By ANDY CLOSE
Era Sports Writer
The 2012 high school football season is rapidly approaching.
It figures to be an exciting and entertaining year in District 9, with many of last season’s top teams returning a lot of talent.
Over the next week we will take a look at teams across the AML to see how they stack up come Week 1.
To start, here is a look at the top two teams from the AML North in 2011, who figure to be in the mix again in 2012.
PORT ALLEGANY GATORS
The expectations are sky-high in Gator Country, and for good reason. Port, fresh off an appearance in the Class A state quarterfinals a year ago, is loaded, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
This has the potential to be a very special team and arguably one of the most explosive ever to take the field in the AML.
Offense
Any discussion of the Port Allegany offense must start with Matt Bodamer, who had one of the greatest statistical seasons for a quarterback in state history in 2011. Those numbers included 3,766 yards passing (third in state history), 49 TDs (Tied-second in state history), a 65 percent completion percentage, 806 yards rushing and 14 TDs.
The Division I recruit has the Pennsylvania career passing yardage and touchdown marks within reach. He is a special talent, possessing great arm strength, accuracy and mobility. The fact that he has special talent around him will make Port very difficult to beat.
First-team All-State selection Tyce Miller is back at wide receiver, as is Nick Conway.
The small but speedy Miller, who had 74 catches for 1,248 yards and 15 TDs a season ago, is a tough cover for the opposition and has developed quite a rapport with Bodamer.
Equally tough will be Conway, who had seven touchdown receptions a year ago despite missing the first half of the season due to injury. He possess not only good size (6’1”) but has outstanding speed, medaling in both the 110 and 300 hurdles at the PIAA Track and Field championships this spring.
Trey Miller and Tyler Shaffer will also see time at receiver, adding to the growing number of weapons for the Gators.
Providing toughness over the middle will be tight end Rickie Bova. Bova had 44 catches in 2011, and is the most physical presence in the passing game.
Trent Neal returns at running back, coming off a season in which he averaged 5.6 yards per carry. The underrated Neal rushed for 682 yards in 2011 and provides a nice change-of-pace.
The Gators will have somewhat of a re-tooled offensive line in 2012. Nick Budd (tackle) and Rex Windsor (center) will anchor the unit. Victor Bandish and Logan Warnick figure to start at each guard position and Brandon Raymo will take over at the other tackle spot.
Defense
Alex Gular, who led the team with 113 tackles in 2011 from his linebacker spot, will anchor the defense.
Port’s offense is the headline maker, but if they are to repeat and exceed last year’s run, they will need the defense to continue to get better.
Neal will compliment Gular in what appears to be a very solid linebacking corp with Johnny Sena and Bandish also joining the rotation.
Budd, Windsor, Bova, Brandon Raymo and sophomore Christian Moses will provide stability up front.
Trey Miller will see time at safety, as will Bodamer. Bodamer played on an as-needed basis defensively last year, but could see more time in 2012.
Tyce Miller and Conway will man the corners, but expect a few other names to get in the mix as well, as coach Mike Bodamer will look to keep guys fresh.
Scott Brookens and Sam Kysor figure to handle the kicking duties in addition to playing soccer.
COUDERSPORT FALCONS
Coudersport may be the team that has the best chance to challenge Port Allegany in the AML North in 2012. The Falcons don’t have the flash of the Gators, but have a very solid returning corp of players that figure to be very competitive.
Offense
The offense starts with the dynamic duo in the backfield of Caden Whitman and Mitch Freeman. The seniors combine for arguably the most explosive running back tandem in District 9.
Whitman rushed for over 100 yards in three of Coudy’s first four games in 2012, before a leg injury against Sheffield in Week 5 shelved him for the season. Unfortunately, an injury setback will likely leave him unavailable for the season opener against Curwensville, but a Week 2 return is optimistic.
Freeman saw an increased workload after Whitman went down, and finished with 970 yards on the season.
The combination of both in the backfield for an entire season will help ease the transition for new quarterback Ethan Hite.
Hite, a junior, will replace the graduated Tim McCusker. A good athlete, look for Coudy to ease him into the passing game.
Zac Elenchin will serve as the No. 2 QB and also see time in the backfield.
The Falcons look to be very good up front, with Jesse Lincoln, Forest Tuttle and Jeff McManus paving the way.
Defense
Coudersport’s defense was one of the best in District 9 in 2011, and figures to be once again in 2012.
Freeman and Counts will lead a very strong linebacking corp. Counts was the squad’s leading tackler a season ago.
On the defensive front, Tuttle registered six sacks as a sophomore and will be a force at defensive end. McManus and Alex Fletcher will also be counted on in the defensive trenches.
Elenchin figures to be a mainstay in the secondary, as will Whitman when he returns.
Don’t expect a lot of points to be scored on this unit in 2012.
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