By Rich Rhoades

The high school football regular season winds down this week, and it starts Thursday night when Union hosts Sheffield in a non-conference matchup.

The highlight game of the week is the annual Allegheny Mountain League Championship game between Brockway and Port Allegany (see preview story).

After that, it’s nine other games with not a whole lot on the line, although an interesting race could develop for the Class AAA title game berth opposite of Clearfield and some seeding is on the line in Class A.

In all, 17 District 9 teams are in action with at least 10 of them headed to the postseason. Here’s a rundown of the playoff scenarios for all four classifications:

Class A

Friday night’s AML final and Thursday night’s Sheffield-Union game will determine the final seedings for the eight-team tournament that begins next week:

1. Clarion
2. Winner of AML final, Brockway or Port Allegany
3. Redbank Valley
4. Coudersport if Port Allegany wins AML or Port Allegany if Brockway wins AML
5. Curwensville
6. Coudersport if Brockway wins AML or Brockway if Port Allegany wins AML
7. Union if Knights beat Sheffield this week or Elk County Catholic
8. Elk County Catholic or Union

So the first-round pairings would be:

Elk County Catholic or Union at Clarion

Elk County Catholic or Union at Brockway or Port Allegany

Coudersport or Brockway at Redbank Valley

Curwensville at Coudersport or Port Allegany

Class AA

It looks to be a four-team field with Moniteau, Karns City, Brookville and Sheffield, which would start with two neutral-site games next weekend. Moniteau would face Sheffield while Brookville and Karns City would play for a second time this year. Karns City won at home, 24-21.

Class AAA

Clearfield is in as the top seed for next week’s championship game. With St. Marys idle, Bradford could catch the Dutch in the points standings with a win over the Beavers and help from teams the Owls beat earlier this year.

A Bradford win over the Beavers would make things very interesting. Going into the week, the Owls trail the Dutch in points, 550-370. Bradford would get 190 points with a win over DuBois (120 points for beating Class AAAA DuBois plus 70 more points because of receiving 10 points for each of the Beavers’ seven wins this year).

Teams also receive 10 points per win from any opponent they beat during the season. In Bradford’s case, that would be Central Tech (3-6), Fort LeBoeuf (2-7) and Warren (2-7) — those wins already computed into the Owls’ point total. All three of those teams play this week with Central visiting Harbor Creek (5-3), Fort LeBoeuf hosting North East (8-1) and Warren (2-7) hosting Corry (5-4).

Looking at all of that, Bradford could score a maximum of 590 points and would be guaranteed 560 by beating DuBois.

St. Marys can only score points with teams it beat earlier this year winning games this week. The Dutch are guaranteed 10 points since Redbank Valley and Brookville both lost to them and play each other Friday night. Clarion-Limestone, Punxsutawney and Clarion all play games, so it’s at least 10 points and up to 40 points coming the Dutch’s way this week. With that, the Dutch are guaranteed 560 points.

If Bradford does indeed beat DuBois, there’s going to be plenty of scoreboard watching for sure.

Class AAAA

According to the District 6-9-10 sub-regional playoff standings on www.piaad6.org, the DuBois Beavers are sitting in second place with 790 points, just 10 behind Strong Vincent. Either way, it appears that the Beavers’ first-round opponent next week would be either Mifflin County or State College.

This week’s games:

Thursday

Sheffield (4-5) at Union (6-3)

The Knights haven’t been this good since finishing 9-1 in 1985 while Sheffield last won four games in a season in 2001. That’s enough to put both teams in the District 9 playoffs for the first time. This is their second encounter on the gridiron. Last year, Union won at Sheffield, 20-16.

Taylor Smith, who has passed for 1,109 yards and rushed for 539 yards, leads the Knights. Sheffield’s Nick Bonavita has rushed for 662 yards and seven touchdowns.

Friday

DuBois (7-2) at Bradford (3-6)

The Beavers can solidify their place in the playoff standings and spoil the Owls’ playoff hopes with a win at Parkway Field. DuBois hasn’t beaten Bradford in its last three tries dating back to its last win in 2005, a 37-0 decision at home. The Beavers last won at Bradford in 2004, 14-7. DuBois quarterback Sean Sleigh, at 3,413 career yards passing, can go over, the 3,500-yard milestone this week.

Huntingdon (3-6) at Clearfield (8-1)

The Bisons will try to win game No. 203 for head coach Tim Janocko. Bisons running back Beau Swales has rushed for 1,341 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Brookville (5-4) at Redbank Valley (5-4)

It’s the 65^th meeting between Route 28 rivals. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series, 31-27-6. Brookville won last year, 21-14.

Karns City (6-3) at Clarion (6-3)

The Gremlins have beaten the Bobcats six straight times and nine of the last 10 games, including 30-27 last year at KC. Clarion’s last win over Karns City was a 13-7 decision at home in 2004.

Keystone (2-7) at Johnsonburg (0-9)

The Rams will try to close out a miserable season at home on Senior Night, hosting the Panthers after forfeiting their last two games to Brockway and Curwensville.

West Shamokin (0-9) at Punxsutawney (2-7)

The former KSAC member Wolves have dropped 43 straight games have won just six games since leaving the conference for the WPIAL after the 2003 season. The Chucks received a forfeit win in last year’s scheduled game.

Ridgway (5-4) at Clarion-Limestone (1-8)

A win would give the Elkers the distinction of being the only team in District 9 with a winning record and no playoff berth. It’s the third straight year the two teams have tangled at the end of the regular season. Last year, the Lions lost at Ridgway, 20-18.

Cowanesque Valley (1-8) at Otto-Eldred (1-8)

The Terrors host Cowanesque Valley trying to win their eighth straight season-ending non-conference matchup with their District 4 opponent.

Conneaut Valley (1-7) at A-C Valley (1-7)

The Falcons have the same record as their District 10 opponent, which beat them 55-6 last year.

Idle playoff teams

Unbeaten Moniteau (9-0), Curwensville (7-2), Coudersport (7-2) and Elk County Catholic (6-3) are all playoff-bound and idle this week as is St. Marys (5-4) if the Dutch squeeze by Bradford in the Class AAA playoff race. Curwensville will head to the postseason with two straight off weeks thanks to the forfeit win over Johnsonburg and no game scheduled this week.