By Rich Rhoades

It’s a Friday night only schedule in District 9 with 13 games featuring the district’s 26 teams.

The original schedule had 14 games, but for the second straight week winless Johnsonburg will forfeit because of low player numbers. The Rams were scheduled to visit Curwensville this week.

Even with one less game in the Allegheny Mountain League this week, the AML still has the most compelling games of the week, especially with a conference title and playoff positioning at stake.

Here’s a look at the headliners:

Port Allegany (7-1) at Coudersport (8-0)

The AML’s North Division title is on the line when the unbeaten Falcons host the Gators. However, the Falcons are probably the underdogs even though they enter the game with a perfect record.

Port Allegany junior quarterback Matt Bodamer has grabbed headlines all season. He went over 2,000 yards passing for the season. He now stands at 2,089 yards for the year with 27 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He’s completed 68.7 percent of his passes.

For his career, Bodamer’s 5,320 yards moved him into fifth place on the district’s all-time list. He now trails Keystone’s fourth-place Adam Black (5,338) by 18 yards.

Bodamer’s receivers Tyce Miller (43 catches, 729 yards, 13 TDs), Charlie Buchanan (40-549-8) and Rickie Bova (21-423-3) have racked up big numbers. On the ground, Trent Neal leads the team with 361 yards rushing with Bodamer close behind with 340 yards.

Defensively, Neal is second on the team in tackles from his linebacking spot with tackle Alex Gular leading in stops.

Coudersport doesn’t have eye-popping numbers, although leading the district in scoring defense (10.4 ppg.) is probably the best one. Offensively, running back Mitch Freeman has rushed for 755 yards and 13 touchdowns. Quarterback Tim McCusker has passed for 459 yards with seven touchdowns in only 81 attempts all season.

Junior linebacker Ryan Counts, who leads the team with 81 tackles, leads the Falcons defense. Senior linebacker Zach Cumby (62 tackles), linebacker Forest Tuttle (6 sacks) and defensive backs Alex Hutcheson and Garrett Russell (three interceptions each) are other top players.

Last week, Coudersport had to rally from a 20-7 halftime deficit to beat Otto-Eldred, 35-26. Back in Week 5, Port Allegany blasted Otto-Eldred, 62-8.

Last year, Port beat Coudersport, 39-8, for its first win over the Falcons since the 2003 playoffs, a span of six straight losses.

 Ridgway (5-3) at Elk County Catholic (5-3)

It’s basically a playoff game for both the Elkers and Crusaders with the losing team being eliminated from the Class A picture if Union beats A-C Valley and Redbank Valley tops Keystone.

For ECC, it’s a ground game led by running back Cole Gerber  (801 yards, 10 TDs) and Brock McCullough (509 yards, 6 TDs). Ridgway has gotten a big year from first-year senior Eric Matheson, who has rushed for 660 yards and seven scores. He has 273 yards receiving and his 109 points (14 TDs overall) rank third in the district.

Kane (4-5) at Brockway (6-2)

The Rovers head to the AML Championship game for the second straight year to defend last year’s title if they beat the visiting Wolves. Curwensville is the AML South champion if Brockway loses. Quarterback Kyle Braun (789 yards rushing, 8 TDs; 354 yards passing) and running back Tom Vervoort (638 yards rushing) lead the way for the Rovers.

Kane’s playoff hopes are on life support with a lot of unlikely scenario having to occur for the Wolves to get into the playoffs.

In the other AML games, Cameron County (2-6) hosts Sheffield (3-5) and Otto-Eldred (1-7) travels to Smethport (1-7). Sheffield is currently eligible for the Class AA playoffs and a win over the Red Raiders could mean the Wolverines go to the postseason for the first time since joining District 9.

Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference

With both division titles already settled, there are a few things at stake amongst the conference’s 11 teams. Unbeaten Moniteau will try to keep its perfect 8-0 record intact when the Warriors host Kennedy Catholic (2-5) in a non-conference game.

Warriors quarterback Kyle Armagost went over 3,500 career yards passing in last week’s win over Keystone. This year, he’s passed for 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns while running for 878 yards and 14 scores. Teammate Dustin Geagan has rushed for 1,103 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Within the conference, Karns City (5-3) hosts St. Marys (5-3) in a Large School Division game that will decide second-place behind Moniteau. The Dutch would secure a postseason berth in the Class AAA playoffs with a win, but they’ll have to do it on the road coming off a tough loss at Union last week. Cody Baker’s 1,115 yards is third in the district. Karns City is led by Glenn Toy’s 747 yards rushing.

