2011 DISTRICT 9 CLASS AA PLAYOFF OUTLOOK

Predications; Driving Directions

Is this the year for the Moniteau Warriors?

The Warriors enter this year’s postseason still searching for their first-ever District 9 title. It’ll be the second time they go in as the top seed. Back in 2008, the Warriors turned in their first perfect regular season, but lost in the championship game to Karns City, 42-9.

Will this year be different? The Warriors are a confident team led by one of the top players in the district in senior quarterback Kyle Armagost and they have a 1,000-yard rusher in Dustin Geagan. To grab the gold, they’ll have to beat first-year playoff team Sheffield and then either Brookville or defending champion Karns City in the finals.

SHEFFIELD (4) vs. MONITEAU (1)

WHEN/WHERE? Saturday, Clarion University, 5 p.m.

WINNER PLAYS: Brookville/Karns City winner, Nov. 18 or 19 at site and time to be announced.

GAME NOTES: After watching Sheffield get blasted in a bizarre 60-21 loss at Union last week, it’s hard to not paint Moniteau as a major favorite in this one. The Warriors beat Union, 34-14, in Week 5. It’s the first-ever meeting between the teams and the first-ever playoff game for the Wolverines.

ABOUT THE SHEFFIELD WOLVERINES

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Bryan Gould

2011 RECORD: 4-6

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-0

TOP PLAYERS: Senior RB/LB Nick Bonavita (665 yards rushing, 7 TDs; 14 receptions, 178 yards, 2 TDs; second-most tackles on defense), Junior QB/DB Shequan Wright (54-for-127, 722 yards, 4 TDs, 15 Ints.; 108 yards rushing, 2 TDs), Senior TB/LB Kalil Slaughter (337 yards rushing, 2 TDs); Senior TE/DE George Fitch (leading tackler).

NOTABLE: There’s a clear line of demarcation on the season schedule for the Wolverines. The four teams they’ve beaten — Otto-Eldred, Cameron County, Johnsonburg and Smethport — finished with a combined 6-32 record while they scored just six touchdowns, three of them in last week’s blowout loss at Union, in their six losses to teams with winning records. However, Sheffield lost close games to Coudersport (7-6) and Port Allegany (19-6).

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: Making first-ever playoff appearance in District 9.

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: None in District 9, or District 10

ABOUT THE MONITEAU WARRIORS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Jeff Campbell

2011 RECORD: 9-0, KSAC Large School Division champions

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-0 (26-24 over Karns City Week 1, 43-21 over Brookville Week 3).

TOP PLAYERS: Senior QB/LB Kyle Armagost (70-for-133, 1410 yards, 16 TDs, 9 Ints.; 906 yards rushing, 14 TDs; 82 tackles); RB/DB Dustin Geagan (1,180 yards, 12 TDs; 8 receptions, 174 yards); senior David Campbell (245 yards, 2 TDs); senior WR/DB Ethan Pry (29 catches, 715 yards, 9 TDs); senior TE-DE Joey Deal (21 catches, 241 yards, 4 TDs; 73 tackles); junior G/LB Andrew Armagost (team-high 113 tackles).

NOTABLE: It’s been a strong season for the Warriors, who have put up some big numbers. Senior Kyle Armagost leads the way and he needs 94 rushing yards to have his second straight 1,000-1,000 passing and rushing season as a quarterback. For his career, he’s passed for 3,726 yards and 37 touchdowns and rushed for 2,657 yards and 36 touchdowns. Geagan has had a strong season out of the backfield as well, rushing for over 1,000 yards. … The Warriors rank third in the district in scoring (38.9 ppg.) and third in points allowed (13.6 ppg.). … Since their first playoff appearance in 2002, the Warriors have gone to the postseason every year, posting a 4-9 record in nine trips. They lost to Karns City in the 2007 and 2008 finals and Brockway (22-20) in the 2005 finals. They’ve been bounced out in the semifinals the last two years, including a 14-7 loss to Brookville last year.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 9/2010 — Class AA

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: None

BROOKVILLE (3) vs. KARNS CITY (2)

WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Clarion University, 1 p.m.

WINNER PLAYS: Moniteau/Sheffield winner on Nov. 18 or 19 at a site and time to be announced.

