Fall is here and that means it’s football season!
There are a lot of very talented players who you will have the pleasure to see take the field in 2012. Here are a few of them to watch.
1. Matt Bodamer, Sr. QB/DB, Port Allegany — Forget District 9, Bodamer is one of the most exciting players in the state. He has every major passing record in state history within reach, but more importantly, he will help lead a talented Gator team that has aspirations of making it past the state quarterfinals, where their season ended a year ago. The dual-threat Bodamer is equally exciting throwing and running the football and may find himself with more than just the Ivy League schools interested in him by seasons end.
2. T.J. Armstrong, Sr. RB/LB, Clarion — Armstrong almost single-handedly led the Bobcats past Port Allegany in the Class A title game a season ago. He is a brute of a runner, but it’s his play at linebacker that landed him a scholarship offer from Old Dominion, where he is verbally committed to. The Monarchs will be making the transition from FCS to FBS next season, but Armstrong and the Bobcats still have unfinished business to take care of.
3. Christian Lezzer, Jr. QB/LB, Clearfield — Lezzer will be making the move from running back to QB this season, where he will follow in a long-line of great Clearfield signal-callers. It’s his work on defense however, that has the attention of Multiple division I programs. The six-foot, 205-pounder may be Clearfield’s most gifted athlete since QB Chad Kroell in the mid-1990’s, who played for Penn State.
4. Tyce Miller, Sr. WR/DB, Port Allegany — The Bodamer to Miller connection was one of the best in the state last season and figures to be once again. The shifty first-team Class A All-State selection from a year ago, Miller isn’t big, (5’9”, 170) but he more than makes up for his size with his speed, route-running and overall athleticism.
5. Jake Dougherty, So. QB, Redbank Valley — Not many freshman earn starting jobs, let alone at quarterback, which tells you what the Bulldogs coaching staff thought of Dougherty. He put up solid numbers in his freshman campaign, throwing for over 1,000 yards and a 14-11 TD to INT ratio. Dougherty has good size (6’2”, 200 pounds) and is going to continue to get better, a scary thought for the rest of the KSAC.
6. Mitch Freeman, Sr. RB/LB, Coudersport — Freeman rushed for over 900 yards last season and was also a standout linebacker for the Falcons. A tough, gritty, player, Freeman leads a talented group of Falcons that look to challenge Port Allegany for the AML North.
7. Dustin Geagan, Sr. RB, Moniteau — Geagan rushed for 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per carry in 2011. He will need to be big in 2012, as the Warriors must replace multi-talented QB Kyle Armagost.
8. Brock McCullough, Sr. RB/DB, Elk County Catholic — McCullough is a home-run threat both in the backfield and on kick returns. His ability to beat teams in a multitude of ways makes him the biggest threat on the ECC roster.
9. Cody Baker, Sr. RB/LB, St. Marys — Baker had a big season in 2011, rushing for over 1,000 yards. He should thrive again behind an experienced St. Marys offensive line.
10. Andrew Armagost, Sr. RB/LB, Moniteau— The 6’, 235-pound Armagost was an all-state pick at linebacker last year, but it’s his move into the backfield that has coaches buzzing. He will team with Dustin Geagan to provide a scary combination for opponents.
11. Tom Vervoort, Sr. RB/LB, Brockway — Another one of D-9’s returning 1,000-yard rushers, Vervoort is a bull at 5’8”, 230 pounds who is equally effective at stopping the run.
12. Shane Marshall, Sr. TE/LB, DuBois — On a team that lost a ton from last season, Marshall is a rock on defense. He has a nose for the ball, recording over 100 tackles in 2011, and also looks to see an increased role on offense.
13. Ryan Counts, Sr. OL/LB, Coudersport — Counts registered over 100 tackles on a stout Coudy defense last season. He is also a starter on the offensive line and one of the leaders for the Falcons.
14. Matt Yurkewicz, Sr QB/DB, Bradford — Yurkewicz is a good athlete and perfect for the Owls Wing-T offense. He is a smart, savvy player, who is also a solid defender. Few players are better positioned for a breakout season in District 9.
