Impressive debut for fiery Falcons
Coudersport whips Curwensville 48-0

Kyle Gee breaks a tackle and heads toward the endzone, scoring one of his three touchdowns in Coudersport's 48-0 shellacking of Curwensville in the season opener last week. Gee and Tim Thomas are platooning at tailback as part of a versatile Falcon offense. Paul Burdick photo

Coudersport came out of the starting gate with a versatile offense and a stingy defense, trouncing Curwensville 48-0 in the high school football opener at CARP Field.

"I didn't expect the game to end up like this," said Falcon coach Paul Simcoe, in reference to a young Curwensville team's feckless performance.

Simcoe scrapped his quarterback platoon from last season, but he replaced it with a platoon at tailback, fullback, wingback, tight end and split end. Curwensville had enough trouble stopping the starting 11, let alone five replacements trotting onto the field after almost every Falcon offensive play.

The tailback duo of Kyle Gee and Tim Thomas combined for 145 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Brian Wetzel completed six passes for 131 yards and a pair of TDs.

Despite playing much of the second half with back-ups on the field, Coudersport amassed a 22-5 edge in first downs and a 465-95 advantage in total yards.

Defensively, Adam Foust, Rich Keagle and Dirk Cowburn each had seven tackles, while Brian Smith had six tackles and rattled Golden Tide quarterback David Kalgren with relentless pressure.

"Defensively, we pretty much controlled the game," Simcoe said. "They had a couple of plays, but nothing consistent." The coach did acknowledge that the Falcons' eight penalties were something to work on.

Coudersport scored seven of the 10 times it had the football and had a punt return for a touchdown called back by a penalty.

A 47-yard pass from split end Justen Kinder to Brett Whitman set up Gee's threeyard touchdown run on the Falcons' first possession. Freshman Cooper Bonczar, recruited from the soccer team, booted the extra point.

Early in the second quarter, Wetzel delivered a 12-yard TD strike to tight end Colton Corey.

Whitman's interception and runback set up Coudersport's next touchdown, a one-yard dash by Thomas. Cowburn scored the conversion for a 21- 0 lead.

Late in the first half, Curwensville foolishly tried to convert a fouth-and-five play near midfield. The Falcons made the visitors pay. Wetzel connected with Whitman on a 26-yard pass, then hit Whitman again on a nine-yard touchdown toss with 0:09 left on the clock. Bonczar tacked on the PAT.

Thomas's 29-yard gallop set up Gee's three-yard TD scamper on the Falcons' second possession of the third quarter.

Moments later, Cowburn intercepted a pass and returned it to the Tide 15. Gee ended up scoring from one yard out.

By the time the fourth period started, Coudersport had subbed down to its second and third string. Nick Reddick closed out the scoring with a 12-yard TD run.