| All Previews are in capsule format and sorted by classification and seed | ||
| CLASS A | CLASS AA | CLASS AAA |
|
1.
NORTH CLARION WOLVES HEAD COACH: Glen Bobak RECORD: 19-4 overall, 15-3 KSAC-North (1st place; 2nd place in KSAC) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Bye; Hosts winner of Clarion-Limestone-Oswayo Valley game in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 4-4 NOTABLE: 4th trip to the D9 playoffs in the last 7 years … Last D9 Playoff win game was in 2000 Class A Quarterfinals 72-67 over DuBois Central Catholic … Last trip to PIAA playoffs was in 1999 when the Wolves finished 2nd to Elk County Catholic in Class A … Sophomore Justin Schmader is the 2nd leading scorer in D9 (22.7 ppg) and has 737 career points in two season. He is the younger brother of the school’s all-time leading scorer Justin Schmader … North Clarion ranks 2nd in D9 in scoring at 68.7 ppg … Enter the playoffs having lost three straight including two to No. 2 seed Keystone including 46-41 in Saturday’s KSAC Title Game. DISTRICT TITLES: 2 (2 Class A) LAST TITLE: 1985 (Class A) 2.
KEYSTONE PANTHERS HEAD COACH: Greg Heath RECORD: 21-2, 17-0, KSAC-South (1st place; Won KSAC Title) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Bye; Hosts winner of Union-Port Allegany game in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 8-1 NOTABLE: 23rd straight season of at least a .500 record and 22nd time in that stretch over .500 …14th straight 15-win season, 3rd straight 20-win season, 6th time in 8 years Panthers have won 20 games … 13th 20-win season for Heath, who in 25 years is 476-172 … Panthers have made 14 D9 title game appearances under Heath and have won 4 D9 titles in the last seven years with 3 coming in Class AA, where they resided by 2003-2006 … Looking for first Class A title since 2002 … Enter playoffs on 11-game winning streak that includes two wins last week over top-seeded North Clarion including 46-41 in Saturday’s KSAC Title Game. DISTRICT TITLES: 13 (10 Class AA, 3 Class A) LAST TITLE: 2006 (Class AA) 3.
CAMERON COUNTY RED RAIDERS HEAD COACH: Randy Cooney RECORD: 18-4, 13-1 NTL (1st place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Bye; Hosts winner of Venango Catholic-Elk County Catholic game in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 3-2 NOTABLE: Won first NTL title since 2003 … Looking for first trip to PIAA Playoffs since finishing third in D9 in 1999 beating Keystone in the consolation game … Outside of Coudersport, NTL has not fared well in D9 playoffs since 2000 with non-Coudersport teams going 5-25 in all classes vs. non-NTL teams this decade. Cameron has 2 of those wins having gone 1-1 in the D9 Class A field the last two years … Could face ECC in opening game and haven’t beaten Crusaders since 1977 losing 13 straight by an average of 23.5 ppg … Are only 2-17 lifetime vs. ECC … Sr. Dan Sullivan is eighth leading scorer in D9 (16.9 ppg) and has 1,060 career points. DISTRICT TITLES: 6 (6 Class AA) LAST TITLE: 1973 (Class AA) 4.
DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC CARDINALS HEAD COACH: Mike Nezbit RECORD: 17-6 overall, 6-0 AML-South (1st place; 2nd in AML) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Bye; Hosts winner of A-C Valley-Johnsonburg game in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Feb. 20. RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 7-2 NOTABLE: Cardinals didn’t finish strong losing 3 of final 4 games and 4 of final 7 and 5 of last 10 including a pair of losses to No. 5 seed Johnsonburg that included a 48-41 loss in the AML Title game Saturday. back-to-back games to close regular season three of final four … DCC is most battle-tested team in Class A field having played two of the top WPIAL Class AA teams in Greensburg Central Catholic and North Catholic as well as Canevin Catholic from the WPIAL and Bishop McCort from District 6. The Cardinals D9 non-AML slate has included Keystone, Bradford, Union and A-C Valley, all playoff foes … Despite all of the recent success, including a trip to the PIAA Class A title game in 2006, DCC hasn’t won a D9 title since 1976 and have made it to the title game just twice since then including a 61-41 loss to Coudersport last season. DISTRICT TITLES: 1 (1 Class A) LAST TITLE: 1976 (Class A) 5. JOHNSONBURG RAMS
HEAD COACH: Bill Shuey RECORD: 18-6 overall, 6-0 AML-North (1st place; Won AML Title) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Hosts A-C Valley at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD:
6-2 NOTABLE: Rams are entering the playoffs on fire having won five in a row including two wins over No. 4 seed Dubois Central Catholic (that includes a 48-41 win in AML Title game Saturday) as well as two wins over Class AA’s top seed Brockway and a victory over St. Marys … Rams are more balanced this year than last with three players averaging at least 11 ppg and four averaging over 7 ppg … Johnsonburg was 1-1 in last year’s postseason and is looking for first trip to PIAA playoffs since it made a run to the PIAA semifinals in 2004 … Rams faced A-C Valley earlier in the year winning 60-52 Jan. 12. A win over the Falcons would mean a game at DCC, who the Rams are 2-1 versus this year. It would be the third time DCC and Johnsonburg would meet in the D9 quarterfinals since 2005 and the fourth time they would meet in the playoffs since 2004. Johnsonburg won 61-35 in the D9 Class A semifinals in 2004 but lost in the quarterfinals in both 2005 (46-41) and 2007 (75-56) with both those games being played at DCC. DISTRICT TITLES: 2 (1 Class A, 1 Class AA) LAST TITLE: 1983 (Class A) 6.
