By Rich Rhoades

            Anything at stake this week?

            In a light Week 10 schedule involving 11 games and only three games between two District 9 teams, there a few games to circle on the score list this week.

            Thursday night, action gets under way in the WPIAL when the undefeated Moniteau Warriors (9-0) get warmed up for the playoffs with a non-conference game at Riverside (3-6).

            From there, it’s a rematch of last year when Cameron County (9-0) hosts Kane (7-2) in the Allegheny Mountain League Championship game Friday night. For more on that game, read the preview story.

            Friday night, the Brookville Raiders (4-5) and Punxsutawney Chucks (4-5) square off in the annual Route 36 Trophy game in Punxsutawney. There’s a whole lot at stake for the Raiders, who must win to earn the fourth and final Class AA playoff berth.

            If the Raiders stumble, the nod will go to the Brockway Rovers (4-5), who host the Keystone Panthers (3-6) in a non-conference matchup that has no bearing on the playoff scenario’s for either team.

            Or not.

            Keystone and Port Allegany, both at 3-6, are tied for the eighth and final berth in the Class A playoff standings. While Port Allegany’s regular season is finished, Keystone finishes, as written above, at Brockway. It’s not known what will decide the eighth position as an explanation was requested but not given as of Wednesday night. The one thing that is known is that a loss won’t hurt Keystone’s chances, only the league record counts. But Port Allegany might or might not pick up bonus points in the Power Rating that could end up tying the Gators with the Panthers and necessitating a coin toss. But for that to happen both Sheffield and Otto-Eldred would have to win this week – and those games might not even count meaning Port can’t make it in.

            Speaking of Brockway, Rovers sophomore quarterback Derek Buganza is entering some rarified air when it comes to passing yardage in a season. Buganza has passed for 2,575 yards. Last week, he threw for 413 yards and six touchdowns in Brockway’s 45-27 win over Ridgway.

            Considering he threw for that number last week and will now play this week against a Keystone defense that has given up its share of points and yards, the 3,000-yard mark isn’t out of the question. And if the Rovers happen to get another game in the playoffs if Brookville loses, that would make it even more possible.

            The only 3,000-yard season passer in District 9 history is Clearfield’s Chad Kroell, who threw for a then-state record 3,224 yards in 1994.

            What is known about the Class A playoffs is that Cameron County, Curwensville, Redbank Valley and Coudersport will be hosting first-round playoff games next week, either Friday or Saturday. In some order, Elk County Catholic, Clarion and Johnsonburg, all at 6-3 going into this week, will be the fourth through seventh seeds.

            Only Clarion out of that trio has a game this week as the Bobcats host District 10’s Sharpsville, which comes in with a 5-4 record. That game may or may not count in the seeding race.

            In the District 9 Class AAA playoff race for the second of just two spots this year, the Clearfield Bisons (7-2) can not only win the Mountain Athletic Conference-Nittany Division title with a win at home against St. Marys (6-3), they can also put a dent in the Flying Dutchmen’s playoff plans.

            The Bisons, even with their surprising 33-7 loss to Huntingdon last week, are tied at the moment with Tyrone and Central-Martinsburg with 6-1 division records. But the Bisons beat both teams and would win the head-to-head tiebreaker against the winner of those two in their game this Friday.

            On the other hand, the Dutch can spoil the Bisons’ division title with a win. A St. Marys win would also eliminate defending two-time champion Bradford from the postseason race. The Owls (5-4) must win at Corry (5-4) and hope St. Marys loses to get into the championship game against Clearfield.

            St. Marys dealt Clearfield a surprising 30-14 defeat in last year’s Class AAA semifinals as it intercepted Bisons quarterback Jarrin Campman six times. No doubt, the Bisons remember that loss and will try to get revenge in the first of two straight possible meetings.

            In the Mountain Athletic Conference-Seven Mountain Division, the DuBois Beavers (5-4) host Hollidaysburg (8-1). Not only would the Beavers claim the division title with a win over the Golden Tigers, they might claim the second seed and a home game in the Region 6-8-9-10 playoffs. DuBois would have to win and hope McDowell (6-3) loses its game at 8-1 Bishop McDevitt, not necessarily a longshot.

            But Hollidaysburg, ranked 10^th in the state in Class AAA by the Pennsylvania Football News, is on an eight-game winning streak — its only loss coming to unbeaten State College — and has won 32 of 50 games lifetime against the Beavers.

            DuBois running back Garrett Malmgren needs 11 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, which will make the district’s third 1,000-yard rusher behind Clearfield’s Isiah Morgan and Redbank Valley’s Alex Bladel.

            In one of three non-conference games, the Karns City Gremlins (8-1) travel to unbeaten Wilmington (9-0), another state-ranked opponent on the schedule of a District 9 team. The Greyhounds are coached by Curwensville native Terry Verrelli.

            Regardless of the Gremlins’ outcome, they’ll be the second seed for the Class AA playoffs and will open against third-seeded Kane.

            Otto-Eldred (1-8) travels to District 4’s Cowanesque Valley (3-6) while on Saturday, Sheffield (0-9) hosts Warren County rival Youngsville (2-7) in a 1:30 p.m. start.