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By Rich Rhoades
What now for the encore?
For Cameron County, it depends on what you’re talking about — a
rematch with Coudersport or the next big win?
The Red Raiders, for sure, won’t have to beat Coudersport again
to win the Allegheny Mountain League title in Week 10. That, assuming they don’t trip up the rest of the way,
will come against an AML-South team.
Last week’s 28-16 win over Coudersport ended the Falcons’
21-game regular-season winning streak and 27-game AML North streak. But the question has to be asked: How good
are the Red Raiders and how do things shape up at the top of the District 9 Class A playoff race?
While it’s hard to not think about projections after the result
of a big game, it’s waaaayyyyy too early. Really.
So let’s get on with the Week 4 preview.
This week, Cameron County (3-0), now ranked 10th in
the state by the Pennsylvania Football News, hosts winless Curwensville (0-3) in another crossover week in the
AML. Coudersport (2-1) plays in one of the week’s two Saturday night games at St. Marys against Elk County
Catholic (2-1).
The game of the week resides in the Keystone Shortway Athletic
Conference where Karns City (3-0) hosts Keystone (2-1). With Karns City, Moniteau and Redbank Valley still
unbeaten in league play in the early stages of what could be a multiple-team race, Keystone is in a must-win
situation when it comes to a KSAC title. Two losses may not cut it.
It won’t be easy for the visiting Panthers, who lost to Redbank
Valley in their opener 13-12. Karns City has beaten Keystone 11 straight times since the Panthers’ last win
in 1995. Last year was a classic as Karns City rallied from a 21-14 deficit in the fourth quarter to win 26-21
in Knox.
This year, the Gremlins, who have outscored their three opponents
100-24, have spread the wealth statistically and barely have anyone in the district leaders. Stephen Conto has
rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Anthony Stimac has passed for 347 yards.
Keystone’s passing game is ranked second in yardage in D9, most
of it coming from the arm of starting quarterback Ben Black, who’s tossed for 385 yards and three touchdowns.
His top receiver is Mike Switzer (243 yards, 1 TD). Derek Swartfager has 151 yards rushing.
In the other two KSAC games Friday, Clarion (1-2) hosts unbeaten
Redbank Valley (3-0) at Clarion University and Moniteau (2-1) hosts Union (0-3).
The Bulldogs have scored 96 points in their last two wins since
their 13-12 nail-biter over Keystone in the opener. The Bobcats won’t have starting quarterback Adam
Bevevino, who’s out with an injury. It’s the 81st meeting between the teams. Clarion leads the
all-time series, 41-34-5. Moniteau has won the last six straight against Union.
It’s real early in the final District 9 League race as St.
Marys (2-1) hosts Brookville (2-1) in an indicator game. Can the Dutch make a run at a league title? It would
have to start here. St. Marys is 2-1 for the first time since 1986. The Raiders were figuring on contending for
the D9 League, so a win here would certainly set up a big game at home in two weeks against Bradford.
It’s another week of a battle of unbeatens in the AML as 3-0
Kane hosts 3-0 Port Allegany. So far, the Gators have taken care of business beating three teams —
Johnsonburg, Sheffield and Smethport — with a combined record of 0-9. Kane has played Sheffield and Smethport
and is coming off a solid 33-7 win over Elk County Catholic.
The rest of the AML schedule has Brockway (2-1) visiting
Smethport (0-3), Otto-Eldred (1-2) traveling to Johnsonburg (0-3) and Ridgway (2-1) hosting Sheffield (0-3).
It used to be a District 9 League matchup, but now it’s a
Mountain Athletic Conference encounter between Clearfield (1-2) and Punxsutawney (0-3) in Punxsutawney. The
Bisons, with two close losses to Brookville and Hollidaysburg, are looking to get back to .500 against a
winless Chucks squad they’ve dominated in recent years. While the all-time series favors Punxsy at 42-40-3,
the Bisons have won 10 straight and 15 of the last 17 against the Chucks since 1992.
In games involving non-district opponents, DuBois (1-2) plays its
annual game against unbeaten Hollidaysburg (3-0), a team to watch in the Class AAA state rankings. The Golden
Tigers won a shootout at Clearfield last week 42-35 and have beaten two teams that played DuBois already:
Punxsutawney (48-21) and Central Mountain (31-10).
A-C Valley (0-3) visits former KSAC foe West Shamokin (1-2). The
Wolves, now in the WPIAL (District 7), beat A-C Valley last year 46-0. They’ve won five games since leaving
the KSAC after the 2003 season.
Clarion-Limestone (1-2) hosts Philipsburg-Osceola (3-0) in a
first-ever encounter. The District 6 Mounties beat Brookville in the season opener, 29-20.
Saturday night, longtime non-district rivals Bradford (2-0) and
Warren (1-2) face each other in Warren. It’s actually the 95th meeting between the teams. Warren
leads the series 45-44-5, but Bradford has won seven of the last nine meetings including 45-21 last year.
It’s been a shootout in recent years — Bradford 55-41 in 2005, 31-28 in 2004 and 31-28 in 2003, Warren
42-25 in 2002 — so don’t be surprised to see the scoreboard light up.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING — Air it out. Four quarterbacks — Coudersport’s Boomer Wetzel, Moniteau’s
Tyler Armagost, Clarion-Limestone’s Dan Miller, Clearfield’s Jarrin Campman — are already over 500 yards
passing after just three games. Campman is the only QB from that group that’s not a returning starter, which
considering Clearfield’s rich tradition of throwing QBs, that’s not a surprise.
Brookville’s Joe Galbraith, with 421 yards, is the early
rushing leader. He, Eric Mastrogiacomo, Brookville QB Shane Heschke, Brockway’s Dillon Park, Ridgway’s
Elliott Pontious and Bradford’s Taylor O’Brien are averaging over 100 yards per game.
MEANINGLESS NUMBERS — Perhaps it is, but, hey, I like numbers. After three weeks of play, scoring among
District 9 teams is down almost 20 percent over the first three weeks last year. That’s an average of almost
5 points per team per game. D9 teams are scoring 19.5 points per game this year compared to 24.1 last year
after three weeks. More this year vs. last year: 10 shutouts and one OT game after three weeks last year vs. 12
shutouts and no OTs games this year so far.
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