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC CRUSADERS HEAD COACH: Aaron Straub RECORD: 16-7, 9-3 D9 League (2nd place); 3-3 AML-North (2nd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Hosts Venango Catholic at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-3 NOTABLE: 14th all-time meeting with Venango Catholic but first since 1985. ECC leads all-time series 10-3 with VC’s last win coming in 1982 … 1999 was last time ECC wasn’t one of the top 4 seeds. It was 10th that year but won the D9 Title beating Clarion, Coudersport, Keystone and North Clarion. That is one of 15 D9 Class A titles in the last 22 years for ECC … Lost 4-year grip on title last year with loss to Coudersport in semifinals and then fell to Rocky Grove in consolation game before falling in PIAA Playoffs in first round. That was the 11th straight trip to the PIAA postseason. Last time not in PIAAs was in 1996 when Johnsonburg beat ECC in consolation game … Sr. Nate Higgins, who is 10th in D9 in scoring (16.2 ppg) has accounted for nearly 32 percent of the Crusaders offense this year and is the lone ECC player averaging in double figures. In fact, only two Crusaders even average 7 ppg. DISTRICT TITLES: 19 (4 Class AA, 15 Class A) LAST TITLE: 2007 (Class A) 7.
PORT ALLEGANY GATORS HEAD COACH: Robert Raudenbush RECORD: 15-6 overall, 11-3 NTL (2nd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Hosts Union at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-3 NOTABLE: In the playoffs for the 2nd straight year and 9th time in 10 years … In Class A bracket for first time since finishing 2nd to Coudersport in 1996 … Since then have been a Class AA team … Only 1-9 in Class AA bracket since 1999 with lone win coming in 2005 semifinals over Keystone before losing to Karns City in title game … Started the season 1-4 and was 4-5 after 9 games but won 11 of past 12 including 8-game winning streak from Jan. 12 to Feb. 5 with lone loss coming 44-42 to Coudersport. 0 DISTRICT TITLES: 1 (Class AA) LAST TITLE: 1958 (Class AA) 8.
CLARION-LIMESTONE LIONS HEAD COACH: Joe Ferguson RECORD: 14-6 overall, 13-5 KSAC-North (2nd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: Hosts Oswayo Valley at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 4-4 NOTABLE: 1st home playoff game since 2002 when it beat Oswayo Valley 80-47 including 5 points from current assistant coach Ryan Smith … Only team in Class A bracket with four players averaging in double figures … Beat No. 1 seed North Clarion 78-61 Thursday to even season series with Wolves at 1-1 (loss came in early December) … C-L is 26-18 in last two seasons and are in playoffs for 2nd straight year after missing out three straight years … Looking for first playoff win since 2003 when beat Smethport in 1st round before losing to Johnsonburg … Looking for first PIAA trip since 2002 when it upset DuBois Central Catholic in consolation game before beating West Middlesex in PIAA. Lost to Monessen in 2nd round. Smith was a key role player on that team … Lions rank third in D9 in scoring (64.5 ppg). DISTRICT
TITLES: 1 (1 Class A) LAST TITLE: 1961 (Class A) 9.
