D9SPORTS.COM ANNOUNCES DISTRICT 9 FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS FOR 2002 SEASON

Richards won two of the 2002 awards, including the prestigious D9Sports.Com District 9 Player of the Year Award. He also takes home the Individual Performance of the Year Award.

Clarion-Limestone sophomore Hayden Johnston is the winner of the first-ever District 9 Defensive Player of the Year Award, while Rick Bouch of Kane is the District 9 Coach of the Year.

Other award winners for the 2002 season include Curwensville sophomore Doug Swatsworth as the Rookie of the Year, Clarion-Limestone vs. Ridgway in the District 9 Class A playoffs as the Game of the Year, St. Marys junior Tristan Mulcahy as the Special Team Player of the Year and Clearfield senior Jon Altemus as the Offensive Lineman of the Year.

For the first time, voting on the awards was done by the local media covering the athletes in District 9. Media members voting on this year’s award included representatives from the sports departments at the Clarion News, Clearfield Progress, DuBois Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday and the Olean Times-Herald as well as the founders of D9Sports.Com Chris Rossetti, Rich Rhoades and Jonathan Shaffer

A complete look at each award winner is listed below. The voting breakdown for each category is listed below the award winners.

POSITION – Running back

YEAR – Senior

TEAM RECORD – 9-3 (District 9 Class AAA Champion; Won first round PIAA Playoff game over Indian Valley; lost in PIAA Second Round to Perry).

STATISTICS – 246 carries for 2,506 yards, 208.8 yards per game, 10.2 yards per carry, 41 touchdowns; 13 catches for 244 yards, 20.3 yards per game, 18.8 yards per catch, 1 touchdown; 2,750 yards of total offense, 229.2 yards per game, 42 touchdowns. 45 total touchdowns. At the time of Clearfield’s playoff loss, Richards was in the top three in the state in rushing and was tops in the state in touchdowns. He was named the DuBois Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday Player of the Year and was named to the second-team of the Associated Press Big School’s football team.

POSITION – Linebacker

YEAR – Sophomore

TEAM RECORD – 12-1 (District 9 Class A Champion; KSAC Champion; Won first round PIAA Playoff game over West Middlesex; lost in PIAA Second Round to Bishop Carroll).

STATISTICS – 173 assisted tackles, 23 unassisted tackles, 196 total tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 1 interception. Led a C-L defense that allowed 109 points in 13 games an average of 8.4 points per game.

TEAM RECORD: 9-2 overall, 8-1 AML South (First Place)

TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Won AML Title game over Coudersport and then beat Coudersport in the first round of the District 9 Class A playoffs before losing to Clarion-Limestone 27-14 in D9 title game. In his first year as head coach, he turned around a team that was 1-8 last season.

POSITION – Fullback/Outside linebacker

YEAR – Sophomore

TEAM RECORD – 7-3

STATISTICS – 98 carries, 471 yards, 47.1 yards per game, 4.2 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns, 3 catches, 24 yards; 495 total yards, 49.5 yards per game, 3 touchdowns; 10 tackles, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown. As a fullback weighing in at just 155 pounds, he paved the way for running back Brooks Collins, who rushed for 832 yards.

SCORE – Clarion-Limestone 21, Ridgway 19

SIGNIFICANCE – District 9 Class A Playoffs First Round

Ridgway led 7-0 with less than a minute to play in the first half, but C-L tied the game with 46 seconds left then recovered a fumble moments later. The Lions proceeded to take a 14-7 halftime lead by scoring with 18 seconds left in the half.

Ridgway got to within a point, 14-13, with just under six minutes to play in the third quarter, but C-L had a 21-13 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Ridgway controlled the ball for next 9:40, going on an 18-play drive that was capped with a touchdown with 3:54 left in the game. With Ridgway needing a two-point conversion to tie the game, C-L’s Jordan Johnston sacked Ridgway QB Andy Kelly to preserve the Lions' lead. C-L then recovered the on-side kick but had to punt it away. Ridgway was unable to score.

Ridgway outgained C-L 260 yards to 148 and ran 61 plays to C-L’s 34.

POSITION – Kicker

YEAR – Junior

TEAM RECORD – 4-6

STATISTICS – 15-of-17 on extra points, 9 field goals including three of over 40 yards in one game. Scored 42 points.

GAME – Nov. 8 vs. Punxsutawney in District 9 Class AAA championship game at DuBois.

SCORE – Clearfield 40, Punxsutawney 7

STATISTICS – 18 carries, 315 yards, 6 touchdowns, 17.5 yards per carry.

YEAR – Senior

TEAM RECORD – 9-3 (District 9 Class AAA Champion; Won first round PIAA Playoff game over Indian Valley; lost in PIAA Second Round to Perry).

STATISTICS – Led the way on the offensive line helping Clearfield rush for 3,438 yards and 49 touchdowns an average of 286.5 yards per game and 7.6 yards per carry. The Bisons also passed for 851 yards and five touchdowns an average of 70.9 yards per game.

Dave Richards – Clearfield 20, Hayden Johnston – Clarion-Limestone 12, Joe Martin – Punxsutawney 6, Tyler Smith – Kane 3, Tyson Truitt – Redbank Valley 1.

Hayden Johnston – Clarion-Limestone 16, Jared Cecchetti – Kane 5, Brooks Collins – Curwensville 4, Jake Rulander – Eisenhower 4, Shawn Colligan – Bradford 4, Jordan Johnston – Clarion-Limestone 3, Jon Cantafio – Brockway 2, Keith Ishman – Brookville 1, Mike Jamerson – Kane 1.

Rick Bouch – Kane 12, Ray Reckner – Brockway 11, John Kundick – Clarion-Limestone 10, Chris Dworek – Brookville 4, Tim Janocko – Clearfield 4, Steve Ackerman – Bradford 3, Mark Morelli – Ridgway 1.

Doug Swatsworth – Curwensville 12, Mike Mitchell – Smethport 10, Dave Snyder – Bradford 8, Nick Heschke – Brookville 8, David Brooks – Clarion-Limestone 4.

Ridgway-Clarion-Limestone 15, Brockway-Karns City 14, Clearfield-Brookville 7, Ridgway-Brockway 5, Clarion-Redbank Valley 3.

Tristan Mulcahy – St. Marys 15, Rocky Davis – Clarion-Limestone 10, Mike Jamerson – Kane 7, Jon Cantafio – Brockway 4, Jason Passinger – Eisenhower 4, Rob Kullings – Clearfield 3.

Dave Richards – Clearfield vs. Punxsutawney (Playoffs) 13, Dave Richards – Clearfield vs. Bald Eagle Area 12, Tyler Smith – Kane vs. Coudersport (AML Title Game) 9, Corey Santoriello vs. Clearfield 3, Tristan Mulcahy – St. Marys vs. A-C Valley 2, Hayden Johnston – Clarion-Limestone vs. West Middlesex 2, Justin Sickeri – Brockway vs. Brookville 1, Dave Richards – Clearfield vs. Punxsutawney (Regular season) 1.

Jon Altemus – Clearfield 13, Jordan Johnston – Clarion-Limestone 10, Cory Bailor – Curwensville 8, Jarred Cecchetti – Kane 5, Dan Bjorquist – Ridgway 3, Chris Swab – Brookville 2, Alex McKinney – Brookville 1.