Curwensville’s Stewart D9sports.com Rookie of the Year; Clearfield’s Sellers Runner-up for Jim Kelly Award

Press release by www.d9sports.com

CLARION’S CORBETT NAMED JIM KELLY AWARD WINNER AS DISTRICT 9 FOOTBALL MVP; REHAB CENTRE/D9SPORTS.COM POSTSEASON FOOTBALL AWARDS ANNOUNCED

CLARION, Pa. – After a season that saw him rush for 2,000 yards, lead District 9 in touchdown scored and play a pivotal role on the No. 1 scoring defense in District 9, Clarion’s Ian Corbett is the inaugural winner of the Jim Kelly Award as the District 9 Football MVP presented by the Rehab Centre and D9Sports.com.

Corbett, a senior running back/linebacker, had a fantastic season in leading the Bobcats to a fifth straight KSAC Small School Division title and to the District 9 Class A semifinals for the fourth consecutive season. He ran for a District 9-leading 2,000 yards on 171 carries (11.7 yards per carry) while scoring a D9 leading 32 rushing touchdowns. Overall, he reached the end zone 39 times adding five receiving touchdowns, a defensive touchdown and a kickoff return for a score. He caught 14 passes for 298 yards, averaged 4.8 tackles per game on defense while recording 5 ½ sacks, intercepting three balls and recovering a fumble.

Joining Corbett in being honored on the 2014 Rehab Centre District 9 Postseason Football Awards presented by D9Sports.com are DuBois’ Gabe French as the Offensive Player of the Year, Kane’s James Lingenfelter as the Defensive Player of the Year, Curwensville’s Nick Stewart as the Rookie of the Year, Karns City’s Dalton Callihan as the Offensive Lineman of the Year, Brockwat’s Jarrett Esposito as the Special Teams Player of the Year and Karns City’s Ed Conto as the Coach of the Year. In addition, Redbank Valley’s Jake Dougherty won the Performance of the Year, the Clarion-Redbank Valley game is the Game of the Year and Dave McClain and Barry Morgan are the co-Special Contributors of the Year.

Kelly is a 1978 graduate of East Brady High School (now part of the Karns City School District) where he threw for 3,915 career yards and 44 touchdowns and also scored over 1,000 career points in basketball while averaging 23 points and 20 rebounds as a senior. He went to college at Miami (Fla.) and then played in both the USFL for the Houston Gamblers and in the NFL for the Buffalo Bill. He led the Bills to four straight AFC Championships and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

The Rehab Centre offers four state-of-the-art rehabilitation centers (Clarion, Kittanning, Apollo, Lower Burrell) that offer chiropractic, massage therapy, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. One of the four doctors at the Rehab Centre is former District 9 football and wrestling star Isaac Greeley (Port Allegany). The Clarion office is located just off South Fifth Avenue before the Clarion Mall on Dolby Street across from Aldi Foods and next to the Comfort Inn. The Kittanning office is located on Arthur Street in Kittanning. Information on The Rehab Centre can be found at their web site www.therehabcentres.com or by calling the Clarion office at 814-226-8002 or the Kittanning office at 724-545-3215.

Located at www.d9sports.com, D9Sports.com is in its 14th year of covering athletics within the PIAA’s District 9. The site, which is not affiliated with the PIAA in any way, covers all 25 football playing teams playing in District 9. For more information on the site, please visit it or e-mail the staff at sports@d9sports.com. The site can also be followed on Twitter @D9Sports.

All award winners will receive a plaque/trophy from All American Awards & Engraving in Shippenville.

NOTES – This is the first year the D9Sports.com MVP Award has been named for Jim Kelly. D9Sports.com would like to thank Kelly and his family for their support of the award.

THE AWARDS BY THE NUMBERS

Jim Kelly Award (District 9 MVP)

Ian Corbett – Sr., RB/LB – Clarion

Offensive: 171 carries, 2,000 yards, 32 touchdowns; 14 catches, 298 yards, 5 touchdowns

Defense: 57 tackles (4.8 per game), 5.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 1 defensive touchdown

Special Teams: 5 kickoff returns for an average of 35.6 yards per return, 1 for a touchdown return

Miscellaneous: 39 total touchdowns led District 9.

The Voting

1. Ian Corbett – 20 voting points

2. Erik Sellers & Jake Dougherty – 16 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Offensive Player of the Year

Gabe French – Sr., QB – DuBois
205 of 294 passing, 3,571 yards (1st in D9), 41 touchdowns (1st in D9), 11 interceptions

118 carries, 643 yards, 8 touchdowns

The Voting

1. Gabe French – 28 voting points

2. Ian Corbett – 25 voting points

3. Jake Dougherty – 17 votiing points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Defensive Player of the Year

James Lingenfelter – Sr., LB – Kane

177 tackles (14.8 per game) – Led District 9

2 sacks; 2 interceptions; 4 fumbles recovered

Kane’s defense allowed 12.0 ppg – 2nd in District 9

The Voting

1. James Lingenfelter – 27 voting points

2. Ben MacDonald – 22 voting points

3. Brylee Shumaker – 11 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Rookie of the Year

Nick Stewart – Fr., RB – Curwensville

227 carries, 1,632 yards (2nd in D9), 18 touchdowns

6 catches, 96 yards, 2 touchdowns

Most rushing yards by a freshman in Pennsylvania this season

The Voting

1. Nick Stewart – 27 voting points

2. Colton Rapp – 25 voting points

3. Dylan Fenton – 17 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Offensive Lineman of the Year

Dalton Callihan – Sr. G – Karns City

6-foot-2, 215 pounds

Helped Gremlins rush for 285.9 yards per game and average 387.3 yards per game on offense.