OSWAYO VALLEY GREEN WAVE HEAD COACH: Clark Cummings RECORD: 15-7 overall, 9-5 NTL (3rd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: at Clarion-Limestone at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-3 NOTABLE: Are in the playoffs for the first time since the 80-47 first-round loss at Clarion-Limestone in 2002 … Had top turnaround in D9 boys this season going from 8-15 last year to 15-7 this year … Won just 21 total games in last three years including 4-20 in 2006 … One of the more balances team in the playoffs with four players averaging over 9 ppg … Lost 3 of final 6 games. DISTRICT TITLES: 0 LAST TITLE: N/A 10.
UNION GOLDEN KNIGHTS HEAD COACH: Karen Davis RECORD: 14-8, 11-6 KSAC-South (2nd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: at Port Allegany at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 4-5 NOTABLE: Booth is one of the top players in District 9 and is a 1,000-point scorer as a junior. The nephew of head coach Karen Davis, he has scored at least 30 points four times this year and has gone for 25 or more nine times … 4 of 8 losses come by 6 points or less including a 6-point loss at Keystone in December (the Panthers beat Union by 15 in Rimersburg in early February) and a 4-point loss to DuBois Central Catholic just after Christmas. The Golden Knights also played Clearfield, probably the best team regardless of class in District 9, tough in January … 4th playoff trip in last 5 years and Union is averaging 15 wins per season under Davis, who was the highly successful girls coach at Union before taking over the boys program … Union had won an average of just 5.7 games per season in the seven years before Davis took over … Jr. Scott Booth, Davis’ nephew, ranks 3rd in D9 in scoring at 21.9 ppg and has 1,108 career points, the leading active scorer in District 9 … Union ranks fourth in D9 in scoring offense (61.8 ppg). DISTRICT TITLES: 10 (4 in Class AA; 6 in Class A) LAST TITLE: 1981 – Class A 11.
VENANGO CATHOLIC VIKINGS Venango
Catholic scoring stats HEAD COACH: Ed McIntyre RECORD: 12-10 overall, 11-7 KSAC-North (3rd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: at Elk County Catholic at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-6 NOTABLE: One of the surprise teams this year considering lost a pair of 1,000-point scorers from last year’s D9 playoff team … Started the season 0-3 and were just 6-9 after 15 games but have won 6 of 7 to close the season … Sophomore Maxx Rynd is the leading scorer in D9 (23.8 ppg) and has scored 30 or more points five times and 25 or more points 10 times including pouring in a D9 high 42 against Clarion two weeks ago. He is averaging 26.5 ppg in his last 10 games … Behind Rynd, VC ranks fifth in D9 in scoring (60.5 ppg) … Trip to ECC won’t be easy. Crusaders haven’t lost a first-round game since 1986 … VC does have a win over top-seeded North Clarion. DISTRICT TITLES: 0 (in District 9) LAST TITLE: None 12.
A-C VALLEY FALCONS HEAD COACH: Jim Marron RECORD: 9-13 overall, 9-8 KSAC-South (3rd place) FIRST-ROUND OPPONENT: at Johnsonburg at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-7 NOTABLE: Young team that has no seniors and starts two sophomores … Started season 2-9 but won 7 of final 11 games … Eaton, a sophomore forward who was the All American Awards & Engraving D9Sports.com District 9 Rookie of the Year last season, is a big reason why. Since Jan. 5, when the Falcons were 1-7, Eaton has 12 double-doubles in 14 games helping A-C Valley go 8-6 in those contests. On the year, he has 14 double-doubles and is averaging 18.8 ppg and 13.2 rpg in those games including a 19-point, 14-rebound effort in a 60-52 loss at Johnsonburg Jan. 12 … 6th playoff trip in last 7 years including a run to the PIAA playoffs in 2006 and 2004 DISTRICT TITLES: 3 (3 Class A) LAST TITLE: 1973 (Class A) CLASS
AA
(Return
to top of page) 1.
BROCKWAY ROVERS HEAD COACH: Kurt Becker RECORD: 13-10 overall, 4-2 AML-South (2nd place) FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Plays winner of Brookville-Moniteau game in semifinals at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 19 at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym. RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-2 NOTABLE: Used streak of 10 wins in 11 games to overcome 2-6 start … Making 2nd
straight trip to postseason. Beat Port Allegany in Class AA quarterfinals last year but lost to Kane in
semifinals … On the verge of first winning season since going 14-11 in 1998 … Looking for first trip to D9
Title game since losing to Curwensville in Class AA in 1997 … Won 3 straight D9 Class AA titles from 1993-95
and 4 of 5 from 1991-95 … Split two games with No. 2 seed Kane at end of season winning 64-48 at Kane and
losing 56-55 at home. DISTRICT TITLES: 5 (4 in Class AA, 1 in Class A) LAST TITLE: 1995 (Class AA) 2.
