Edwards does it all in North Penn’s District 1-6A semifinal win over Downingtown West

DOWNINGTOWN >> North Penn’s Shamar Edwards had such an all-around performance Friday night that his 318 rushing yards were somehow a footnote to the play he made with one timely thrust of his right arm.

“He’s the one who punched the ball out,” coach Dick Beck said afterwards with a smile.

With Downingtown West trying to take a two-touchdown lead late in the third quarter, Whippets quarterback Ryan Wetzel rolled right and lofted a pass to Jackson Luneburg.

The 6-foot-5 wide receiver had it in his grasp for a second, but Edwards closed in quickly, punching the ball free and high into the air to allow teammate Kaleem Corbin to clutch a pivotal interception in the back of the end zone.

“With his tippy toes,” Beck said, his smile widening. “They’re up two scores if we don’t make that play. It’s a whole new ballgame. I told the guys I’m speechless. I just have never seen anything like this before.”

Kottmeyer Stadium had never seen the likes of Edwards, whose record-setting 318 rushing yards and three scores kept top-seeded North Penn churning towards a district-final showdown with Coatesville.

The unbeaten Knights (13-0) used a brutish performance by their offensive line, four interceptions by the defense and every bit of Edwards to earn an entertaining 35-21 victory over fourth-seeded Dowingtown West in the District 1-6A Semifinals.

“We look forward to these close games,” said Edwards. “It’s fun blowing people out but we get a lot out of close games and pulling things out, to show people that we’re tough.”

No one has been a tougher out this time of year: North Penn advanced to its third district final in four years.

“There was no panic on our sideline, even when (Downingtown) was driving down,” said Beck, who has guided the Knights into their 12th district final. “I was thinking let’s get a stop, let’s get a turnover here. They’re a resilient group. They’re a lot of joy to coach.”

Of the punch-and-pick combo in the back of the endzone, Edwards said: “That was huge. That turned the game around for us.”

And Edwards wasn’t done.

Just two plays later, he dashed into the night, 58 yards for a game-tying score that forever tilted momentum in North Penn’s favor.

“When I scored on that, that gave our team a lot of hope,” Edwards said. “We knew we were gonna be in the game from there. We just had to take over.”

North Penn’s defense forced a three-and-out and the ball was soon back in Edwards’ hands. On a pitch left, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior capped another Knights drive and propelled NP into the lead, 28-21, on a four-yard burst.

He was powering through tacklers as well as sprinting by them.

“I give credit to my offensive line and I give credit to my coach for having faith in me, for giving me the ball and being able to get the job done,” Edwards said.

North Penn’s versatile back completed the trifecta when his 39-yard touchdown run stretched the lead to 35-21.

The Knights had locked down a game that earlier kept swinging back and forth.

North Penn took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 14 plays.

The Knights, mixing runs by Edwards with timely passing by Solomon Robinson, moved quickly downfield. Facing a 4th- and-Goal at the one, North Penn gave the ball to R.J. Macnamara, who pushed into the end zone for a 7-0 Knights lead.

Downingtown West tied the game early in the second quarter.

Luneburg intercepted Robinson around midfield and the Whippets converted the takeaway into a score. Quarterback Ryan Wetzel reached the end zone on a 10-yard draw, deadlocking things at seven apiece.

The Whippets weren’t done.

Downingtown West’s defense forced a punt, and the offense moved it downfield again, this time on an eight-play, 63-yard drive that was capped off by a Tyler Alston two-yard touchdown run. On 3rd-and-Goal, Alston (77 yards) found just enough of a seam and sliced his way in, stretching the ball over the goal line.

The Whippets led 14-7 midway through the second quarter.

North Penn, however, came right back to tie the game before the break.

Macnamara scored his second touchdown, this one a 20-yard run, to even things at 14 apiece. The key play of the drive came on a direct snap to Edwards, who sprinted 30 yards before being knocked out of bounds.

The Whippets got a tremendous lift when Luneburg returned the second-half kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown, sending West into the lead, 21-14.

West nearly increased its lead late in the third, but Corbin came up with the interception in the end zone to stop the drive.

“We thought we had the catch in the corner,” Whippets coach Mike Milano said, “and (North Penn) did a great job of (getting the interception), and then they get the long run.

“Twice, we didn’t get the points down there,” Milano said. “Credit to (North Penn). They’re tough. They finished, and we just couldn’t get a stop at the end. We just couldn’t get a stop at the end.”

Down 28-21, West was driving for a tying score but Jon Haynes intercepted for NP. The Whippets’ only two losses came against the two teams vying for the district title next week.

“These kids have been awesome all year long,” Milano said. “They lost their superstar quarterback (Will Howard) in Week Six, we plugged in a linebacker-tight end, Ryan Wetzel, who has been awesome. He had another great game tonight.

“He leads with guts. He doesn’t say a whole lot. The kids rallied behind him, and for us to be here tonight, with a chance to win tonight, is a credit to them.”

Fighting right to the end, the Whippets mounted one last drive in the final seconds, until it was thwarted by an Edwards interception.

“Shamar’s a monster, not just offensively,” Beck said. “And he ends the game with an interception. He’s really special.”