Matt Bodamer (8) and Brock Taylor (52) - Port Allegany	T.J. Armstrong - Clarion
Photo by Paul Burdick - http://pburdick.smugmug.com	Photo by Paul Burdick - http://pburdick.smugmug.com

By Chris Rossetti

BROCKWAY – Port Allegany vs. Clarion. Offensive vs. defense. Matt Bodamer vs. T.J. Armstrong.

It must be the District 9 Class A title game.

The game, which is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Varischetti Field in Brockway, features the top offense in District 9 vs. one of the best defenses. A potential Division I quarterback prospect against a potential Division I linebacker.

Clarion is the top seed at 8-4 and is making its third District 9 title-game appearance in the past four years (the Bobcats won in 2009 and were runner-up in 2008), while Port Allegany is in its second straight title contest having lost to Curwensville last year.

The Gators enter the game on an eight-game win streak and are averaging a District 9-leading 42.8 points per game thanks in large part to the junior quarterback Bodamer, who has thrown for the third-most yards in District 9 history.

Clarion, which is a perfect 6-0 vs. Class A opponents this year, comes in with the third-best scoring defense in District 9 at 14.5 points per game that includes allowing 11.3 vs. Class A teams thanks in large part to the junior linebacker, who is getting serious looks from Wisconsin, West Virginia and others.

So what are the keys in this title game?

For Port Allegany, the Gators need to continue to put up the video-game offensive numbers that the people up north have come to appreciate and expect.

That means a continued good performance from Bodamer, who has completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 3,161 yards, and 41 touchdowns. He has thrown just five interceptions all season, an average of one every 60.2 attempts. He trails only Brockway’s Derek Buganza (3,824 yards in 2009) and Clearfield’s Chad Kroell (3,224 yards in 1994) in the single-season passing yardage category, and his 41 scoring tosses are second in District 9 history in a season behind Kroell, who threw a then state-record 49 in 1994.

Bodamer is also marching up the career ladder in District 9 with 6,392 career passing yards and 77 career touchdown passes with just 19 interceptions. Last week with 275 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-21 semifinal win over Brockway, he passed Kroell (6,088) for third place in D9 history in passing yards behind only Smethport’s Mike DeFilippi (6,638) and Buganza, who set the state-record last year with 9,752. The 77 scoring passes trail only Buganza (95) and Kroell (79).

Making things more dangerous for defenses, is Bodamer’s elusiveness, He has run for a team-leading 639 yards with a team-high 12 touchdowns this season and has completed numerous passes on the run.

Bodamer also has five receivers who can catch the football led by Tyce Miller, who has 60 grabs for 1,072 yards and 14 touchdowns. Charlie Buchanan is adding 57 catches for 758 yards and 13 touchdowns, Rickie Bova had 37 grabs for 640 yards and three touchdowns, Trevor Neal has caught 27 passes for 465 yards and seven scores and Nick Conway has nine catches for 115 yards and four touchdowns.

Trent Neal is the leading running back with 613 yards and nine touchdowns.

Clarion’s major key will be either slowing down Bodamer and the Gators offense or keeping that offense off the field all together.

To slow down the Gators, Armstrong will have to play a key role.

The junior is the team’s leading tackler with 118 including 21 tackles for loss and five sacks.

A wild card on defense for the Bobcats might be senior safety Brandon Heeter, who hadn’t played defense all year until the second half of a come-from-behind first-round playoff win over Elk County Catholic.

Heeter has 19 tackles and an interception in his short tenure on defense.

Heeter and Armstrong will also play key roles in keeping the ball away from Port Allegany.

Armstrong is Clarion’s leading rusher with 985 yards and 13 touchdowns while also catching seven passes for 88 yards and three scores.

Heeter, who was the starter in the 2008 title game and also played in the 2009 championship contest, is 55 of 120 for 993 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions on the year.

Wingbacks Camron Kirkland (329 yards rushing 4 TDs, 30 catches, 515 yards, 4 TDs) and Damien Slike (206 yards rushing, 1 TD; 12 catches, 217 yards, 4 TDs), and fullback Marcus Smerker (394 yards rushing, 5 TDs; 10 catches, 172 yards, 2 TDs) give Clarion three multiple-dimension offensive players.

Port Allegany’s defense has been up and down this year. The Gators are allowing 16.6 ppg, which ranks eighth in District 9 but they have allowed 20 or more points five times. Against teams with a winning record, Port Allegany is allowing 20.75 points per contest.

Brock Taylor (91 tackles) and Alex Gular (88 tackles) led the defense.

NOTES – In last year’s title-game loss to Curwensville, Bodamer was 11 of 24 passing for 179 yards, a touchdown and an interception … In his two District 9 title-game appearances, Heeter is a combined 12-for-29 for 188 yards. He was 3-for-8 for 44 yards off the bench in the win over Coudersport and was 9 of 20 for 144 yards on a frigid, snowy, windy day at Brockway in the loss to Cameron County in 2008 … Clarion may have the services of guard/linebacker Ian Matson this week. Matson has missed the last two weeks with a concussion … The six touchdown passes for Bodamer in the win over Brockway last week may very well be a District 9 playoff record. At the very least, it ties a playoff record. The District 9 record for touchdown passes in a game is eight by Buganza last year, while Kroell threw seven in a game in 1994.