15. Camron Kirkland, Sr. WR/DB, Clarion — Kirkland, while small in size (5’8”, 160) is a dynamic player, equally capable catching or running the ball. He led a very good Clarion secondary with 4 INTs last season, and is one of the key cogs for the Bobcats.
16. Clayton Housler, Sr. WR/DB, Elk County Catholic — The 6’, 175-pounder leads a very strong secondary for the Crusaders. He had six interceptions in 2011 and is also the team’s top returning receiver.
17. Nick Budd, Sr. OL/DL, Port Allegany — The skill guys at Port get most of the attention, but Budd is a standout in his own right. An all-state selection in 2011, Budd anchors an underrated offensive line for the Gators.
18. Caden Whitman, Sr. RB/DB, Coudersport — Whitman is one of the more explosive players in the District when he is healthy. A leg injury cut his 2011 season short, but if he is healthy, he and Freeman will be a tough one-two combo to deal with.
19. Phil Esposito, Sr. K/P, Brockway — It’s not often that a kicker makes big headlines, but Esposito is for real. He has drawn the interest of D-I schools with his field goal range extending to 50 yards.
20. Clay Schuler, Sr. QB/DB, Smethport — Schuler makes the move to QB for his senior season, and should fit in quite nicely. A three-sport standout, Schuler is a smart and athletic player who should make plenty of big plays for the Hubbers.
21. Jonah Smith, Sr. RB/DB, Kane — Smith is the leading returning rusher for a Wolves team that returns most of its key players from last season. He will also play a key role at defensive back.
22. Gabe French, So. QB, DuBois — French was impressive as a freshman in limited action backing up Sean Sleigh in 2011. Coach Frank Varischetti is turning over the keys to his pass-heavy offense to the 6’2”, 180-pounder this season, however, with big things expected.
23. Antonio Troese, Sr. QB/DB, Clarion — Troese appears to be the frontrunner in a very close QB competition with junior John Katis. The 5’11” senior will bring an athletic dimension to the position that Clarion hasn’t had in a while. He will team with Kirkland to form a dynamic cornerback combo as well.
24. Nick Conway, Sr. WR/DB, Port Allegany — Conway caught seven TD passes despite missing the first half of the season due to injury in 2011. Expect a big-time season from the 6’2” senior who also is the Gators top defensive back.
25. Kyle Langdon, So. FB/LB, Bradford — Langdon burst onto the scene as a freshman to earn a starting spot at linebacker. The 5’10”, 205-pound Langdon will also see time at fullback this season for the Owls and a
26. Forest Tuttle, Jr. OL/DL, Coudersport — Tuttle registered 63 tackles and six sacks as a sophomore. He also will anchor a very good offensive line for the Falcons, which will benefit new starting QB Ethan Hite.
27. Dakota Vaughn, Jr. QB/LB, Otto-Eldred — Vaughn is a tough kid who can beat teams with both his legs and his arm. That toughness also shows at inside linebacker, where he registered 77 tackles in 2011. Expect O-E to surprise this season, with Vaughn being one of the big reasons why.
28. Rickie Bova, Sr. TE/DE, Port Allegany — Bova (6’1”, 210) is yet another weapon quarterback Matt Bodamer has at his disposal. He had 44 catches in 2011 and provides a tough, over-the-middle presence for the Gators. He will also be used more on defense this season at defensive end.
29. Spencer Smeal, Sr. C/DE, Curwensville — Smeal, an all-state selection at center last season, is one of the premier lineman in District 9. He will play a pivotal role in creating holes for an inexperienced core of backs.
30. Brad Coudriet, Sr. RB/LB, Curwensville — Coudriet didn’t see much time behind 2,000-yard rusher Alex Holland last season, but figures to be the feature back in 2012. Curwensville has produced a long line of great backs, with Coudriet set to be next.
31. Sean Jordan, Sr. QB/DB, Kane — Jordan wasn’t great statistically in 2011, but he is a tough kid with great leadership skills. Expect his numbers to climb with a year of experience under his belt.
32. Mark Strothers, Jr. RB/LB, Redbank Valley — Strothers averaged a whopping 9.6 yards per carry in 2012 and teams with Dougherty to give the Bulldogs tremendous balance on offense. He will also start at outside linebacker.
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