HYDE — Despite the threat of a winter storm hitting the area on Saturday, the Arthur J. Weiss and Bison Gymnasiums are scheduled to host 12 teams in the 12th Annual Clearfield Bison Duals.
Action is slated to begin with pool matches in both gyms at 8:15 am. The championship finals are tentatively scheduled for 5:00 pm.
The defending champion, and host, Clearfield Bison will be hard pressed to repeat 2019’s 5-0 title run which culminated with a 37-33 win over Port Allegheny. Sixth seeded this year, the Bison (5-2) will face off with last year’s top seed, the Forest Hills Rangers (7-1), in their first pool match at 9:30 am in Weiss Gym. Their second dual will be against Union City at 10:45, also in the Weiss Gym.
Clearfield’s title last year was their first since 2010, after they had won the inaugural (2009) and second annual events. The Bison’s three titles are the most of any team, with General McLane (2013, 2015) the only other team to win more than one Bison Dual title.
Other former titlists in this year’s field are West Branch (2014), Montoursville (2016), and DuBois (2018). The undefeated (11-0) Warriors out of Montoursville are this year’s overall top seed.
There are four pools of three teams a piece. After the three rounds of pool matches are completed, the top two teams from each pool will enter the championship bracket, which will determine team placings first through eighth. The bottom teams from the four pools will enter a round-robin bracket to determine team placings nine through 12.
Pool A — Montoursville, Saegertown, Altoona
Pool B — General McLane, Benton, West Branch
Pool C — Forest Hills, Clearfield, Union City
Pool D — DuBois, Port Allegheny, Wilkes-Barre Area