The first weekend of the District 9 playoffs had a little bit of everything.
There were a couple of surprising upsets (Coudersport over RV; Curwensville topping ECC), dominant teams continuing to roll in Smethport and Clarion-Limestone, and a whole bunch of blowouts.
Six of the seven games were decided by at least 26 points, with Moniteau’s 20-14 victory over Clarion the lone close finish of the weekend.
When the dust settled, nine D-9 teams remain (Bellefonte is D-6), and everyone left is at least two games over .500 which should ramp up the competition this weekend.
All five second round matchups feature rematches from the regular season, so there is some familiarity across the board even with the stakes much higher this go-around.
Here’s a capsule look at each of this weekend’s games:
Class A semifinal
(#5) Curwensville (7-4) at (#1) Smethport (10-0)
Game info: Friday at Bradford Area High School, 7 p.m.
Previous 2018 meeting: Week 3, Smethport won 20-7
The skinny: Curwensville enters this contest fresh off a big upset over Elk County Catholic last week. The Golden Tide forced five turnovers and won the game 26-0 despite out-gaining the Crusaders by just 29 yards. Smethport, meanwhile, cruised to a 28-0 win over Union/A-C Valley on Friday with a dominant second half performance. The Hubbers remain the team to beat in Class A, with a defense and a rushing attack that has given opposing teams fits all year. Curwensville, losers of two straight entering the postseason, hung tough with Smethport in this year’s previous matchup. But Blake Kinner ran for 171 yards and averaged 13 yards per carry in that game to carry the Hubbers in that game. Kinner went over 1,000 yards on the season last week and has formed a dangerous one-two punch with Nate Hollowell this year.
Cole Bressler and Blake Passarelli have each rushed for over 700 yards for the Golden Tide.
“Curwensville has been getting better week-by-week,” Smethport coach Adam Jack said last week. “They are improving, they are tough, and I have a ton of respect for their coach Andy Evanko and what he’s done with that program over the years. They play outstanding defense and they run the ball really hard. We will have to be on our ‘A’ game (on Friday) for sure.”
Class A semifinal
(#6) Coudersport (6-4) vs. (#2) Clarion-Limestone (9-2)
Game info: Friday at Brockway’s Varischetti Field, 7 p.m.
Previous 2018 meeting: Week 3, C-L won 34-22
The skinny: This game figures to be the highest scoring of the D-9 slate. The Falcons are fresh off of a 52-7 thrashing of Redbank Valley — a game that very few picked Coudersport to win. Stephen Kelly was up to his usual tricks in that one, rushing for 224 yards and four scores. He now has a staggering 1,296 yards on the season. Interestingly enough, Kelly’s worst game of the season (a seven-carry, 17-yard performance) came in the Falcons’ loss to C-L in Week 3. The Lions have been on a torrid stretch, winning four straight games by a combined 162 points. Austin Newcomb, who has set numerous school records and is on pace to break D-9 records as well, has been the biggest reason why. The senior running back gashed Otto-Eldred for 270 yards in C-L’s 48-18 win last Friday, and has an eye-popping 33 touchdowns, 2,442 yards and a 10.6 yards per carry average on the season. By his high standards, Newcomb actually had one of his least productive games of the year against Coudy in Week 3 with 167 yards on 32 carries.
Whichever team can limit the opposing running back will have the upper hand on determining who punches a ticket to the championship game. KICKOFF RETURN
“We’ve been telling the guys, we’re going to revenge all those losses from the regular season and win a district title on top of it,” Coudersport coach Tom Storey said. “That’s what we’re shooting for.”
Class AA semifinal
(#2) Brockway (8-2) vs. (#3) Brookville (6-4)
Game info: Saturday at Mansell Stadium in DuBois, 6 p.m.
Previous 2018 meeting: Week 1, Brockway won 28-25
The skinny: Two schools separated by just 17 miles set up for what should be an electric Saturday afternoon matchup. Both teams were off last weekend in the five-team Class AA bracket, which gave two squads that have already played in 10 games some much-needed rest. The Raiders have enjoyed a monster second half of the season, highlighted by handing Ridgway its first loss of the year three weeks ago. Backup quarterback Robert Keth has led Brookville with 21 touchdown passes and 104 completions in only six starts. Brockway, meanwhile, has been just as hot, rolling to four straight victories since losing back-to-back games to Ridgway and Bradford. The Rovers have allowed just 14.5 points per game in that span and the 25 points that Brockway allowed to Brookville in its Week 1 victory were the second most they’ve allowed all year.
Class AA semifinal
(#1) Ridgway (9-1) vs. (#5) Moniteau (7-4)
Game info: Saturday at Mansell Stadium in DuBois, 1 p.m.
Previous 2018 meeting: Week 2, Ridgway won 36-14
The skinny: The Elkers were the hottest team in D-9 over the first eight weeks of the season, but have looked vulnerable over their last two games. Ridgway has relied on a balanced attack all season, with one of the top scoring defenses and offenses in D-9, but have scored just 32 total points over the last two regular season games. The Elkers have the talent to rebound, however, with several talented running backs, a solid quarterback and a true number one receiver. Defensively, Ridgway has been a force with 27 sacks and 14 interceptions.
Moniteau will look to avenge its early season loss to Ridgway, and come into the game with some serious momentum following four straight wins.
Cody Wise is the dynamic playmaker for Moniteau, rushing for 1,357 yards on the season and has topped 165 yards in four straight.
District 6-9 Class AAAA championship
(#1) Clearfield (11-0) vs. (#2) Bellefonte (9-2)
Game info: Friday at Mansell Stadium in DuBois, 7 p.m.
Previous 2018 meeting: Week 5, Clearfield won 49-21
The skinny: Nobody has really come close to challenging Clearfield this season, and Bellefonte will have to play a nearly perfect game to topple the undefeated Bison. The Mountain Leaguers have won every game by at least 25 points, including a 28-point drubbing over Bellefonte in Week 5. Both teams will enter this matchup riding high, as the Bison were 45-14 victors over DuBois and Bellefonte scoring 58 unanswered points to beat Bradford 58-18. The two offenses have dynamic playmakers as well, with running back C.J. Funk (1,475 yards) leading Bellefonte, and quarterback Isaac Rumery (25 touchdowns, 2,700 all-purpose yards) powering the Bison.
