2009 DISTRICT 9 CLASS AA PLAYOFF OUTLOOK

Predications

(4) Kane vs. (1) Karns City

WHEN/WHERE: 5 p.m. Nov. 14: Clarion University's Memorial Stadium (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Brockway/Moniteau winner in D9 Title Game Nov.20/21 TBA

GAME NOTES:   This is a rematch of last year’s 2/3 semifinal game which the Gremlins won in convincing fashion 42-14 … Karns City is looking to win the District 9 Class AA title for the third straight year … Last season the Gremlins beat Moniteau 42-9 in the title game. They also beat the Warriors 50-14 two seasons ago … Karns City comes into the game having lost two of its last three games including a 55-9 lost to Wilmington, who is ranked fifth in the state in Class AA by PA Football News … Kane comes in after a week off following back-to-back losses to Curwensville and Brockway … The Wolves are in their second season in Class AA after winning the District 9 Class A Title in 2007.

ABOUT THE KANE WOLVES

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jason Barner

2009 RECORD: 5-4 Overall, 5-4 AML South (3^rd Place)

RECORD VS. D9 PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-1

TOP PLAYERS: RB Arie Paup (140 carries, 621 yards, 8 TDs; 13 catches 169 yards); QB Alex Anderson 48 of 118 passing, 528 yards 1 TD); OL/DE  Marty Niklas (12 sacks, 59 tackles); RB Dylan Eckstrom (95 carries, 377 yards, 1 TD)

NOTABLE: Kane has relied heavily on its defense all season, allowing just 9.7 ppg, which ranks second in District 9. The defense has also pitched three shutouts this season … Offensively, the Wolves have averaged just 14.2 ppg which rank last among all District 9 playoff qualifiers … Kane beat just one District 9 playoff team regardless of classification during the season defeating Elk County Catholic 14-0 in Week 5 … Defensive End Marty Niklas leads District 9 with 12.5 sacks and his performance against Ridgway in Week 7 earned him RRR Roadhouse District 9 Player of the Week honors.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 5/2008

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST: 1/2007- Class A

ABOUT THE KARNS CITY GREMLINS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Ed Conto

2009 RECORD: 8-2 Overall, 8-1 KSAC (Tied 1^st Place)

RECORD VS. D9 PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-0

TOP PLAYERS: RB/LB Aaron Markle (133 carries, 898 yards; 13 TDs, 60 Tackles; 4 sacks); QB Dylan Hipple (57 of 94 passing, 848 yards, 9 TDs 5 INT’s; 64 carries, 265 yards, 4 TDs); FB/DL Jake Wagner (58 carries, 348 yards, 4 TDs; 11 Sacks, 62 Tackles); WR/DB Brandon Collier (19 catches, 348 yards, 5 TDs; 4 INT’s); RB/DB Craig Slomers (50 carries, 335 yards, 4 TDs; 22 Tackles)

NOTABLE: The Gremlins rank second in District 9 in scoring offense at 33.0 ppg … Jake Wagner ranks third in District 9 with 11 sacks … QB Dylan Hipple has stepped in nicely this season replacing all-everything quarterback Anthony Stimac, ranking 8^th in District 9 in passing with 848 yards while adding 265 yards rushing … Karns City has won its last three opening-round playoff games with its last first-round loss coming to Moniteau 10-7 in 2005.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 14/2008

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST: 7/2008 Class AA

(3) Moniteau vs. (2) Brockway

WHEN/WHERE: 1 p.m. Nov. 14: Clarion University's Memorial Stadium (Directions)

WINNER PLAYS: Kane/Karns City winner in D9 Title Game Nov.20/21 TBA

GAME NOTES: Moniteau comes into the playoffs winners of three out of its last four games, including a 22-21 win over previously unbeaten Karns City in Week 8 ... The Warriors have been knocked out of the playoffs each of the last three seasons by Karns City, including 42-9 in the title game a year ago … Brockway comes into the game following a 56-40 shootout loss to Keystone last week … The Rovers are making their first playoff appearance since 2007 when they were defeated 62-28 by Karns City in the semifinals … The last time Moniteau and Brockway met in the playoffs was in the 2005 Class AA championship game, a game which the Rovers won 22-20 … The two teams also met in the semifinals in 2003, a game which Brockway won 20-12.