Helped pave the way for two 700-yard rushers

Gremlins averaged 40.2 points per game

The Voting

1. Dalton Callihan – 25 voting points

2. Chris Burkhart – 21 voting points

3. Nate Lash – 19 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Special Teams Player of the Year

Jarrett Esposito – So., K – Brockway

5 of 5 on field goals with a long of 48 yards; Also kicked a 37-yard field goal

42 of 42 on PATs

57 total kicking points

The Voting

1. Jarrett Esposito – 30 voting points (Every first place vote)

2. Spencer Herrington – 19 voting points

3. Tyler Rolick – 12 votiing points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Coach of the Year

Ed Conto – Karns City

Led Gremlins to third consecutive District 9 Class AA titles and PIAA Quarterfinals despite having to replace his starting quarterback from a year ago and overcoming numerous injuries this season including to quarterback Cody Deal and running back Tristan Rhoades. Gremlins finished 11-1. Second time he has won the award. Also won the award in 2006.

The Voting

1. Ed Conto – 26 voting points

2. Tony Gerg – 24 voting points

3. Todd Silfies – 21 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Individual Performance of the Year

Jake Dougherty, Sr., QB – Redbank Valley

Oct. 24, 2014 in a 58-46 loss to Clarion

40 of 69 passing for a Pennsylvania state-record 614 yards (State record) and seven touchdowns, which tied for the second most in a game in District 9 history. Added seven tackles on defense.

The Voting

1. Jake Dougherty – Oct. 24 – 23 voting points

2. Ian Corbett – Oct. 24 – 16 voting points

3. Gabe French – Oct. 31 – 14 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Game of the Year

Clarion 58, Redbank Valley 46 – Oct. 24, 2014

Played on Redbank Valley’s home field in New Bethlehem, Clarion rallied from a 25-14 second-quarter deficit and withstood record-setting games from Redbank Valley’s Jake Dougherty (state record 614 yards passing, 7 touchdowns) and Wyatt Hetrick (District 9-record tying 18 catches for 242 yards – second most in D9 history). Ian Corbett was a big reason why the Bobcats, who trailed 39-36 at halftime, won the game. He ran for 397 yards, the second most in a game in District 9 history, while scoring six touchdowns, five rushing and one on a kickoff return. After trailing at the break, Corbett gave Clarion the lead, 42-39, with the only touchdown of the third quarter, but Dougherty hit Hetrick with a scoring pass two minutes into the fourth quarter to give the lead back to Redbank Valley, 46-42. But Corbett scored twice in the final 10 minutes including a back-breaking 94-yard run that put the Bobcats up two scores late in the game. The game featured 1,237 yards of offense including 626 by Redbank Valley and 611 by Clarion.

The Voting

1. Clarion 58, Redbank Valley 46 – 27 voting points

2. DuBois 35, Karns City 31 – 20 voting points

3. Union 18, Ridgway 14 – 14 voting points

Rehab Centre/D9Sports.com Special Contributor Award

Given to an individual or individuals who are deemed to go above and beyond in their support of District 9 football or a District 9 football team.

Barry Morgan – Radio Announcer

Barry has been a long-time voice of high school football (and other sports) in District 9 and most recently has been the voice on The Hound, 97.5 FM in Ridgway and on B-94, 93.9 FM in St. Marys. Barry has been instrumental in The Hound covering numerous teams throughout the regular-season on both Friday nights and Saturday afternoons as well coverage of teams deep into the postseason. Prior to joining 97.5 FM, he was radio voice of WLMI in Kane from 1988-2007 covering every sport “known to man” including the 2006 Elk County Catholic state basketball title run, baseball, softball, wrestling, boys and girls’ soccer and football, including Smethport’s run to the 1992 state title game. He also covered American Legion baseball, Alle Catt baseball and volleyball. In between working for The Hound and WLMI, he worked at WESB-WBBR in Bradford working Pitt-Bradford boys’ and girls’ hoops, Panther baseball and softball, Bradford High boys’ and girls basketball and football. Recently, he covered Johsonburg’s runs to state title games in basketball and baseball in 2013 and ECC’s run to the state baseball title game last year. Barry was also the head boys’ basketball coach at Kane from 1988-91 and was the JV coach from 1995-2001 helping team to D9 titles in 98, 99, 2000 and second place finish in 2001 when the team beat Farrell in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. In addition to his media work, Barry is a certified lay speaker and enjoys doing church services in Kane, Wilcox and Mount Jewet areas when needed .

Dave McClaine – Clarionsportszone.com

Dave has become the unofficial historian of the KSAC/Little 12 Conference as well as Clarion High School football. He has been producing record books for Clarion football for the past several years and has compiled KSAC/Little 12 history over the last few seasons putting together a record-book for the conference. He also runs the web site clarionsportszone.com, which covers Clarion High School athletics of all sports including junior high sports. In addition, Dave has served as the videographer of Clarion football for many years.

The Voting

1. Barry Morgan and Dave McLaine 20.5 voting points

2. Bonnie Spehalski – 14 voting points