North Penn looks to avoid 0-3 start against Pennsbury
North Penn looks to continue its winning ways against Pennsbury and notch its first victory of 2017 when the Knights travel to Falcon Field for a non-league battle Friday evening.
Kickoff time is at 7 p.m.
North Penn comes into this one ranked 11th in this week’s Pa. Prep Live Top 20 poll, with Pennsbury right behind at No. 13.
The Knights fell to 0-2 last week in as wild a game as you’ll see, losing 61-44 to Downingtown East. The Falcons won a high-scoring affair over Penn Wood, 41-28, to climb to 2-0.
Although the defense has struggled for the Knights, the offense has been scoring in bunches. Wide receiver Justis Henley continued his magical start last week, hauling in 11 passes for 201 yards and two scores.
Quarterback Steven DePaul is playing with confidence for the Knights. Last week he threw for 299 yards and four touchdowns to help NP rack up 44 points.
The Knights’ defense looks to tighten things up this week against a Pennsbury offense that has really developed since shifting to a spread attack a season ago.
Senior quarterback Zach Demarchis has looked sharp for the Falcons — last week he completed 7-of-11 passes for 151 yards and connected on big gains of 64 and 41 (TD) yards.
It’s a rivalry that dates back 60 years but a rivalry that’s been one-sided for the past 20. North Penn has won 16 in a row over the Falcons, including an 11-0 mark under coach Dick Beck, and romped in last year’s match-up, 38-0.
The Falcons’ last win over the Knights came back in 1996, a 28-27 overtime decision. The first match-up between the two programs came during the Eisenhower Administration. North Penn, coached by Bob Chubb, fell 8-0 to Pennsbury on Opening Day, 1957.
The Knights are 0-2 for the first time since 2013. That season, North Penn actually began 0-3 and rallied with seven consecutive wins to reach the postseason, then reeled off three straight playoff wins before falling to Neshaminy in the district final.
