CLARION – Like any organization faced with a tough task ahead of them, the Curwensville Area High School football team will look to the coordination of its parts to make the whole squad stronger. The Golden Tide (11-1) will face a strong 12-1 Farrell team in a Pennsylvania State Class A Quarterfinal match-up at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium on Friday for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
“Farrell is a good running football team,” mentioned Curwensville head coach Andy Evanko. “They have two quality backs, and a couple of solid linemen, one who has committed to Syracuse already. We just have to all do our jobs and good things will happen.”
The Steeler running attack has posted 3289 yards on the season with the running duo of Brodie Kevin and Jason Pinkins collecting 111o and 692 yards respectively. Also gaining respectable yardage as well are rushers Malcolm Hailstock (550 yards) and Jamar Whitman (496 yards).
The Tide ground game boasts 3499 total yards on the strength of a District IX single season record setting performance by Alex Holland, who has tallied 2528 yards of his own. Senior fullback Zach Dimmick backs Holland’s effort with 500 yards on the season.
Also, in the head-to-head numbers on offense, Farrell has less yardage through the air than the Tide. Forest Wested has thrown the ball just 76 times on the season, connecting on 38 passes for 632 yards, 11 touchdowns and three picks. Most of those receptions have gone to the backs. Kevin has 14 catches for 276 yards and four TD’s while Pinkins has pulled in 104 yards on six catches with one score.
The Black and Gold quarterback duo of Hunter McCracken and Alex Starr have put the ball in the air 129 times to date. McCracken has hit on 38 of 81 passes for 622 yards, 12 scores and seven interceptions. Starr has four touchdowns on a 25 of 47 effort with 397 yards and four interceptions. Shane Hoover and Shae Best remain the Tide’s top receivers with 395 and 391 yards respectively. Hoover has 23 catches including seven touchdowns while Best’s 18 grabs include six scores. Also stepping up in recent games has been Kyle Barrett – with a 55-yard TD catch and run in last week’s D-IX Championship game – and Jesse Zorger who now has 86-yards on eight receptions and a TD.
“We intend to blend our offense to keep them off balance so they’re not sure what’s coming up next,” said Evanko. “Their defense allows an average of only seven points a game and we can’t let them get too comfortable.”
The Steeler defense has given up 88 points on the season and have recorded seven shutouts while being shutout 20-0 in their lone loss to Lakeview. The Golden Tide have just one shutout on the season, but have never failed to score against an opponent this season. Opponents have scored 205 points to date against the Tide.
“Defensively, we just have to contain them, said Evanko. “We need to bottle them up at the line – slow them down before they get outside. They are just very talented with a lot of speed.”
Curwensville’s defense has been able to get the job done in the payoffs – recovering seven fumbles and stepping in front of six passes in the last three games.
One problem that may affect both squads is the onset of winter. Playing on the turf at Clarion will help to a point, but even getting prepared to play in the cold and possible snow can cause problems.
“This week has been crazy with the days off for hunting season, the rain and now snow,” said Evanko. “Our practice field is a swamp; weather is a factor that causes a whole different aspect to the game. Sometimes you just have to settle for what you can do in these kinds of elements.
“But we’re happy to be where we are, and this is just football in December. It’s great to be out there and playing.”
To get by Farrell, Curwensville will have to rewrite playoff history as the Steelers have never lost to a District IX team in the PIAA playoffs. The winner of this week’s game will take on the winner of the Clairton-North Star game. Clairton is the defending Class A State Champion and has defeated Farrell in the state semifinals the past two years.