North Penn defeated Pennsbury 27-3 in an all-SOL district semifinal to earn a spot in next week’s district title game. For additional coverage of both of Friday night’s district semifinal games, click on the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/ To view game photos, please visit the Photo Gallery by clicking on the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
By Scott Huff
Towamencin - North Penn senior Dan Gevirtz was a potent WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) as he led his Knights to a 27-3 demolition of visiting Pennsbury in the PIAA District One Quad-A semi-final contest played at Crawford Stadium.
North Penn will continue its post-season journey with a trip to the district title game. The date will be Friday – the time will be 7 pm – and the opponent will be the Council Rock Golden Hawks, who whipped Garnet Valley in the other semi-final game – 38-24. The only missing piece to the title puzzle is the venue – Plymouth Whitemarsh was the rumored but unconfirmed site.
Gevirtz - the brilliant wide receiver/running back/kick return specialist/defensive back - was magnificent in all phases of the game. As a wide receiver, he scored on a nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Corey Ernst in the first period. As a running back, he scored on a nifty 23-yard dash in the second period. As a return specialist, he returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown in the third period, and as a defensive back, he intercepted a Pennsbury pass in the fourth period.
“Dan is really our Mr. Everything,” said North Penn head coach Dick Beck. “He does so much for us with the football that sometimes people don’t realize how great a safety he is on defense. He has been as good as any defensive back we have ever had.”
“We know that wearing the Blue on Blue (North Penn) uniforms that there is a lot of pressure to win,” said Gevirtz. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way. We expect to be playing in the district finals, and we know that teams are coming after us.”
Pennsbury was the next team in line to take its shot at the Knights. The Falcons had come off impressive district playoff wins over both Abington (35-24) and Coatesville (42-21) – and the Orange and Black were down by a competitive 7-3 score in the second period of the game.
“We lost our last (regular season) game of the year against Neshaminy (24-7), and that was about as low as a team could get,” said Pennsbury head coach Galen Snyder. “But I loved the way that the players responded in the playoffs, and it was a testament to them. But we knew that North Penn was going to be a challenge.”
The coin toss in the PIAA playoffs is completed prior to the game. And before the teams came out prior to the opening kickoff, each team knew that Pennsbury had won the toss and deferred to the second half. North Penn would get the ball first.
“Coach (Beck) told us in the locker room that they wanted us to have the ball first,” said North Penn senior center TJ Smink. “So he told us to drive the ball down the field and score right away.”
Mission accomplished.
The Knights took over on their own 31-yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, junior Kyle Mayfield – who rushed for a game-high 111 yards - burst through the Falcon defense for a 56-yard run to the 13-yard line. Two plays later, Ernst floated his touchdown pass to Gevirtz, and after a PAT by Brandon Mandas, the Knights led 7-0. Three plays – seven points – and only 70 seconds into the game.
Pennsbury would construct its only scoring drive that began in the first period and culminated in the second period with a 19-yard field goal by Mikail Kniaziewicz. The Falcons marched 88 yards on 17 plays – all rushing plays – and had the drive stall at the North Penn two-yard line.
“We needed to score some points on that drive,” said Snyder when questioned about his decision not to go for the touchdown on fourth-and-two. “If we don’t get anything there, it is very deflating. If the score had not been 7-0, or if it was later in the game, I might have gone for it. But not in that situation.”
Highlighted in that scoring drive for the Falcons were three impressive runs by Chuck Snorweah. Snorweah ripped off runs of 17, 18, and 17 in the drive, but Pennsbury could not score the touchdown from inside the red zone.
North Penn answered the Falcon field goal with a touchdown drive in the second period. The Knights moved 64 yards on eight plays with Gevirtz earning scoring honors on his 23-yard scamper on a double handoff. The score boosted the NP lead to 14-3.
“I think we put that play in about week six of the season,” smiled Gevirtz. “We practice it a lot, but we never used it – until tonight.”
North Penn got the ball back with 1:17 left in the first half and scored with 46 seconds left on a sweet seven-yard run by Ernst. The featured play in the drive, though, was a marvelous 42-yard pass connection from Ernst to (who else?) Gevirtz. The PAT was blocked, and the Knights settled for a 20-3 lead at the intermission.
The North Penn defense shut down the Pennsbury offense on the first series of the second half to force a punt. The punt was fielded by Gevirtz who weaved his way through Falcon defenders for a 63-yard touchdown return. A Mandas placement would make the score final at 27-3.
“I fielded over 100 punts this week in practice,” said Gevirtz. “I didn’t do a good job of returning punts last week (against Neshaminy), and I wanted a chance to help the team this week by making some good returns of kicks. I want to help wherever I can.”
Gevirtz just helped his team to the district finals – again.
“This makes four years in a row for me,” said North Penn senior Ralphie Reeves – who started as a freshman for the Knights. “It never gets old. I love every minute of it.
“Council Rock South runs a great option,” added Reeves – clutching a handful of Crawford Stadium mud in his hand. “But we play well against teams that run option.”
“It is great to back in the district final,” said the 6-foot, 275-pound Smink. “I just love to play football, and I don’t want this season to end.
“I try to get the fans up for the big plays when I’m on the sidelines,” added the affable Smink. “ And maybe someday they will actually listen to me.”
He – along with the other North Penn Knights – will have at least one more week to gain that attention.
Pennsbury Falcons 0 3 0 0 - 3
North Penn Knights 7 13 7 0 - 27
Scoring:
NP: Dan Gevirtz 9 pass from Corey Ernst (Brandon Mandes kick)
PB: Mikhail Kniaziewicz – 19 FG
NP: Gevirtz 23 run (Mandas kick)
NP: Ernst 7 run (kick blocked)
NP: Gevirtz 63 punt return (Mandas kick)
Pennsbury North Penn
12 First Downs 11
160 Rushing Yards 158
31 Passing Yards 103
191 Total Offense 261
2-33 Punts / Average 2-31
6-70 Penalties / Yards 6-60
Pennsbury:
Rushing: Chuck Snorweah 10-70; DeQuan Mack 16-46; Adam Lewis 10-22; Bruce Campbell 13-22. Totals 49-160.
Passing: Campbell 4-12-1; 31 yards
Receiving: Lee Hamacher 3-23; Lewis 1-8. Totals 4-3.
Interception: Tony Donovan
North Penn:
Rushing: Kyle Mayfield 14-111-TD; Dan Gevirtz 3-40; James Fielder 8-33; Matt Smith 2-4; Corey Ernst 4-0; Team 1 (minus 30). Totals 31-158 & 2 TD.
Passing: Ernst 6-9-1; 103 & TD.
Receiving: Gevirtz 4-86 & TD; Fielder 2-17. Totals 6-103 & TD.
Interception: Gevirtz
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