KANE WOLVES HEAD COACH: Brian Wymer RECORD: 13-9 overall, 3-3 AML-North (3rd place) FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Plays Cranberry in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at Clarion
University’s Tippin Gym RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-1 TOP SCORERS: Cory Waigand (14.0 ppg), Arie
Paup (9.4 ppg), Bert Leonard (9.0 ppg) NOTABLE: Semifinal game with Cranberry is a rematch of last year’s D9 Class AA
title game won by Cranberry 55-48 in overtime … Not much is the same from that contest for Kane with the Wolves
returning just three healthy players who played in that game as well as having a new coach … The Wolves
suffered a setback midway through the season when 6-5 center Kenny Kane was lost with an apparent season-ending
injury after eight games. Kenny Kane was averaging 11.6 ppg at the time of the injury. The Wolves were 5-3 at the
time of the injury … Kane is looking for its third straight trip to the D9 Class AA title game having won the
championship in 2007 … The Wolves have played in six of the last 11 Class AA title contests winning four of
them including three straight from 1998-2000 … Split two games with top-seeded Brockway at the end of the
season losing 64-48 at Kane and winning 56-55 at Brockway. DISTRICT TITLES: 11 (4 in Class AAAA, 7 in Class AA) LAST TITLE: 2007 (Class AA) 3.
CRANBERRY BERRIES HEAD COACH: Eric O’Polka RECORD: 11-10 overall, 11-7 KSAC-North (3rd place) FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Plays Kane in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at Clarion
University’s Tippin Gym RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-0 NOTABLE: Semifinal game with Kane is a rematch of last year’s D9 Class AA
title game won by Cranberry 55-48 in overtime, the Berries first D9 title since joining the district in 2005 …
This is a completely different team, though, with only three players who played in that game last year back this
season … Started the year slow going 2-7 in first nine games but closed out the regular season with 9 wins in
12 games, although it lost 2 of its final 4 after winning 7 of 8 … 30-point loss to Venango Catholic Thursday,
however, comes with an asterisk. The Berries didn’t play any of their starters in that game … Felmlee is the
only player in double digits and one of only two players above 8 ppg this year, one of the big reasons Berries
rank 25th in D9 in scoring (45.8 ppg) and have the worst scoring offense of all the playoff teams …
Only one win (Clarion-Limestone) has come over a team with a winning record. DISTRICT TITLES: 1 (Fifth year in District 9) LAST TITLE: 2008 (Class AA) 4.
MONITEAU WARRIORS HEAD COACH: Randy Armagost RECORD: 9-12 overall, 9-8 KSAC-South) FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: Hosts Brookville at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 in quarterfinals RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 0-1 NOTABLE: Started the season 2-10 but ended with 7 wins in final 9 games with
only losses coming to Clarion and Keystone … Tyler & Kyle Armagost are brothers, Tyler’s a senior and
Kyle’s a freshman, and the sons of the head coach … Tyler scored his 1,000th career points
Thursday and has 1,002 in his career. He also has hauled down 983 career rebounds … Has been D9 Class AA runner-up 3 times since 2002 but has never won a D9 title … Lost to Kane in 1st
round last year. DISTRICT TITLES: 0 LAST TITLE: None 5.
BROOKVILLE RAIDERS HEAD COACH: Mike Ion RECORD: 3-17 overall, 0-12 D9 League (7th place) FIRST ROUND OPPONENT: at Moniteau at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 in quarterfinals RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-1 NOTABLE: After winning back-to-back games Dec. 6-8 to go to 2-1, the Raiders
have lost 16 of 17 with the lone win coming Jan. 12 at Redbank Valley … Since that win, Brookville has lost 10
straight including seven by double digits … One of 3 wins is against top-seeded Brockway 53-44 Dec. 6, although
Rovers beat Raiders 59-52 Dec. 30 … Last playoff win was three years ago … Dating back to Jan. 2008, Raiders
are just 6-26 after starting last season 8-4. DISTRICT TITLES: 8 (2 in Class AAAA, 4 in Class AAA, 2 in Class AA) LAST TITLE: 1997 (Class AAA) CLASS
AAA (Return
to top of page) 1.
