By Chris Rossetti

BROCKWAY – It will be a District 9 Class A semifinals double dip Saturday at Brockway’s Frank Varischetti Field with third-seeded Cameron County taking on second-seeded Clarion at 1 p.m. and fourth-seeded Coudersport meeting top-seeded Curwensville at 6 p.m.

CAMERON COUNTY (10-1) vs. CLARION (8-3)

 This is a rematch of last year’s District 9 title game played on the same field and won by Cameron County 18-8.

This year, the winner only advances to the District 9 title game.

The Red Raiders of Cameron County advanced to the semifinals with a hard-fought 29-22 win over Port Allegany that wasn’t decided until a 10-yard touchdown run by Andy Lippert with 44 seconds left.

Clarion, meanwhile, had an easier go of its gaining a 29-2 win over Elk County Catholic in the quarterfinals.

The Red Raiders have used a ground-oriented offense and a staunch defense to move within two wins of defending their crown.

Cameron County has allowed more than 20 points just twice this season while allowing an average of 9.6 points per game.

Part of the great defense can be contributed to a ball-control offense that averages 237.6 yards per game on the ground and 6.3 yards per carry.

Lippert has been the workhorse in the backfield rushing for 1,358 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, while quarterback Jason Blose is adding 672 yards rushing and six scores. Blose, a left, doesn’t throw much – he has attempted just 84 passes this season with 31 completions – and has 480 yards passing and seven touchdowns. But he doesn’t make many mistakes tossing only two picks this season.  

On the other side of the field, Clarion is the most balanced offense left in the Class A playoffs. The Bobcats have thrown for 912 yards and run for 2,662.

Bubba Rue is the leader of the rushing game with 1,072 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Kris Burkhardt is adding 610 yards and five scores and Kevin Grejda 513 and eight touchdowns.

The Bobcats use a quarterback platoon with junior Dan Walters and sophomore Brandon Heeter.

Walters, who was the starter at the beginning of last season before suffering an ACL tear, is completing just over 50 percent of his passes (40 of 78) for 579 yards, five touchdowns and four picks.

Heeter, who stepped in as a freshman and led Clarion to the D9 title game, has been playing regularly since Week Four and is 19 of 43 passing for 283 yards, six touchdowns and three picks.

Cody Renninger is the top target of both quarterbacks with 27 catches for 376 yards and five scores.

This is most likely the last season for Clarion head coach Larry Wiser, who is in his 22^nd season and has won 144 games. Wiser is looking to take the Bobcats to the District 9 title game for the seventh time. Clarion’s lone District 9 championship came in 1997 under Wiser.

Cameron County, on the other hand, is looking for a third straight trip to the District 9 championship game. The Red Raiders lost to Kane 14-6 in 2007. Clarion-Limestone was the last District 9 Class A team to make three straight title-game appearances. The Lions won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003 before losing to Curwensville in 2004.

COUDERSPORT (9-2) vs. CURWENSVILLE (9-2)

The nightcap Saturday is a rematch of a Sept. 18 game won by Coudersport 23-6 at Curwensville. In that contest Kevin Wolfinger (107 yards) and Mitch Freeman (82) yards combined to rush for 219 yards and score three touchdowns – Wolfinger’s score was on a catch.

Curwensville lost the week after the Coudersport game 19-18 in overtime to Cameron County and hasn’t lost since rolling off seven straight victories including the rematch against Cameron County in the AML Title game 6-0.

The Golden Tides winning streak has been fueled by an impressive defense that has allowed 30 points in its last six games. That includes allowing just eight to Redbank Valley in a 30-8 win in the quarterfinals last week.

Coudersport enters the game on a five-game win streak that has been equally impressive. The Falcons have allowed 26 points in the five games and have allowed only 53 points since Week 3 after allowing 68 in the first two weeks of the season. The return of Dirk Cowburn on defense has fueled the defensive effort. The senior linebacker played his first game of the year vs. Curwensville and yet is tied for second on the squad with 48 tackles and leads the team with four sacks.

On offense, both teams love to run the football.

Coudersport, which is coming off a 35-6 win over Keystone, has rushed for 2,388 yards on the year using a well-balanced rushing attack. Six different Falcons have gained over 200 yards on the season but no one is over 500 yards.

Quarterback Tim McCusker is the leading rusher with 431 yards and five scores, while Wolfinger has added 418 yards and one touchdown. Freeman is chipping in with 399 yards and seven touchdowns, Cowburn has 287 yards and four scores, Skyler Blumer adds 258 yards and one touchdown and Creighton Hayes has 249 yards and four scores.

McCusker is also completing over 56 percent of his passes (35 of 62) for 558 yards. He has thrown seven touchdowns but also seven interceptions.

Jordan Barnett is the leading receiver for the Falcons with 17 grabs for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Cowburn adds nine catches for 141 yards and three scores.

Curwensville, meanwhile, has rushed for 2,933 yards and is led by Jed Greslick who has 1,567 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. Alex Holland is adding 807 yards on the ground with eight scores, and quarterback Sam Gardner has rushed for 340 yards and seven touchdowns.

Gardner is adding 554 yards passing on 36 of 77 with six touchdowns and six picks. Greslick is the leading receiver with 15 catches for 246 yards and two scores.

Coudersport is looking for its first trip to the District 9 title game since beating Curwensville 48-21 in 2006 for its second straight title. The Falcons beat Clarion to win the 2005 crown.

Curwensville is also looking to get back to the D9 title game for the first time since 2006. The Golden Tides last title came in 2004 when they beat Clarion-Limestone 41-8.