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By Scott Huff
North Penn appeared to have a victory against La Salle in its hip pocket at halftime as the Knights led the defending Quad-A PIAA Eastern Champion 21-10.
However, the Explorers not only snatched the season-opening win back, but also bludgeoned the Knights in the second half by a 34-6 margin to overwhelm North Penn 44-27.
It was the third time in the last two seasons that La Salle had beaten the Knights. The Explorers advanced to the Quad-A state final with a thrilling 38-35 win, and La Salle had opened the 2010 season with a 27-14 win over North Penn.
“I am not frustrated with the losses last year, but I am frustrated with the way that we lost the game tonight,” said North Penn head coach Dick Beck. “I wish I had answers with the way that we played in the second half. We just stopped playing – we ran out of gas.
“Give La Salle credit – they played hard the entire game,” added Beck. “We played hard for a half – and then we just couldn’t get players back on the field. We had too many things (cramps, etc) that kept the players from playing the game. We have to be able to get players back on the field.”
There were two North Penn players that played awesome games despite the loss – one on each side of the football.
Knight running back Kyle Mayfield ran to daylight for 204 yards on 20 carries. The flashy junior scored on a 71-yard touchdown burst in the first half and set up the lone score for North Penn in the second half with a 75-yard romp.
“Mayfield is a tough kid – I would go into a dark corner anywhere with him,” said Beck. “There wasn’t a play that he took off. He played hard the entire game.”
Knight linebacker Ralph Reeves was a force in the middle with punishing tackles that jammed up the La Salle running game. Reeves also stepped back into the passing lane at the goal line and intercepted a pass to short circuit an Explorer drive.
“Ralph was a real monster tonight,” said Beck. “But he always plays that way.”
North Penn played its best football in the first half with a three-touchdown outburst in the second period.
The Knights scored on a short 35-yard drive that was set up by a brilliant one-handed interception by senior Dan Wynne. Reeves capped the initial scoring drive of the game with a two-yard TD bolt – and with a Brandon Mandas placement – North Penn led 7-0.
La Salle knotted the score moments later when Tim Wade dashed through the Knight defense for an 18-yard scoring run. Ryan Winslow booted the extra point to create a 7-7 deadlock with 10:16 left in the half.
North Penn regained the lead on Mayfield’s spectacular 71-yard scoring scamper. Mayfield showed tremendous speed going down the North Penn sideline for the score.
La Salle countered with a scoring drive that culminated with a 20-yard field goal by Winslow. The Explorers had a first-and-goal at the one-yard line, but Reeves made two terrific hits in the series to force La Salle to settle for the field goal.
North Penn stretched the lead to 21-10 on the talents of senior Dan Gervitz. Gervitz returned a punt 32 yards and followed five plays later with a 16-yard TD reception from senior quarterback Corey Ernst. A Mandas extra point would push the lead to 21-10.
The Knights would remain competitive on the scoreboard in the third period.
La Salle scored first in the second half as senior quarterback Matt Magarity fired a 9-yard scoring strike to senior wide out Colin Buckley – and after the extra point was blocked – NP led 21-16.
It was the beginning of a lethal combination for the Explorers, as the Magarity-to-Buckley combo would prove to be the deciding factor in this football game.
North Penn would score its final touchdown of the period – the half – and the game – on its next possession. Mayfield broke loose on a nifty 75-yard sprint, and senior James Fielder bulled in from the five-yard line to stretch the Knight lead to 27-16.
The rest of the game was a Knightmare for North Penn as the Big Blue became the Big Black and Blue. The Explorers punished the Knights 28-0 over the final 14 minutes and 19 seconds of the game.
Magarity fired a 64-yard touchdown pass to Buckley; Magarity tossed a 6-yard TD strike to Buckley; Magarity floated a 1-yard TD aerial to Buckley; and Wade crashed in for a score in the final 1:29 on a five-yard touchdown burst.
Magarity completed nine passes in all to the 6-foot, 3-inch Buckely for 168 yards and four touchdowns.
“We have so much respect for the North Penn football program,” said Buckley. “We really get excited when we play them, and we know that we are going to have to be ready if we want to come away with a ‘W’. I really didn’t expect a game like this.”
“We have to use this loss as momentum for the rest of the season,” said North Penn senior quarterback Corey Ernst. “We saw tonight that we have a lot to fix, and we have to come out in the next game and play a lot tougher.”
Random Facts – North Penn turned the ball over four times on fumbles…the Knights committed eight penalties for 80 yards…not a winning combination…NP intercepted three Magarity passes – one each for Wynne, Reeves, and Gervitz…Magarity was actually benched in this game for over a quarter, but played the entire second half.
North Penn Knights 0 21 6 0 - 27
La Salle Explorers 0 10 13 21 - 44
Scoring:
NP: Ralph Reeves 2 run (Brandon Mandas kick)
LS: Tim Wade 18 run (Ryan Winslow kick)
NP: Kyle Mayfield 71 run (Mandas kick)
LS: Winslow 20 FG
NP: Dan Gervitz 16 pass from Corey Ernst (Mandas kick)
LS: Colin Buckley 9 pass from Matt Magarity (kick blocked)
NP: James Fielder 5 run (kick failed)
LS: Buckley 64 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
LS: Buckley 1 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
LS: Buckley 9 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
LS: Wade 5 run (Winslow kick)
North Penn Knights La Salle Explorers
13 First Downs 15
252 Rushing Yards 145
126 Passing Yards 226
378 Total Offense 371
5-35 Punts/Avg. 3-36
8-80 Pen./Yards 4-35
North Penn:
Rushing – Kyle Mayfield 20-204-1 TD; James Fielder 9-40-1 TD; Corey Ernst 7-3; Danny Wynne 1-3; Ralph Reeves 1-2-1 TD. Totals – 38-252-3 TD.
Passing – Ernst 10-18-0: 126 yards and 1 TD.
Receiving: Eddie Posavec 2-44; Fielder 2-19; Dominique Kanada 2-16; Dan Gervitz 1-16 & TD; Ryan Moran 1-13. Total – 10-126 & 1 TD.
Interceptions: Reeves, Gervitz, and Wynne.
La Salle:
Rushing - Tim Wade 17-78 & 2 TD; Chris Kane 7-24; Matt Magarity 6-12; Sean Coleman 2-11. Totals – 32-145-2 TD.
Passing – Magarity 14-22-3; 226 yards and 4 TD; Kane 0-4-0; 0 yards. Total 14-26-226-4 TD.
Receiving – Colin Buckley 9-168-4 TD; Sean Coleman 3-55; Kane 2-3. Totals 14-226- 4 TD
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