Mission adjusted: Falcons roll, 33-7

Brett Whitman gets a little help from his friend, lineman Evan Abplanalp, during Saturday's game at Elk County Catholic. Below, Zach Buckler forces a fumble by ECC's Eric Mastrogiacomo. Paul Burdick photos

After a "mission adjustment" the previous week, Coudersport's football team went back to work Saturday night, rolling over Elk County Catholic, 33-7.

With the loss to Cameron County effectively eliminating a third straight Allegheny Mountain League, the Falcons now focus on another PIAA District 9 crown and a return trip to the state playoffs.

The man behind the football program's success over the past quarter-century, Paul Simcoe, is on the brink of a personal milestone: 200 career victories as a head coach. He could get there Saturday afternoon (1:30), when Coudersport travels to Port Allegany for a meeting of 3-1 teams.

Simcoe was absent Saturday night in St. Marys as his Falcons dismantled ECC. His son, Ross, is a standout linebacker for Allegheny College and his assistants were willing to call the shots Saturday so Simcoe could see Allegheny play at Carnegie Mellon.

Coudersport shot out to a 20- 0 lead midway through the second quarter and coasted.

Quarterback Brian Wetzel first hit Kyle Gee and Justen Kinder on back-to-back 15- yard pass plays, then tossed a three-yard scoring strike to Ty Carts.

Dirk Cowburn's 36-yard punt return and a 15-yard pass from Wetzel to Brett Whitman set up Gee's one-yard touchdown run.

Whitman was on the other end of a long touchdown pass from Wetzel, covering 36 yards, to give Coudersport some breathing room. Gee ran for the conversion and a 20-0 advantage.

Zach Buckler recovered a fumble just after halftime. Then Wetzel threaded the needle on a pass to the streaking Kinder for 31 yards and six more points.

ECC finally found some traction on its next possession, entering Coudersport territory for the first time before Adam Foust picked off a pass.

Teammate Derek Burdick intercepted another Crusader aerial early in the fourth quarter and weaved his way through traffic for 45 yards down to the hosts' 15. Two runs by Gee produced another touchdown. Carts, filling in for the absent Cooper Bonczar, drilled the extra point, making it 33-0.

Elk County scored against Coudersport's reserves late in the game when Kyle Garner hit

Nick Brennan on a 36-yard pass play.

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