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By Chris Rossetti

BROCKWAY – Two teams that are used to being in the spotlight will meet for the District 9 Class A title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Brockway’s Frank Varischetti Field.

In a rematch of the 2005 title game, Clarion (9-3) and Coudersport (9-2) will meet to decide the last champion of this decade, a decade dominated by championship-game appearances by these two programs.

Clarion, which lost to Cameron County in last year’s championship game 18-8 at Brockway, is making its fourth championship-game appearance this decade and its sixth since 1997. It was in 1997, that the Bobcats won their lone District 9 title.

Coudersport, which won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006 including a 31-7 win over Clarion in 2005, is making its fourth title-game appearance since 2001 and has won its three previous championship-game appearances this decade and four overall.

This is the eighth time Clarion, the second seed, has reached the District 9 Class A title game, tying Clarion-Limestone for the most in District 9’s 23-year history. The Bobcats advanced to the championship game behind a dominating defense that hasn’t allowed a point in two playoff games. Clarion beat Elk County Catholic 29-2 in the opening round before getting revenge on Cameron County with an 18-0 win over the defending champions last week.

Coudersport, the fourth seed, had a dominating 35-7 win over Keystone in the opening round before knocking out top-seeded Curwensville 28-21 last week on a late fourth-quarter touchdown following a blocked punt.

Clarion enters the game with the more balanced of the two offenses. The Bobcats, who are averaging 28.6 points per game, have rushed for 2,794 yards and thrown for 1,055.

Senior Bubba Rue is the eighth-leading rusher in District 9 with 1,132 yards, an average of 102.9 per game. He has scored 14 touchdowns.

Junior Kris Burkhart is adding 641 yards and five touchdowns, while senior fullback Kevin Grejda chips in 547 yards and eight scores.

The Bobcats passing game is run by a two-quarterback system.

Junior Dan Walters, who was last year’s opening-game starter before tearing an ACL, is 44 of 82 (53.7 percent) for 619 yards and six touchdowns to go with four picks. Despite splitting time, he still ranks 16^th in District 9 in passing yards.

Sophomore Brandon Heeter, who took over for Walters a year ago and led Clarion to the D9 runner-up spot, is 25 of 53 (47.2 percent) for 383 yards and six scores while also throwing four picks.

Cody Renninger is the top receiver for the Bobcats with 34 grabs for 483 yards and six scores. He is coming off his first career 100-yard receiving game in the semifinal win vs. Cameron County. He had seven grabs for 107 yards and a touchdown in the win and also picked off a pass on defense.

Erik Hartle is adding 11 catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns for the Bobcats.

Coudersport loves to run the ball, and the Falcons are averaging 233.9 yards per game on the ground compared to just 56.5 yards through the air. All told, it adds up to 24.9 points per game for the Falcons.

The Falcons use a running back-by-committee approach with four backs over 400 yards and six over 200 yards but none with 500 yards.

Sophomore first-year starting quarterback Tim McCusker is the leading rusher with 438 yards and five scores, Kevin Wolfinger is just behind him with 435 yards and two touchdowns while Dirk Cowburn has 425 yards and five scores and Mitch Freeman 427 yards and seven scores. Creighton Hayes chips in with 275 yards and five touchdowns, and Skyler Blumer has 258 yards and a touchdown.

McCusker has also thrown for 597 yards on 39 of 68 passing (57.4 percent). He has thrown eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Jordan Barnett is the Falcons leading receiver with 18 catches for 350 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 168 yards and two scores.

Cowburn is adding 12 grabs for 175 yards and three touchdowns, and Wolfinger has eight grabs for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, each team is strong.

Clarion allows 11.7 points per game, while Coudersport gives up 12.9 points per contest.

Linebackers Grejda (129 tackles) and Rue (125 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 interceptions), freshman defensive end T.J. Armstrong (94 tackles, 11 sacks) and senior defensive end Gavin Griffin (54 stops, 9 sacks, 13 passes defense) lead the Bobcats defense.

Coudersport’s defense is paced Cowburn (63 tackles, 5 sacks), Blumer (58 tackles, 3 sacks) and Hayes (53 stops) lead the Falcons defense.

NOTES – This could be the last game for Clarion's 22nd year head coach Larry Wiser, who has indicated that he will retire following the season. Wiser is 145-76-1 in his time at Clarion and has led Clarion to one D9 Class A title and six Class A title-game appearances ... This is the fourth time Clarion and Coudersport have met in the District 9 Class A playoffs. Clarion won the first meeting 22-6 in the 1997 semifinals on its way to the D9 title, while Coudersport has won the last two. The Falcons got the 31-7 win in the 2005 title game and then beat Clarion 32-14 in the opening round of the 2006 playoffs on their way to their second title in two years … This year marks the 13^th year Clarion has been in the postseason, all in Class A. The Bobcats are 11-11 all-time in District 9 postseason action including 1-6 in the title games. Clarion won the 1997 title and was runner-up in 1987, the first-ever title game, 1990, 1999, 2000, 2005 and 2009 … Coudersport is in the postseason for the ninth straight year and have gone 13-5 during that span with titles in 2001, 2005 and 2006. Overall, the Falcons are in the playoffs for the 14^th time – 12 in Class A and two in Class AA. Coudersport is 15-9 all-time in District 9 playoff action including a pair of losses in Class AA title games in 1988 and 1990 ... History may be on Clarion's side, as teams that have lost the D9 Class A title one year and returned to the title game the next are 4-2 all-time including Cameron's win last year after falling to Kane in 2007. But Clarion is 0-1 when losing one year and returning the next losing back-to-back title-game appearances in 1999 (Cameron County) and 2000 (Curwensville).