GAME NOTES: The Raiders and Gremlins square off for a second time this year in a rematch of their Week 7 game in Karns City when the hosts won, 24-21. The Raiders had a chance to tie the game in the waning moments of regulation with a 27-yard field goal, but kicker Cameron Yard’s boot never got past the line of scrimmage. The Gremlins used big plays to beat the Raiders, with 251 of their 388 yards of offense coming on just five plays. Three of those plays went for touchdowns  — Glenn Toy’s 77-yard reception from quarterback Tyler Kepple that put the Gremlins up for good with 7:25 left in the game, Toy’s 60-yard run in the second quarter and quarterback Brady Ellenberger’s 30-yard run. The Raiders, who outgained the Gremlins 418-388, got a big game from quarterback Steven Kennedy, who ran for 171 yards on 16 carries and completed 10 of 21 passes for 115 yards with two TD passes.

These teams have some playoff history as they’ll meet for the sixth time in the postseason and first since the Raiders beat the Gremlins, 21-3, for the 2006 title. Other games were the 2003 semifinals (Karns City, 21-13), 1999 final (Karns City, 14-7), 1998 semifinals (Brookville, 23-16 in OT) and 1993 final (Karns City, 21-14).

ABOUT THE BROOKVILLE RAIDERS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Chris Dworek

2011 RECORD: 5-5

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-2 (43-21 loss to Moniteau Week 3, 24-21 loss to Karns City Week 7).

TOP PLAYERS: Senior QB/DB Steven Kennedy (81-for-148, 998 yards, 12 TDs, 6 Ints.; 483 yards rushing, 4 TDs); sophomore RB/LB Zach Vroman (727 yards rushing, 7 TDs); sophomore RB/DB Brodie Zacherl (532 yards, 4 TDs); senior WR/DB Sebastian Kerr (31 catches, 419 yards, 5 TDs; 6 interceptions); senior RB/LB Conan Gilhousen (199 yards rushing, 2 TDs; 19 catches, 182 yards, 2 TDs); junior LB Nathan Bonfardine (leading tackler).

NOTABLE: The Raiders will try to avenge an earlier loss to Karns City, plus bounce back from a disappointing effort in their regular season finale, a 20-7 loss at Redbank Valley. It’s been a roller-coaster season for the Raiders, who didn’t manage back-to-back wins until their two wins over Clarion and Punxsutawney prior to losing to Redbank Valley. The season got off with a tragic start with the death of junior player Connor Gerg. … The Raiders also lost their 1,500-yard rusher Ryan Kerr to a season-ending injury in the team’s second game. The sophomore duo of Zach Vroman and Brodie Zacherl has combined 1,259 yards and 11 touchdowns. … The Raiders are 9-8 in 11 trips to the District 9 Class AA playoffs under Dworek, winning titles in 1998, 2004 and 2006.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 18/2010

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 6/2006 — Class AA

ABOUT THE KARNS CITY GREMLINS

Roster; Stats; Schedule

HEAD COACH: Ed Conto

2011 RECORD: 7-3

RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-1 (24-21 over Brookville Week 7, 26-24 loss to Moniteau in Week 1)

TOP PLAYERS: Junior RB/DB Glenn Toy (1,118 yards, 13 TDs; 6 catches, 186 yards, 2 TDs; leading tackler); senior FB/DE Alex Kinkela (618 yards, 12 TDs); senior RB/DB Jerod Hutchison (358 yards, 6 TDs); sophomore QB/DB Tyler Kepple (22-for-45, 382 yards, 5 TDs, 6 Ints.); senior QB/LB Brady Ellenberger (27-for-73, 358 yards, 3 TDs, 5 Ints.); senior WR/DB Brandyn Bowser (10 receptions, 186 yards, 2 TDs)

NOTABLE: The Gremlins are coming off their first non-playoff and losing season in 15 years with a 4-6 record last year. … The teams that beat the Gremlins this year — Moniteau (9-0), Wilmington (9-1) and Hickory (8-1) — are a combined 26-2. … Gremlins won the 2009 Class AA title with a 42-40 shootout win over Brockway, then lost to Bedford in triple-overtime, 28-26, in the first round of the state playoffs. … Toy is the Gremlins’ seventh different 1,000-yard rushing since 2001. Aaron Markle’s 1,304 yards in 2009 was the last time a Karns City back reached four digits. … Karns City won three straight titles from 2007-09 and 1999-2001. The Gremlins are heading into the playoffs with a six-game postseason winning streak, considering they won their third straight championship in 2009 and didn’t go to the playoffs last year. Their last loss came to Brookville in the 2006 finals. In 15 trips to the Class AA playoffs, the Gremlins are 16-7 with eight championships. They are 8-4 in title games.

PREVIOUS DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES/LAST: 15/2009

DISTRICT TITLES/LAST TITLE: 8/2009 Class AA