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By Scott Huff
Suburban One Sports.com Senior Writer
Doylestown – Central Bucks West wanted to prove to the grizzled Buck faithful that it could compete with the very best in the area when it hosted dominant North Penn at legendary War Memorial Field.
And for the first eight minutes-plus of the first period and for the final 11 minutes-plus of the final period, the Bucks did just that. West outscored the Knights 21-0 over that span of time.
But for the other 28-plus minutes of the game, North Penn (5-1, 3-0) punished the Bucks (4-2, 1-2) and registered a not-as-close-as-it-looked 38-21 Suburban One Continental Conference victory.The Knights received a superlative outing from Dominic Taggart who excelled on both sides of the football. Taggart is listed as a fullback/linebacker on the program, but the powerfully built 6-foot, 1-inch 210-pound senior is explosive almost anywhere on the field.
“We are going to continue to find ways to get him the ball more often,” said North Penn head coach Dick Beck. “He is a great downhill runner with great vision. And he is strong – very strong.”
Taggart rushed for a game-high 140 yards on just 13 carries and scored on a three-yard touchdown run. He also caught a pass for 12 yards.
Last season Taggart was used mostly outside the numbers in the North Penn passing game. And he can still be found there – but not very often.
“I really enjoy playing in the backfield this year,” said Taggart. “Ever since I have been playing football, I had been a running back. It’s great to be back in the middle of the field again.”
Taggart also excelled as the ‘Knight’ linebacker on the defensive side of the football.
“West outhit us early in the game, but I think we proved in the second half that we were the better football team,” said Taggart. “We worked hard all week to get ready for this game, and we saw on film that (Rashaad) Williams is a fast/cut back runner. We wanted to force him back to the middle of the field and not let him get outside.”Williams showed flashes of his talent and finished with 133 yards on 18 carries that included a terrific 39-yard touchdown dash. But most of his yardage came after North Penn had a commanding 38-7 lead.
“North Penn did a great job of taking away the edge from us,” said Central Bucks head coach Brian Hensel. “We played with confidence and desire. Hey, we didn’t lose to a shabby team.”
CB West scored on its second possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead.
Buck sophomore cornerback Cody Reimenschneider intercepted a North Penn pass at the Knight 27-yard line. One play later, West quarterback Ward Udinski floated a 27-yard scoring pass to Bill Bell.
“I told the players that they had to pick me up after that call,” said Beck. “I called the bubble screen and it was intercepted, and that was my fault.”
Moments later, North Penn appeared to score a game-tying touchdown as Brandon Mercer jetted 80-yards on a kick-off return.
Some yellow laundry on the return, though, nullified the score.North Penn did, though, tie the score later in the period when Mercer sprinted 30 yards into the end zone for the touchdown. The scoring drive was set up by a 47-yard ramble by Taggart.
The Knights would stretch the lead to 17-7 by the close of the half with two scores in the final minute of the half.
Taggart capped five-play, 48-yard drive with his three-yard run at the one-minute mark of the second period.
North Penn would get its hands of the ball again, and a 21-yard pass completion from Corey Ernst to Mercer set up a booming 43-yard field goal by Brandon Mandes on the last play of the half.
The Knights took the second half kickoff and marched 65-yards on just five plays for the score. Senior tailback Craig Needhammer – who joined the Taggart Century Club with 124 yards on 19 carries – scored on an electrifying 55-yard scamper.
North Penn recovered an onsides kick, and the Knights struck again as Mercer latched onto a 20-yard scoring strike from Ernst.
The lead would swell to 38-7 on the first play of the fourth period. Gerard Wendowski – who caught four passes for 51 yards – took a short punt in full stride and raced 43-yards with the return for the score.
West would culminate the scoring with two late touchdowns. Williams scored on his 39-yard run, and Udinski threw his second touchdown pass of the game to Bell – this one for 21 yards.“The kids walked off the field tonight disappointed,” said Hensel. “We have worked hard to get to the point where we want to compete with teams like North Penn, but we still have some things to learn.”
Beck – a Central Bucks West alum – sees a bright future for the Bucks.
“CB West will win out the rest of the season, and they will make the (district) playoffs,” said Beck. “They have a balanced and smart team, and I would hate to have to play them in the districts. They are going to be a tough out.”
But not as tough as those North Penn Knights.
North Penn 7 10 14 7 - 38
CB West 7 0 0 14 - 21
CBW: Bill Bell 27 pass from Ward Udinski (Conor Edwards kick)
NP: Brandon Mercer 30 run (Brandon Mandes kick)
NP: Dominic Taggart 3 run (Mandes kick)
NP: Mandes 43 FG
NP: Craig Needhammer 55 run (Mandes kick)
NP: Mercer 20 pass from Corey Ernst (Mandes kick)
NP: Gerard Wendowski 43 punt return (Mandes kick)
CBW: Rashaad Williams 39 run (Edwards kick)
CBW: Bell 21 pass from Udinski (Edwards kick)
North Penn CB West
16 First Downs 11
319 Yards Rushing 161
112 Yards Passing 115
431 Total Offense 267
3-25 Punts/Avg 5-25
6-45 Pen/Yards 5-35
North Penn
Rushing: Dominic Taggart 13-140-TD; Craig Needhammer 19-124-TD; Brandon Mercer 3-38-TD; Corey Ernst 2-7; Ryan Hessenius 2-6; James Fielder 1-5; Taylor Everett 1-(minus 1). Totals 40-312- 3 TD.
Passing: Ernst 8-18-1; 112 yards -TD; Needhammer 0-1-0, 0 yards. Totals 8-19-1; 112 yards – TD.
Receiving: Gerard Wendowski 4-51; Mercer 3-59 – TD; Taggart 1-12. Totals 8-112- TD.
Interceptions: None
Central Bucks West
Rushing: Rashaad Williams 18-133-TD; Jake Poeske 4-17; Ward Udinski 6-11. Totals 28-161-TD.
Passing: Udinski 5-21-0; 115 yards & 2 TD.
Receiving: Bill Bell 3-59 & 2 TD; Williams 1-52; Poeske 1-4. Totals 5-115 & 2 TD.
Interceptions: Cody Reimenschneider.
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