CAMERON COUNTY 13, COUDERSPORT 7

Sept. 26, 2008

By Joshua Funk – Pennlive.com Western PA Football Reporter

For D9Sports.com

EMPORIUM – The Cameron County cheerleaders got a cheer going in the second half of Friday night’s game that went, “Our team is dynamite!”

The truth is, the Cameron County offense had already detonated for two big scoring plays in the first half, and, in the end, it proved to be just enough.

The Red Raiders (5-0 overall, 5-0 AML North) stopped the Falcons at the CC 7-yard line with 1:16 left in the game holding on for a thrilling 13-7 victory over Coudersport (3-2, 3-2) in Emporium.  The victory almost guarantees that Cameron County will be the AML North’s representative in the AML Championship game in Week 10 barring any major upsets before then.

“It was a heck of a game,” Cameron County head coach Tony DeFillipi said.  “This is third such (close) game in our first five. These kids are amazing.  They just find a way to win.”

And Cameron County had to dig deep in its pockets to pull out this W. Coudersport’s defense came out more than fired up, and held the red and black’s Wing-T attack to minus-3 yards of offense on its first possession.

But after forcing a Coudersport punt, the Raiders struck quickly.  On the fourth play of the Raiders’ second possession fullback Andrew Kesterholt took a trap play up the middle and then cut to the outside.  Fifty-eight yards later it was 7-0 Cameron County.  Kesterholt’s jaunt capped a 4-play, 80-yard march and lasted a mere 78 seconds.

Coudersport countered the big play with one of its own early in the second quarter.  After Brett Whitman reeled off 11 yards on a keeper, he found a wide-open Tim Thomas on a middle post rout for a 44-yard scoring strike knotting the game at 7-apiece.

Thomas also factored in the Coudersport ground attack as well totaling 25 rushing yards on 11 carries and hauling in six passes for 98 yards with the touchdown.

After the Falcons’ quick strike, both defenses settled in, and neither team appeared to have anything going offensively. 

Then Cameron County got its break after Andy Lippert intercepted Whitman setting CC up at the Falcons’ 37-yard line.

After Randy Schatz’ 6-yard run to set up a third-and-7 situation, Jason Blose (3-of-7, 52 yards, TD), lobbed a screen pass to Lippert, who snuck out of the backfield.

“We called that play and we were looking for a first down out of it,” DeFillipi said.

Lippert, though, had other ideas, breaking four Coudersport tacklers en route to a 34-yard touchdown reception and a 13-7 Cameron County lead.  That pass was the only CC completion in the first half.

But Coudersport’s defense atoned for the big play and played a very strong second half, holding CC to just 61 yards and four first downs and earned praise from first-year coach Brendan Hathaway.

“The defense did outstanding,” Hathaway said.  “We gave up one big play before the half, but they came out in the second half and played their butts off.”

But try as the Coudersport defense might the offense turned the ball over twice in the form of two more Whitman interceptions by Jarek Holjencin giving the Raiders an opportunity to put the game away.

After forcing a punt with 6:41 left in the game, the Falcons took over at their own 8-yard line and didn’t waste any time. Whitman completed five passes on the drive for 60 of his 181 yards in the game and worked the ball all the way down to the Red Raider 2-yard line.

Faced with a fourth-and-2, Coudersport was flagged for a procedure penalty, and was backed up to the 7.  Needing the touchdown Whitman rolled left  into Cameron County blitzers and flipped a shovel pass over the head of a Falcon receiver a yard deep in the end zone.

From there Blose took three knees and the game and more than likely the AML North was Cameron County’s.

“That (Coudersport) offense is tough to stop,” DeFillipi said.  “That’s a great football team and we’re really fortunate to get the win.”

Hathaway had similar comments about the Raiders. 

“Hats off to Cameron County,” he said.  “They’re a heck of a physical football team.”

CAMERON COUNTY 13, COUDERSPORT 7

Score by Quarters

Coudersport 7 0 0 0 – 7

Cameron Co. 7 6 0 0 – 13

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

CC – Andrew Kesterholt 58 run (Hunter Bardo kick)

CO – Tim Thomas 44 pass from Brett Whitman (Cooper Bonczar kick)

Second Quarter

CC – Andy Lippert, 34 pass from Jason Blose (Bardo kick failed)

Team Stats                 COUDY         CC

First Downs                13                    10

Rushing Yards                       28- 78                    43-150

Passing Yards             181                  52

Comp.-Att.-Int                        11-27-3            3-8-0

Total Yardage             259                  202

Fumbles/lost                0-0                   2-0

Penalties/Yards           4-25                 3-31

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Coudersport – Brett Whitman (13-40), Tim Thomas (11-25), Zach Buckler (3-13), TOTALS: 23-78

Cameron County – Andrew Kesterholt (14-97), Randy Schatz (7-27), Tanner Johnson (2-14), Jason Blose (10-20), Andy Lippert (6-minus-1), Team 3-minus 7  TOTALS: 43-150

PASSING: Coudersport – Brett Whitman (11-of-27, 181, TD, 3 INT)

Cameron County – Jason Blose (3-of-7, 52, TD), Andrew Kesterholt (0-of-1)

RECEIVING: Coudersport – Tim Thomas (6 rec., 98 yards), Nate Minor (4 rec., 68 yards), Wes Bernard (1 rec., 13 yards)

Cameron County – Andy Lippert (2 rec., 43 yards), Andrew Kesterholt (1 rec., 9 yards)

Interceptions - Cameron County 3 (Jarek Holjencin 2, Andy Lipper)