a 70-yard bomb to the Red Raiders 7. After a 6-yard run by Mike Punk to the 1, Moran went in from a yard out. Anderson’s kick failed and it was 7-6.

A Cameron County turnover helped the Wolves take the lead for good a few plays later.

On second down from their 23, Red Raiders tail back Cameron Clingan was stripped of the ball as he was going down, and Kane recovered at the Cameron 19.

The Wolves went for it all on the very next play as Anderson found Matt Mix for the touchdown. The two hooked up for the two-point pass and Kane led 14-7.

The Red Raiders opened the second half with the ball and drove it 76 yards in four plays with Crane finding Zoschg for a 38-yard TD pass.

But Horton came from the corner to block Holjencin’s kick, and Kane still led 14-13.

Horton had another big play as he intercepted a Crane pass at the Kane 33 late in the third quarter.

Anderson led the Wolves hitting 11 of 20 passes for 184 yards. Bizzak caught three of them for 112 yards. Moran led the Wolves running game with 79 yards on 21 rushes and two scores.

Crane hit 12 of 25 passes for 197 yards and Clingan led all rushers with 86 yards on just 10 carries.

For Kane, the 10 wins is school record breaking the previous mark on nine (9-2 in 2002), and the 10-0 regular-season mark is the first time the Wolves have been unbeaten in regular-season play since going 8-0 in 1962.

The victory also gives the top seed in the District 9 Class A playoffs to Kane, while Cameron County will be the third seed.

Kane will take on eighth seeded Curwensville (4-5), who made the field after Clarion lost to Brookville Friday night. The Wolves beat Curwensville 32-0 in Kane Oct. 5.

Cameron County will take on sixth-seeded Keystone (6-4) in the first round.

NOTES – It’s Kane’s second AML Title and its first since 2002 … Cameron County was looking for its first AML Title since 1999 … Kane’s win breaks a two-year wing streak for the AML North in the AML Title game. Coudersport beat Curwensville in the game each of the last two seasons. Curwensville was the last AML South team ot win the AML Title in 2004 … The last three AML Title-game winners – Coudy in 2006 and 2005 and Curwensville in 2004 – have gone on to win the District 9 Class A title.

KANE 21, CAMERON COUNTY 13

Score By Quarters

Cameron Co.    7    0    6    0    -    13

Kane    14    0    0    7-    21

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

CC - Abram Zoschg 2 run (Charlie Holjencin kick), 4:44.

K - Dustin Moran 1 run (kick failed), 2:48.

K - Matt Mix 19 pass from Zach Anderson (Matt mix pass from Zach Anderson), 2:17.

Third Quarter

CC - Abram Zoschg 38 pass from Jordan Crane (kick blocked), 10:27.

Fourth Quarter

K - Dustin Moran 9 run (Anderson kick), 8:17.

   CC    K

First Downs    21    16

Rushes-Yards    41-170    36-142

Passing Yards    195    184

Passes: Comp-Att-Int    12-25-1    11-20-0

Total Yardage    365    326

Punts-Average    2-29.04-36.2

Fumbles-lost    2-2    2-1

Penalties-Yards    4-30    3-22

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - Cameron County: Cameron Clingan 10-86, Abram Zoschg 7-28, Darrick Mason 10-31, Charlie Holjencin 2-(-4), Jordan Crane 7-13, Taylor Songer 3-14, Kyle McManigle 2-2. Kane: Dustin Moran 21-79, Matt Mix 6-42, Mike Punk 5-30, Zach Anderson 4-(-9).

Passing - Cameron County: Jordan Crane 12 of 25, 195 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int.

Kane: Zach Anderson 11 of 20, 184 yards, 1 TD.

Receiving - Cameron County: Sean McManigle 2-26, Mike Malizia 1-12, Abram Zoschg 5-91, Charlie Holjencin 1-40, Darrick Mason 2-18, Taylor Songer 1-8.

Kane: John Bizzak 3-112, Deryk Smith 2-19, Mike Punk 2-22, Matt Mix 4-31 .

Interceptions - Kane: D.J. Horton.