LIPPERT LEADS CAMERON COUNTY INTO D9 CLASS A TITLE GAME

District 9 Class A Playoffs - Semifinals

Cameron County 21, Coudersport 7

Nov. 14, 2008

District 9 Playoff Home

BRADFORD – The top-seeded Cameron County Red Raiders advanced to their second consecutive District 9 Class A title game with a 21-7 win over the Coudersport Falcons in the semifinals at Bradford’s Parkway Field Friday night.

The Red Raiders (11-1) used a power running game and a stingy defense to defeat their AML North rivals for the second time this season the third straight time dating back to last year. Cameron County amassed 456 yards on the ground while holding Coudy (8-3) to just 197 yards of offense.  Andy Lippert led the way with 246 yards and three touchdowns, his second straight 200-yard output. He has 536 yards rushing and seven touchdown in two District 9 playoff games.

Cameron County took a 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game when junior Andy Lippert carried the ball off the left side and broke four tackles before sprinting 64 yards for a touchdown. Hunter Bardo added the PAT.

That was the extent of the first-half scoring, although Cameron County was clearly getting the better of the play making two more drives inside the Coudersport 25-yard line. The Falcons defense stiffened on both occasions, and the Red Raiders were unable to find the goal line.

Coudersport, on the other hand, was unable to generate any offense at all and punted five times in the opening 24 minutes.

The Falcons threatened to tie the game on their first drive of the second half moving from the Red Raider 47 to the Red Raider 11 thanks to a 22-yard pass from Eric Babcock to Tim Thomas and a pass interference call on Cameron County. But Coudersport was whistled for offensive pass interference, and three more incomplete passes ended the drive.  

Cameron County then drove 74 yards on six plays with Lippert scoring his second touchdown of the game on an 11-yard jaunt making it 14-0. The big play of the drive was a 41-yard carry by fullback Andrew Kesterholt.

Coudersport drove to the Cameron 8-yard line on its next possession thanks in large part to a 55-yard pass from Babcock to Thomas. But the Falcons were flagged for a low block on a scramble by Babcock three plays later moving the ball back to the 31, and Cameron senior corner Dan Sullivan killed the drive with an interception on the 14-yard line.

Coudy turned the tables on the Red Raiders recovering a Lippert fumble at the Cameron 33-yard line.

From there it took fullback Zack Buckler just two carries to get into the end zone for a touchdown that coupled with Cooper Bonczar’s extra point made it 14-7.

But with their defense playing at the top of its game, the Red Raiders effectively put the game away on their next possession.

After the kickoff, CCHS moved from their own 20-yard line to the 44 on four running plays before Lippert broke yet another big run bouncing outside to the left and racing 56 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead.  

Coudersport drove deep into Raider territory twice more in the final period. But one drive was stopped by a Kyle McManigle interception at the 14-yard line and another stalled on downs at the CCHS 11-yard line.

NOTES – Cameron will take on Clarion in the District 9 title game at a time, date and place to be announced. It is a rematch of the 1999 D9 Class A title game won by Cameron 13-6 when Clarion fumbled at the 1-yard line in the closing minutes. This will be the Red Raiders third trip to the District 9 title game. They are 1-1 having lost 14-6 to Kane last year … Cameron now leads the all-time series with Coudersport 31-30-3. The Raiders beat Coudersport 13-7 in September … The game marked the eighth time this year Cameron has allowed seven or fewer points. They are 7-1 in those games.

CAMERON COUNTY 21, COUDERSPORT 7

Score by Quarters

Coudersport 0 0 7 0 – 7

Cameron Co. 7 0 14 0 – 21

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

CC – Andy Lippert 64 run (Hunter Bardo kick)

Third Quarter

CC – Lippert 11 run (Bardo kick)

CO – Zack Buckler run (Cooper Bonczar kick)

CC – Lippert 56 run (Bardo kick)

Unofficial Team Statistics

                                                CO                  CC                  

First Downs                            5                      14

Rushes-Yards                          25-101             56-456            

Passing Yards                         96                    0

Passing: Comp-Att-Int            4-24-96            0-2-0               

Total Yards                             197                  456

Fumbles-Lost                          4-0                   3-2

Punts-Avg.                              5-36.2              2-20                

Penalties-Yards                       11-70               8-70

Unofficial Individual Statistics

Rushing – Coudersport: Eric Babcock 5-0, Brett Whitman 3-41, Tim Thomas 10-16, Zack Buckler 7-44. Cameron County: Jason Blose 10-55, Andy Lippert 18-246, Andrew Kesterholt 15-105, Randy Schatz 13-50.

Passing – Coudersport: Eric Babcock 4-for-24, 96 yards, 2 interceptions. Cameron County: Jason Blose 0-for-2, 0 yards.

Receiving – Coudersport: Brett Whitman 1-6, Ty Carts 1-11, Tim Thomas 2-79.

Interceptions – Cameron County: Daniel Sullivan, Kyle McManigle.