North Penn earns some redemption on two-point conversion stop
The North Penn football can not change the way it finished last year in the District 1-6A quarterfinals.
But, the Knights maybe vanquished a few ghosts from 2017 with a 34-33 double-overtime victory over Neshaminy.
“Last year we went out not the way we wanted to. I told the guys – we’re in halftime, even out on the field – we got to keep digging deep, keep fighting,” North Penn senior Julian White said. “We don’t want to be that (team) who we were last year. Just keep fighting, suck it up.”
The Knights couldn’t stop Garnet Valley from erasing a 35-7 deficit in the district quarters and knocking out North Penn 36-35 after the Jaguars’ Ryan Gallagher ran in a two-point conversion with just 46 seconds remaining.
Last Friday night as Neshaminy’s Harry E. Franks Stadium, a small chance at redemption came in double overtime – the Knights defense getting another shot at stopping a two-point conversion. After Neshaminy scored to pull within one, the ‘Skins elected to go for two and win. They gave the ball to Oleh Manzyk — who had on the night ran for three TDs tying the game 27-27 with his one-yard touchdown and two-point run late in the fourth quarter. But Manzyk as stuffed by North Penn short of the goal line and the Knights had a fourth straight win over its Suburban One League rival.
“The lined up in it, I called time out and we talked about what we wanted to do there and it worked out pretty good for us,” Knights coach Dick Beck said.
White provided the clinching tackle –with sophomore DJ Fisher providing assistance in bringing Manzyk to the turf – to cap a terrific opening night for the NP senior.
“Look, Julian was amazing today,” Beck said. “Running the ball, playing defense and it was a good night for him.”
White ran for three touchdowns, two in the fourth quarter then a five-yard score in the 2nd OT that put the Knights up 34-27. White was injured on the last touchdown run, but returned to the field to come up big on the defensive side.
“Basically I just had to suck it up and run. My team needs me, I’m a captain, they look up to me,” White said. They need me to make a play, I made a play.”
While there are plenty of weeks left in the 2018 season, the clash between the Knights and ‘Skins threw down the gauntlet in the contest for game of the year.
After entering the fourth down 19-14, North Penn took a 20-19 lead with 5:23 left in the fourth on White’s 11-yard touchdown. The Knights looked like they had wrapped things up when they converted Andy Cole’s interception resulted into a 27-19 edge after a White five-yard TD run at 2:07.
Neshaminy, however, drove 69 yards to pull even with 67 seconds left. The ‘Skins turned the ball over on downs the first overtime but kept hope alive by recovering a fumble on NP’s first snap of extra time.
The Knights finally settled things in the second overtime but both sides showed they will be factors to challenge Coatesville for the District 1-6A title – through the defending champ Red Raiders showed they’ll ready for all comers with their 37-6 win over Harrisburg.
Both North Penn and Neshaminy still have a challenging road before even the start of their respective SOL conference schedules. North Penn hosts La Salle Friday at Crawford Stadium then is home against Week 3 against Pennsbury. Neshaminy visits Pennridge – a 54-21 winner over Delaware Valley in its opener – then is at Downingtown West.
This Week
Quakertown at Souderton, Friday, 7 p.m. >> Souderton is looking to bounce against its rival up 309 after a tough 42-10 loss to Penn Wood. Quakertown – which topped Big Red 16-13 in Week 2 last season – started this year with a 20-13 victory over Central Bucks East last Saturday.
Lansdale Catholic at Penn Charter, Saturday, 10 a.m., Ocean City HS (N.J.) >> The Crusaders get their season going down the shore and for their straight year it is against Inter-Ac side Penn Charter. The Quakers have taking the last two meetings by the boardwalk.
