By Andy Close
PORT ALLEGANY – One team left the field feeling
pretty good about themselves, while the other left scratching their
heads.
Just a week after Port Allegany’s (9-0) 55-20
pasting of Brockway (8-1), the two teams meet again on the same
field for the AML championship.
It’s the second time in as many seasons the two
clubs will square off for AML supremacy, with the Gators earning a
56-27 win in last year’s game. It was one of three wins Port had
over Brockway in 2011.
The Gators did whatever they wanted offensively
in Week 9, with their first-team offense scoring every time they had
the ball.
In the process, quarterback Matt Bodamer became
Pennsylvania’s career passing yardage king, surpassing former
Brockway quarterback Derek Buganza. He has now thrown for 9,787
yards and 126 touchdowns, also a state record, which he broke
against Sheffield in Week 7. On the season, he is completing 74.6
percent (159-223) percent of his passes for 2,790 yards with 41
touchdowns and just three interceptions.
Bodamer picked apart the Rovers’ secondary last
week, completing 18 of 22 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns,
three of which went to Nick Conway.
Conway (46 catches, 910 yards, 16 touchdowns)
and Tyce Miller (55 catches, 1,055 yards, 15 touchdowns), the latter
of whom is broke the D-9 record for touchdown catches and yardage
this season, team to form the top statistical receiving tandem in
the state. Conway’s 16 touchdowns are tied for second in the state.
Tight end Rickie Bova (29 catches, 385 yards, 6
touchdowns) and Trey Miller (17 catches, 302 yards, 1 touchdown) are
also at Bodamer’ s disposal in the passing game.
Trent Neal leads the ground game with 529 yards
rushing and six touchdowns, while Bodamer has rushed for 500 yards
and 11 scores for an offense that is averaging 53.3 points per game,
tops in the state.
Defensively, Port is giving up just 11.2 points
per game, much of that coming with their first-teamers out of the
game.
Brockway, which comes in averaging 43.1 ppg but
also allows 25.8 ppg, relies on a balanced offensive attack for most
of the season.
QB Alec Shaffer-Doan leads the way with 1,927
yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs and a 61.2 percent completion percentage. He
completed just 6 of 20 passes last week, but also didn’t start the
game at QB.
Jake Perrin, the Rovers’ leading receiver with
56 catches, 830 yards and TDs saw looks at quarterback in the
wildcat package in Week 9. Anthony Benson (27 catches, 555 yards, 7
touchdowns) is another weapon in the passing game.
Chad Melillo is District 9’s fourth-leading
rusher with 1,108 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The Rovers also have a special teams weapon in
kicker Phil Esposito, who has deep range as a field goal kicker and
on kickoffs.
NOTES: Port Allegany is seeking to win
back-to-back AML titles for the first time in school history … This
is the sixth appearance for Port Allegany in the AML Title game …
The Gators appeared in the first three AML Title games winning 23-14
in 1986 over Johnsonburg, losing 21-20 to Johnsonburg in 1987 and
defeating Ridgway 19-14 in 1988. The Gators also lost to
Curwensville 33-21 in 2000 … Brockway, which lost in the AML Title
game for first time last season, is making its fourth appearance
(2-1) … Both teams have already qualified for the Class A playoffs,
with the winner of this game earning the No. 1 overall seed. Both
teams have assured themselves of hosting a first-round playoff game.
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