Box Score

By Andy Close

BRADFORD – For the third time in the past four years, Clarion is going back to the District 9 Class a Title game.

The Bobcats used a suffocating defense and the powerful running of T.J. Armstrong to beat Coudersport 27-7 in the District 9 Class A semifinals at Bradford’s Parkway Field.

“The tradition goes on,” said Clarion head coach Larry Wiser simply.

The win was a far cry from last week’s dramatics, when the Bobcats (8-4) rallied from a 20-0 fourth quarter deficit to beat Elk County Catholic.

“We made sure we jumped on them and played for four quarters,” said Armstrong. “We couldn’t play just nine minutes like we did last week and expect to win.”

Clarion’s defense certainly came out ready to play from the get go, forcing two early Coudersport turnovers.

The second of those turnovers, a Brandon Heeter interception of Coudy QB Tim McCusker put the Bobcats in position for their first score. Heeter’s transition to a more prominent role on defense paid off, as the pick gave Clarion the ball at the Falcons 37 yard line.

“I thought they made some mistakes and fortunately we didn’t,” said Wiser. “Except for the penalties I was really pleased with our kids.”

They wasted no time capitalizing off the Coudy mistake, as Armstrong hauled in a pass from Heeter for a 37-yard score on the very nest play.

Armstrong struck again on the ensuing Clarion possession, scoring from one yard to cap a 51 yard drive that gave the Bobcats a commanding 14-0 edge.  The score was set up by a 35-yard pass play from Heeter to Marcus Smerker down the right sideline.

“We came back to some of our old reliable plays and our quarterback did a great job,” noted Wiser.

The Falcons had trouble holding onto the ball, coughing it up five times, but losing just one. One of those fumbles actually paid dividends in a big way, with McCusker pouncing on a loose ball at the two and tip-toeing his way to pay dirt to cut the margin in half 14-7 in the third quarter. The Coudy drive, which started at its own 37, started when Armstrong put the ball on the turf and Alex Hutcheson recovered.

The Clarion defense would stiffen after McCusker’s score, however, as they allowed just two yards the rest of the way. For the game, Clarion limited Coudy to 187 yards of total offense.

Armstrong and Smerker put the finishing touches on the game for the Bobcats in the fourth quarter on back-to-back possessions.

Armstrong scored his second rushing TD of the game from 13 yards out to start the quarter; a powerful run that saw him break several tackles along the way. Smerker responded with a 24-yard jaunt at the 2:29 mark to cap the scoring.

“This is his first year at tailback and he is still learning the position,” Wiser said of Armstrong. “If we get him to keep his balance he can break a lot more of those big runs.”

Not getting lost in the shuffle was the play of Heeter on both sides of the ball. The senior finished with 104 yards passing and a team-high 11 tackles on defense. Armstrong also had nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

McCusker had 61 yards rushing and 34 passing for the Falcons, who finish their season at 9-2 after not making the playoffs a season ago.

The win gives Clarion the opportunity to try and slow down the high-flying Port Allegany attack in the District 9 title game, something Wiser is looking forward to.

“That’s going to be fun,” he said. “That kid (Matt Bodamer) is awesome. I’m looking forward to it and I think my team is looking forward to trying to match what he does.”