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By Chris Rossetti

DUBOIS – Two teams that look very familiar on paper will meet at 7 p.m. Friday at DuBois’ E.J. Mansell Stadium in the District 9 Class AAA title game when second-seeded Punxsutawney matches wits with top-seeded Clearfield.

Both teams are entering the playoffs on a roll, and both squads have balanced offensive attacks led by multi-dimensional sophomore quarterbacks who are complimented by under-the-radar running backs.

Clearfield (7-3) has won four straight and five of six since starting the season 2-2, while Punxsutawney (8-2) has rolled off eight straight victories after a 0-2 start. Both teams needed the streaks considering neither wrapped up a spot in the title contest until winning last week.

Being in the postseason is nothing new for Clearfield. This is the Bisons 14^th consecutive trip to the playoffs, and they are making their 11^th appearance in the District 9 Class AAA title game since 1998. In fact, since the District reinstated the Class AAA bracket in 1998, Clearfield has played for every title but one, as the Bisons lost to St. Marys in the semifinals in 2007. In those 11 championship games, Clearfield has gone 6-4 including a 42-20 win over St. Marys in last year’s title tilt at Brockway.

Just getting to the playoffs has to be seen as major accomplishment for Punxsuatweny, which just two seasons ago went 0-10 before improving to 4-6 last year. In fact, the Chucks eight wins this season match their total wins from 2005-2008, and the Chucks had gone just 13-45 with a pair of 0-10 seasons since last making the postseason in 2002.

During that 2002 campaign, Punxsutawney went 1-1 in the District 9 Class AAA playoffs beating Bradford 21-14 in the semifinals before losing to Clearfield 40-7 in the title game.

If the Chucks are going to avenge that loss and gain their first District 9 title since winning the 1991 Class AAAA championship with a 28-7 win over DuBois, the school’s first and only title, they will need to continue to show the balance on offense and the strength on defense they have shown so far this season.

Punxsutawney has been very balanced on offense passing for 1,342 yards and rushing for 1,588 yards. A lot of that is due to sophomore quarterback Logan Weaver who is completing 54.1 percent of his passes. Weaver is 66 of 122 on the year for 1,246 yards and 14 touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions. He has also added 268 yards rushing and two scores. Weaver ranks fifth in District 9 in yards passed for.

Weaver’s top targets have been Braedon Pennington, the sixth-leading receiver in the District, and Zak Dickey. Pennington has 29 catches for 620 yards and four touchdowns, while Dickey has added 23 grabs for 304 yards and five scores.

Brennan Niver has been a workhorse running back for the Chucks having gained 763 yards on 141 carries and scored 11 touchdowns.

Defensively, Punxsutawney has been very tough allowing just 11.5 points per game, the third-best mark in District 9.

That defense will be challenged by a Clearfield offense that averaged 29.6 points per game, tied for the fourth-best mark in District 9.

Sophomore quarterback Curtis Frye makes the offense move. He is the third-leading passer in District 9 with 1,561 yards passing on 93 of 174. He has 13 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions and has added 422 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on 118 carries.

Trey Campman might be the most talented receiver in District 9, and he ranks third in the district with 858 receiving yards on 47 catches while hauling in eight touchdowns. Campman had added 227 yards rushing and three scores on 41 carries.

Complementing Campman is Derek Danver who has 28 grabs for 409 yards and three touchdowns.

Derek Morgan leads Clearfield’s running game, which has amassed 1,475 yards on the season, with 138 carries for 726 yards and nine touchdowns.

Clearfield’s defense hasn’t been quite as good as Punxsutawney’s allowing 21.9 points per game, but the Bisons have gotten stronger as the season has gone on allowing just 12.8 ppg during the four-game win streak.

NOTES – These teams use to be in the D9 League together but haven’t met since Clearfield got a 42-7 win in 2007. The Bisons have won 11 straight over Punxsutawney including twice in 2002. The Chucks last victory came in 1997 14-2. Punxsutawney, though, leads the all-time series 42-41-3 … Since District 9 reinstated the Class AAA playoffs in 1998 either Clearfield or Bradford has won every title with the Bisons winning six times and the Owls five … Punxsutawney’s eight wins are the most in a season for the Chucks since they went 8-4 in 19991 and the most in the regular season since 1987 when they finished 9-2. That 1987 season was also the last time Punxsutawney won more than eight games … The winner of the game will take on the winner of the District 8 (Pittsburgh City League) championship game between Schenley and Oliver next week at a site and time to be determined.