In Brookville, the Raiders (4-4) host Punxsutawney (2-6) in their annual Route 36 Trophy game. Brookville, coming off a hard-fought win over Clarion, meets a struggling Chucks team on a four-game losing streak. Raiders quarterback Steven Kennedy has passed for 887 yards and rushed for 442 yards while running back Zach Vroman leads the team with 615 yards rushing. For the Chucks, quarterback Garrett Zimmerman is fourth in the district with 1,165 passing yards.

In the Small School Division, Clarion (5-3) travels to Clarion-Limestone (1-7) in their backyard rivalry game. The Bobcats have beaten the Lions seven straight games.

Redbank Valley (4-4) hosts Keystone (2-6). Bulldogs freshman quarterback Jake Dougherty went over 1,000 yards passing. He’s thrown for 1,031 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Bulldogs need to win or have Union lose at A-C Valley to clinch second place in the division and with it the No. 3 spot in the District 9 Class A playoffs. A loss by Redbank Valley could put its playoff hopes in peril.

Union (5-3) visits A-C Valley (1-6) as the Golden Knights try to keep their momentum going after last week’s convincing win over St. Marys. Quarterback Taylor Smith has passed for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for 522 yards and four scores. A win by the Golden Knights will lock up their first-ever District 9 playoff spot, and they could still be the No. 3 seed and get a home playoff game if Redbank Valley falls to Keystone.

Other games

In District 10 Region 5, the DuBois Beavers (7-1) will definitely have their hands full when they travel to 8-0 Grove City. The Eagles are the third-ranked team in the state in Class AAA by both the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Pennsylvania Football News.

Grove City has allowed just 37 points, ranking sixth in the state in points per game allowed (4.6). It has racked up plenty of offense, scoring a state-best 52.5 points per game and its 47.9 points per game differential also leads the state.

The Eagles rush for over 350 yards per game, led by Wes Phipps (1,002 yards, 20 TDs), who rushed for 239 yards and five touchdowns in last week’s 55-0 win over Slippery Rock.

Grove City has beaten Meadville (56-7), Oil City (70-2) and Corry (77-0) this year, teams that DuBois beat 42-12, 37-12 and 49-0.

Beavers quarterback Sean Sleigh’s 1,483 yards passing rank second in the district.

In the other games, Clearfield (7-1) heads to Bellefonte (1-7) in a Mountain League-Allegheny Division game. The Bisons can close their division schedule with a perfect record with a win over the Red Raiders. Running back Beau Swales is second in the district with 1,244 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns.

In Erie, the Bradford Owls (3-5) visit Strong Vincent (6-2) trying to keep their flimsy Class AAA playoff hopes alive.

Here’s a look at the playoff setup:

CLASS A

Here is what is what is known in Class A. Clarion, Coudersport, Port Allegany, Brockway, Curwensville are definitely in. Union and Redbank Valley can secure berths this week a victory as well as the winner of the Ridgway-ECC game. If either or both Union and Redbank Valley lose then things get complicated.

Clarion is the only team that knows its seeding already. The Bobcats will be the No. 1 seed. Redbank Valley can secure the No. 3 seed with a win over Keystone. The AML seeding will be determined after next week’s AML title game where the winner will be the second seed and everyone else will slot in after that.   

CLASS AA

Moniteau will be the top seed. The rest of the positioning is moot as Karns City is a win away from securing the second seed, although all games will be played on a neutral field anyway.

The question is how many teams advance to the postseason. Up to four can make it. Brookville will likely be the third seed and if Sheffield can perhaps muster one more win in its final two games with Cameron County this week or Union next week, the Wolverines could enter the District 9 playoffs for the first time ever as the fourth seed.

CLASS AAA

Clearfield will be the top seed and there’s still a race for the second and final spot for Week 11’s championship game. St. Marys holds a two-game lead in the W-L standings, but the points standings give Bradford a chance to catch the Flying Dutchmen if the Owls win one of their final two games and St. Marys loses its final two games to Karns City and Brockway. However, that scenario can change if the Dutch’s game with the Rovers in Week 10 is canceled if the Rovers play in the AML Championship game and the Dutch don’t find another opponent.

CLASS AAAA

The DuBois Beavers will be headed to the District 6-9-10 Regional playoffs in Week 11 and right now, the Beavers are on top of the playoff points standings with 760 points, ahead of Strong Vincent (6-2, 670), State College (4-3, 480) and Mifflin County (5-3, 520).