The 2008 season for the Curwensville Golden Tide has proven to be a very successful campaign. A season that saw Head Coach Andy Evanko\’s squad go 7-2, including victories over Coudersport and Johnsonburg, will continue this Saturday night at Riverside Stadium as the first round of the District 9 A playoffs begin with a rematch of week seven as the Golden Tide host the Elk County Catholic Crusaders.
In the first meeting between the two teams, Curwensville got the best of the Crusaders in a 22-12 victory. It was a game that was all about the play of David Kalgren. Kalgren on the night was 9 for 13 for 114 yards including three touchdowns, plus an interception on defense.
Elk County Catholic and Curwensville faced six common opponents during the regular season, with the Golden Tide having the better record of five victories to the Crusader\’s four. Curwensville opened their season with a 23-8 victory against the Port Allegany Gators, with Elk County Catholic getting the 15-0 over the Gators the following week. Both teams also gained victories over the Brockway Rovers and the Ridgway Elkers.
The Crusaders two losses among the common opponents came from the Coudersport Falcons in week one and the Johnsonburg Rams in week nine. Curwensville beat Coudersport, 28-21, in week three after Kalgren picked off a Falcons\’ pass with just under two minutes left in the game. The Tide also managed a 42-27 victory in week eight against the Rams in a game that was marred with penalties.
The Golden Tide\’s lone loss among common opponents was in week nine when the Kane Wolves held the Tide offense to 105 total yards in the 14-0 contest. The Crusaders beat the Wolves in week five, 13-12, in overtime.
Both teams have had stellar seasons running the ball, as the squads combined for nearly 3000 yards on the season. For Curwensville, leading rusher Jed Greslick looks to continue his great season as he has racked up 695 yards and eight touchdowns. Also look to have Ben McGary have some success out of the backfield as the second-leading rusher with 398 yards and four touchdowns in nine games. Elk County Catholic has four rushers that are providing a lot of power in the backfield. Expect Ricky Pearsall, Kyle Gerber, Josh Catalano and Tom Macaroni to see plenty of action during the game.
The passing game looks equal when comparing touchdowns and interceptions. Curwensville\’s Kalgren has 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while Elk County Catholic\’s Joe Jacob has 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The difference between the two teams is Kalgren has 1337 yards passing on the season, a school record, compared to 320 for Jacob. In the first meeting between the two teams, all three Curwensville touchdowns came on passes.
Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m. Saturday night at Riverside Stadium. Whoever wins will go on to face the winner of the Friday night game between Redbank Valley and Clarion. The semi-final game will be played either November 14 or 15 at a neutral site.