Port Allegany defeated Smethport 63-13 in the first-ever playoff meeting between the two teams. Despite having played 122 times in their storied rivalry this was only the second time the teams have face each other twice in the same season, the first was back in 1947.
The Gators have dominated the rivalry of late, having won the last six games by a combined 343-32.
Friday’s contest followed a similar script as the Gators jumped out to an early lead and added to their lead en route to a 63-13 demolition of the Hubbers.
Isaac Postlewait led the Gators offense with 202 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries. Postlewait averaged an absurd 25.3 yards per carry in the Gators’ victory. Kellen Veilleux led the Gators with 17 carries and finished with 122 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Brennan Fillhart was six-for-10 for 89 yards and a touchdown through the air. Fillhart also contributed 53 yards on nine carries and one touchdown.
The Gators tallied 539 total yards of offense and racked up 400 more yards than Smethport in the lopsided victory.
On defense, Postlewait led the Gators with nine total tackles. Landon Carlson, Ayden Bachman and Gavin Moses all finished the day with seven total tackles.
Port Allegany opened the game with rushing touchdowns from Veilleux on their first two drives to take a 14-0 lead with 5:40 left to play in the quarter.
Maddox Dickerson provided a spark for Smethport with an 85-yard touchdown on the ensuing Gators kickoff. After Smethport failed to score on a two-point conversion, the Gators held a 14-6 lead.
But just two minutes later, Veilleux put the Gators back up by two scores with his third rushing touchdown of the quarter.
In the second quarter, it was Postlewait’s turn. The Gators’ senior torched Smethport with a 74-yard touchdown run to kick off the score quarter. Postlewait scored again on an 18-yard touchdown run with just under three minutes left to play in the half.
Fillhart closed out the first half with an 11-yard touchdown run that put the Gators up 43-6.
With a running clock in the second half, the Gators added three more touchdowns. The first came on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Fillhart to Chase Boyd. Then, Postlewait scored his third touchdown of the night on a 50-yard run.
Carlson closed out the Gators scoring with a five-yard touchdown run four minutes into the fourth quarter.
Smethport put one more touchdown on the board with a Trent Tanner run of five yards late in the game.
Following the win, Port Allegany now prepares to face Brockway in the District IX semifinals.
When the two team met earlier this season, Brockway walked away with a 27-12 victory.
The Gators will look to avenge that loss Friday night in Brockway.