CLEARFIELD BISONS HEAD COACH: Forrest Campman RECORD: 20-1 overall, 11-1 D9 League (1st place) – Plays Altoona
Monday (Feb. 16) SEMIFINAL OPPONENT: Hosts either Bradford or Punxsutawney (whomever is 4th seed)
Feb. 24 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 6-0 NOTABLE: Bisons won the D9 League for the first time since 1999, which was also
last 20-win season … Lost to Bradford 63-37 in last year’s D9 Class AAA Title game and then fell to Meadville
48-47 in PIAA Play-in game … Looking for first D9 title since 1999 … Have won 54 games over last three
seasons … Lone loss was 48-38 defeat by Elk County Catholic Jan. 13; Have won 13 since then going into
Monday’s game with Altoona … Senior Matt Shiner is 4th leading scorer in D9 at 19.3 ppg while
fellow senior Jarrin Campman, the son of the coach, is 12th at 15.7 ppg. That helps Clearfield lead D9
in scoring at 69.4 ppg. DISTRICT TITLES: 5 (4 in Class AAAA, 1 in Class AAA) LAST TITLE: 1999 (Class AAA) 2.
ST. MARYS DUTCHMEN HEAD COACH: Brice Benson RECORD: 12-9 overall, 7-4 D9 League (2nd place) – Plays Bradford
Tuesday SEMIFINAL OPPONENT: Hosts either Bradford or Punxsutawney (whomever is 3rd seed)
Feb. 24 RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-3 (one game left vs. Bradford) NOTABLE: Dutch are back in playoffs for first time in two years and are looking
first playoff victory since a 45-35 win over Clearfield in 2004 Class AAA semifinals … Dutch lost to Warren in
2007 PIAA Play-in game, which was first trip to PIAA playoffs since 1995 … St. Marys started the season 8-2 but
had lost 7 of 11 going into Tuesday’s game with Bradford including four in a row … Has a win over Bradford
and split season series with Punxsutawney … Will play Punxsy if it beats Bradford Tuesday will get rematch with
Owls with a loss. DISTRICT TITLES: 10 (4 in Class AAAA, 4 in Class AAA, 2 in Class AA) LAST TITLE: 2000 (Class AAA) THIRD AND FOURTH
SEED TO BE DECIDED (Punxsutawney will
get the third seed if Bradford loses to St. Marys Tuesday; Bradford will get third seed if it beats St. Marys
Tuesday. Third seed will face St. Marys Feb. 24 in semifinals & fourth seed will take on Clearfield. A look
at both Bradford and Punxsutawney is below.) BRADFORD
OWLS HEAD COACH: Dave Fuhrman RECORD: 12-9 overall, 5-6 D9 League – 1 game left with St. Marys Tuesday RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 1-4 (one game left vs. St. Marys) NOTABLE: Owls are the 3-time defending D9 Class AAA Champion and have won 7 of
the last 8 titles losing in the semifinals in 2005 to Clearfield … Went 2-1 in PIAA playoffs last year beating
Chartiers Valley and Hopewell from the WPIAL before losing to eventual champion Steelton-Highspire in the
quarterfinals. It marked the second time this 2004 Bradford has reached at least the quarterfinals (it reached
the semifinals in 2004) … Bradford has appeared in all but three D9 Class AAA/AAAA title games since 1995 –
they moved to Class AAA in 2001 – with nine D9 titles … Owls started the season 3-5 but have gone 9-4 since
then going into Tuesday’s game with St. Marys including having won 5 of 6. DISTRICT TITLES: 31 (24 in Class AAAA, 7 in Class AAA) LAST TITLE: 2008 (Class AAA) PUNXSUTAWNEY
CHUCKS HEAD COACH: Chad Long RECORD: 12-10 overall, 6-6 D9 League (4th place) RECORD VS. PLAYOFF FIELD: 2-4 NOTABLE: Chucks have clinched first winning record since 2005. Had won only 12
combined games last two years … Limping into the playoffs having lost 8 of 11 two of the wins coming against a
pair of 3-win teams Brookville and Karns City and the third against 7-win Penn Cambria. The eight losses came by
an average of 20.1 ppg and all of them coming by double digits. This after Punxsy started the season 9-2
including an 8-game winning streak that included wins at Elk County Catholic and Keystone, two of the toughest
venues for a road team to win in District 9 … Scoring is an issue for Chucks. They tied for 21st in
D9 in scoring at 50.2 ppg and are the third worst scoring playoff team ahead of only Brookville and Cranberry …
Corey Neal does rank 16th in D9 in scoring at 14.4 ppg But he and Dane Kopas (12.3 ppg) combined for
52 percent of the Chucks offense. DISTRICT TITLES: 17 (16 in Class AAAA, 1 in Class AAA) LAST TITLE: 2005 (Class AAA) |
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
