BY MATT JORDAN
For one of the few times this season, the North Star offense has been slowed. But instead of another strong football team, it was Mother Nature on Friday.
The Cougars, just a few hours from making a lengthy trip to Clarion University, had their PIAA Class AA first-round playoff game postponed as a result of poor weather.
The Cougars battle with District 9 champion Karns City is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
North Star has rolled through the past few weeks, including a 62-14 victory against District 8 champion Langley a week ago. The Cougars also knocked off Chestnut Ridge to win the District 5 title on Nov. 8.
Cougars coach Stacy Schmitt noted that the North Star contest wasn't the only game suspended Friday night.
“The main concern was the snow continuing up there,” Schmitt said. “The PIAA canceled all the games in the Northern tier. They were primarily concerned with fan safety driving up in there (Friday afternoon and Friday night), as well as getting the field and facilities cleaned off and ready.”
In addition to the Cougars traveling north, Schmitt estimated that at least three fan buses were planned for Friday's games, in addition to anyone driving on their own.
For North Star, it's certainly an adjustment to the weekly routine, which is a fairly ritualized process from week to week.
“It throws a little wrench in things because you are preparing to depart and now we have to get them ready to go for another practice,” said Schmitt, who planned to put his team through a standard pregame workout, in addition to other preparation inside.
The North Star School District held its regular school hours on Friday, as did the Karns City School District.
Other games suspended until 1 p.m. Saturday included Class A contests Clarion vs. Cameron County (at Brockway) and Farrell vs. Linesville (at Slippery Rock); and a Class AAA game between Strong Vincent and Clearfield (at DuBois). The Class AAA game will be played Saturday at 6 p.m.
“Obviously, nobody likes Saturday games, but it's something you have to deal with,” Schmitt said.