ABOUT THE MONITEAU WARRIORS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jeff Campbell

2009 RECORD: 6-4 Overall, 6-3 KSAC (Tied 4^th)

RECORD VS. D9 PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-0

TOP PLAYERS: RB James Shope (176 carries, 1,165 yards, 19 TDs; 5 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD); QB Kyle Armagost (42 of 91 passing, 796 yards, 8 TDs, 6 INT’s; 96 carries, 480 yards, 8 TDs); OL/DL Robert Moore (8.5 sacks, 39 tackles); OL/DL Jacob Boy (6 sacks, 44 tackles) WR Tony Campbell (15 catches, 353 yards, 2 TDs); WR Zach Wheeler (13 catches, 218 yards, 4 TDs)

NOTABLE: Moniteau’s recent success has been due in large part to Shope, who has rushed for 434 yards and 8 TDs in the Warriors last three wins. Shope’s 1,146 yards ranks 6^th in District 9 … Moniteau is strong up front, as Moore and Boy rank 6^th and 10^th respectively in sacks in the district … QB Kyle Armagost, brother of former Moniteau record-setting QB Tyler Armagost, got off to a slow start this season but has picked his production in recent weeks and currently ranks 11^th in District 9 in passing yards … Shope should be able to run on Brockway, as the Rovers have given up seven 100-yard rushers this season including big totals to some of District 9’s leading rushers: Cameron County’s Andy Lippert (150), Elk County Catholic’s Ricky Pearsall (125), and Curwensville’s Jed Greslick (117).

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 7/2008 – Class AA

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: None

ABOUT THE BROCKWAY ROVERS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Frank Varischetti Jr.

2009 RECORD: 7-3 Overall, 7-2 AML South (2^nd Place)

RECORD VS. D9 PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-0

TOP PLAYERS: QB Derek Buganza (205 of 327 passing, 62.7 percent comp. percentage, 3,072 yards, 28 TDs, 14 INT’s); WR Mike Vervoort (67 Catches, 1,073 yards, 12 TDs); WR Jake Shaffer  (53 Catches, 771 yards, 5 TDs), WR/LB Zack Freemer (33 Catches, 653 yards, 9 TDs, 19.8 ypc; 60 Tackles); RB  Ryan Terwilliger (105 carries, 572 yards, 10 TDs); LB Seth Galluzzi (123 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 int)

NOTABLE: Buganza comes into the game 152 yards shy of the single-season District 9 passing record set by Clearfield’s Chad Kroell in 1994. His 3,072 yards passing lead all Pennsylvania QB’s and ranks 21^st nationally according to MaxPreps.com. Included in that yardage total is Buganza’s state record 594 yard performance against Otto Eldred in Week 4, shattering the old record set of 511 yards set by Downingtown East’s Pat Devlin in 2003 … Buganza also ranks third in District 9 history in career passing yards with 5,995 and needs 94 yards to tie Kroell for second all-time in D9. Buganza has thrown 56 career touchdown passes. Kroell holds the D9 record for TD passes with 79 … Vervoort, Shaffer, and Freemer rank 1^st, 4^th and 5^th respectively in receiving yards in District 9 … Galluzzi ranks 3^rd in District 9 with 123 tackles and K Philip Esposito lead all District 9 kickers in points with 46 … The numbers point toward Buganza having another big game, as Moniteau has allowed a combined 469 yards and 6  passing TDs in losses to Keystone QB Dan Reed and Punxsutawney QB Logan Weaver, who rank 2^nd and 5^th in the district behind Buganza in passing yards … The Rovers lead District 9 in scoring at 39.1 ppg.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST:  12/2007

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST: 4/2005- Class AA