North Penn advanced to the District One Quad-A title game with a 28-7 win over Neshaminy on Friday. Photos are provided courtesy of Jesse Garber. To view Garber’s game photos, please click on the following link: http://jsgarber.zenfolio.com/p987829226
Stats used in the wraps are provided courtesy of Calkins Media. For complete high school football coverage, visit the web sites: http://www.theintell.com/sports/high-school/and http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/sports/high-school/.
TOWAMENCIN - Keith Earle, Dan Liberio, Tobias McCullough and Korey Thompson.
Their names might not find their way into the headlines, but North Penn’s four down linemen were the catalysts in a defensive stand that set the tone early in Friday night’s 28-7 win over Neshaminy in a District One Quad-A semifinal contest.
The pivotal sequence came after the Knights – who forced the Redskins to punt on their first possession – fumbled the ball on their first play from scrimmage, handing the ball back to Neshaminy with just five yards separating the ‘Skins from an early lead and, more importantly, momentum. Will Dogba took it to the two-yard line on first down, but that’s where the drive stalled. By the time fourth down rolled around, the ball was just
inches from the goal line, but the Knights’ defense quite literally refused to give an inch, keeping the ‘Skins out of the end zone and taking over on downs.
“We have a lot of big guys on the offensive line that can play defensive line as well like Tobias McCullough and Danny Liberio, so they stuff the middle for us,” Earle said. “We know as D linemen we had to get low to stop their offensive line from driving.”
“That was a game changer,” coach Dick Beck said of the Knights’ goal line stand. “After we stopped them the second time and it became third down, we started to get more fired up and more fired up. I kept thinking - they’re going to bounce it, or they’re going to toss it or do something outside. Let’s give the kids credit – they got low, and that’s a huge goal line stand. For us, that was like a shot of energy.”
Although the Knights were forced to punt after collecting a pair of first downs, the complexion of the game changed dramatically on that defensive stand.
“That was huge,” junior linebacker Dan Drop said. “We got the adrenaline going. Our fans did an amazing job, and that carried us through the game.
“They were on the inch-yard line, and they couldn’t get it by us. They couldn’t get the ball across.”
Early in the second quarter, the Knights saw a drive stall in the red zone after another fumble, but the Redskins couldn’t capitalize. On the punt after a three-and-out, Justin Henley’s return to the Redskins’ 20 set the stage for a short drive that culminated with one-yard touchdown by Nyfease West.
After another three-and-out for the ‘Skins, the Knights marched 84 yards for the score with Justin Ostopowicz taking it in from 17 yards out for a 14-0 lead with 29 seconds remaining in the half. Highlights of the drive included a pair of big pass completions from Reece Udinski to Henley and Jake Hubler as well as an 18-yard run by Ostopowicz.
“When the line is playing as well as they are, it makes play calling a little bit easier,” said Beck, who was without Nick Isabella (injury). “Maybe we didn’t get Ricky (Johns) involved as much tonight. They were really tilting the covers and playing man over him. The key is we have other guys we can throw the ball to. We’re not just a one-man team. We’re not Nyfease (West), we’re not Reece (Udinski) and we’re not Ricky (Johns). We’re a total team, and this team is really starting to realize that.
“We always try to preach balance. People always say, ‘You’re a running team,’ but we try to adjust to the talent we have. We’re going to try to do what is successful. We want to make teams stay off balance. We don’t want them to tee off on us.”
The Redskins missed on a 38-yard field goal attempt as time expired, and the Knights took a 14-0 lead into halftime. On its opening possession of the second half, Neshminy took it 65 yards, capitalizing on a pair of long Jones to Zach Tredway connections. Jones capped the drive by finding Denzel Hughes with an eight-yard touchdown pass to make it a 14-7 game with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter. It took the Knights just 44 seconds to get those points back when West – who had 226 yards on 26 carries in another stellar postseason outing – raced in from 45 yards out to put North Penn on top 21-7.
On their ensuing possession, the Redskins turned it over on downs with Earle delivering a sack on fourth down.
“After we scored a couple of touchdowns, we knew they’d have to throw the ball, and we have great pass rushers on the ‘D’ line to get the quarterback,” Earle said.
The Knights sealed the Redskins’ fate when – early in the fourth quarter - Dontae Stewart took it in from 12 yards out. That 28-7 score held until the final horn.
While the Knights accumulated 446 yards of offense, the Redskins managed just 194.
“The key was just to focus on the passing game because they have a good passing game with number 16 (Denzel Hughes) and number one (Zach Tredway) – we keyed on them, and our D line did an amazing job,” Drop said. “We only rushed four, and we were able to get pressure.
“We dropped seven in coverage, and they couldn’t pass the ball or run the ball.”
The win was the 10th in a row for the Knights after a 1-2 start.
“We gain chemistry every week, every day,” Earle said. “It shows on game days.
“We knew we lost a lot of key players from last season, but we knew as a team we’d bond close relationships as the season went on. It’s fortunate we’re playing another week. It feels great.”
In the Knights’ postgame meeting, Beck called his team’s performance ‘North Penn football.’ Earle didn’t need a lot of words to explain what that phrase meant to him.
“One word – tradition, and another word - grind,” the Knights’ standout lineman said. “We knew it would take blood, sweat and tears to win this game, and that’s what happened.”
This year’s squad will add to its legacy when the Knights play for the program’s 10th district title in next Saturday’s District One Quad-A title game against third-seeded Upper Dublin at Souderton Area High School. Upper Dublin defeated Pennsbury 24-14 on Friday night.
“I haven’t even seen them on film once,” Beck said when asked about the Flying Cardinals. “I know Bret’s done a great job, and his kid (quarterback Ryan Stover) is a (heck) of a player. We’re just excited to be in the game.
“We’ll treat it just like another game with an extra day of practice. Upper Dublin – it’s their first district final ever. It should be a great atmosphere, and I think our kids are excited about it. I feel like they’re fresh. Sometimes this late in the year the kids seem to get burned out, but I feel like our guys really feel fresh and energized by it.”
Neshaminy closed out a successful season with a 9-4 mark (5-2 SOL). The Redskins return a strong nucleus from a squad that won seven of its last eight games after a 2-3 start.
Neshaminy 0-0-7-0 7
North Penn 0-14-7-7 28
NP - Nyfease West 1 run (Brett Bealer kick)
NP – Justin Ostopowicz 18 run (Brett Bealer kick)
N – Billy Ritchey 8 pass from Mason Jones (Dylan McDonald kick)
NP – Nyfease West 45 run (Brett Bealer kick)
NP – Dontae Stewart 12 run (Brett Bealer kick)
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