North Penn – due to field conditions – was forced to move its home game to Downingtown West where the Knights earned a 35-21 win in Friday night’s District One 6A semifinal.
#1-1 NORTH PENN 35, #1-4 DOWNINGTON WEST 21
It was a game for the ages, one of those games they’ll be talking about for a long, long time.
And when they recall that cold November night in Downingtown, the first play they will mention is one that forever turned the game in the Knights’ favor when Shamar Edwards and Kaleem Corbin teamed up for an improbable interception in the end zone. It’s a play that will occupy a spot at or near the top of North Penn’s all-time highlight reels plays.
It came in the third quarter with the Whippets on top 21-14 and just six yards separating them from a two-touchdown lead. Coach Dick Beck describes the game-changing sequence.
“They ran a pick route, we switched it, which was perfect, but then Shamar fell down, and the kid threw a jump ball to their tall receiver (Jackson Luneburg). Shamar got up off the ground, and as he caught it, punched the ball out and Kaleem Corbin caught the deflection and tippy-toed in the end zone,” Beck said. “It was an unbelievable play.
“If (Luneburg) catches it, they go up 28-14 late in the third quarter. Also, what that does – when you’re only down one score, you can still be patient, run the ball. That’s what we were having the most success with, and that’s what worked out for us.”
After Corbin’s you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it interception, the Knights marched 80 yards for the tying score with Edwards – appropriately – scoring on a dazzling 58-yard touchdown run
“Shamar with the ball in his hands was just phenomenal. He was just unstoppable. He runs with such vision, and he is so strong,” Beck said of Edwards, who finished with 318 rushing yards and also had a big night at strong safety. “Defensively, he played great also. He had an interception that topped the game, and he had numerous tackles. They were running the ball, and we brought him a little closer to the ball, and he was just awesome.”
After the Knights’ defense came up with a stop, Edwards scored the go-ahead touchdown on a four-yard run and then capped a spectacular performance with a 39-yard TD run with 1:26 remaining. For good measure, Edwards came up with an interception with time winding down, putting an exclamation point on a brilliant performance in an unforgettable night.
“It was unbelievable,” Beck said. “That one play (the Corbin interception) changed the entire game. After that one play, we were unstoppable and played great defense.
“Look what this team has gone through – two double overtime games, we were down to Souderton 17-0, we get to the playoffs, we have home field advantage, and our field’s a mess. We have to go to Wissahickon the first two games and then today we changed a home game all the way out to Downingtown in order to play the game.
“These guys just say – ‘Wherever, whenever, let’s play. We don’t care.’”
The Knights’ defense did not allow a point in the second half.
“I thought RJ Macnamara had another great game for us,” Beck said. “I thought that Nate Brown really played tough. He’s basically playing on one leg. He and Julian (White) are just limping around out there, but they’re just sucking it up.”
The Whippets’ only touchdown of the second half came when Luneburg took the opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown that gave Downingtown West a 21-14 lead.
Earlier, the Knights marched 80 yards on their opening drive of the game with Macnamara punching it in from one yard out. The Whippents responded with back-to-back scoring drives to go on top 14-7 with 6:14 remaining in the first half. The Knights answered with a drive of their own that included a 30-yard run by quarterback Solomon Robinson. Macnamara raced in from 20 yards out for his second touchdown of the game and fifth of the season, knotting the score 14-14.
All told, the Knights gained close to 400 yards on the ground, and playing a major role in their dominance was an offensive line comprised of Jake Walton, Eddie Harkins, Noah Boast, Shadman Alam and Don Stites as well as tight ends Noah Fox and Cory Keim.
“I thought the O-line was really getting their footing in the second half and really did a great job coming off the ball and locking up with them,” Beck said. “Julian White played fullback and did a great job..”
“Nate Brown sucked it up with an ankle injury. This team is just amazing when it comes to resilience and guts, never say quit. Unbelievable.”
North Penn (13-0, 6-0 SOL) will host second-seeded Coatesville in an eagerly awaited District One 6A title game next Friday. Coatesville rolled to a 42-7 win over third-seeded and previously undefeated Garnet Valley.
Downingtown West 0-14-7-0 21
North Penn 7-7-7-14 35
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