Zeltt throws 5 TD passes, North Penn rolls past Pennridge to end 2-game skid

EAST ROCKHILL >> The North Penn football team had fallen in its last two games. Pennridge’s losing streak sat at four.

One side was leaving Helman Field Friday night having put an end to its skid. And the visiting Knights quickly made sure it was going to be them.

Senior quarterback Ryan Zeltt led an efficient and effective passing attack, competing 14-of-16 passes in the first half for 311 yards and four touchdowns – three to Yazeed Haynes – as North Penn reached the end zone on all five of its drives before halftime and rolled past the Rams 42-6 in the Suburban One League National Conference contest.

“It’s not as hard for me when I have the guys to throw to that I do,” Zeltt said. “And they make it look easy. You get the ball to them, you never know what could happen, they could break one 99 yards and it really helped me out.”

Zeltt finished 17-for-19 for 341 yards and five TD throws while Haynes hauled in seven receptions for 184 yards and three scores as the Knights (4-5, 3-3 conference) scored the first 28 points and went in the break leading 35-6 after Haynes’ four-yard touchdown catch with 52.3 seconds left in the half.

“Their QB’s good, their wide receiver 23 (Haynes) he’s pretty good,” Pennridge senior Connor Lelii said. “We thought we planned for ‘em but I guess just outplayed us tonight.”

After allowing more than 40 points in losses to Central Bucks East and Pennsbury the previous two weeks, the North Penn defense kept the home side’s offense off the scoreboard – the Rams’ six points coming on Xavier Dantzler’s 91-yard kickoff return TD in the second quarter.

It was just the second time this season the Knights held an opponent to single digits after topping Quakertown 49-7 in Week 2.

“Practice everyone was kind of locked in, energy was different,” Knights senior Luke Cody said. “Energy, it was good though – high. We made a couple more blitzes plays for them cause they run a lot, a lot of teams run on us. You see last week (Pennsbury) running back (Galamama Mulbah) had over 49 carries so most of the teams are sort of just running on us so we just got to find the way to stop the run.”

The win provided a boost to North Penn’s chances of making the District 1-6A playoffs as the Knights began Friday 17th in the rankings – one spot out of the 16-team field – but moved up to 15th heading into its regular-season finale at Abington Friday.

“It’s not the year we wanted but no one’s getting down on themselves cause we know it’s our senior year, it’s our last time playing high school football,” Zeltt said. So we want to go out there and make as much of a splash as we can. You never know what can happen. So going out this next team and we’re looking to do the same thing we did tonight.”

Rashad McNeill had four catches for 92 yards and a TD while Cody added a touchdown reception in the third quarter. Amir Major ran nine times for 67 yards and a TD as the Knights earned their ninth straight victory over the Rams.

“This one definitely felt good,” Zeltt said. “Coaches were saying let’s just keep working, you never know what can happen. And no one was down on themselves, no was giving attitude at practice”

Brennan Fisher paced Pennridge (2-7, 1-5) on the ground with 51 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Noah Keating was 7-off-11 passing for 74 yards and one interception. The Rams host Central Bucks South Friday.

“So up until now we’ve had good games, even our losses,” Lelii said. “And this was just not our team.”

The Rams were 2-2 after back-to-back shutout wins over Bensalem and Abington but followed with a trio of tight defeats – falling 16-13 in double overtime to CB East, getting edged 7-6 by Neshaminy then coming up short to Pennsbury 27-24.

After a 27-8 loss to Central Bucks West last Friday, the Rams found themselves in a 7-0 hole just 51 seconds in against the Knights – McNeill catching a Zeltt pass and evading a couple defenders downfield on the way to a 61-yard touchdown on the game’s third offensive snap.

“We thought we were prepared for this team and we just didn’t come together as a team,” Lelii said. “It’s hard to play together and execute when everybody’s arguing and we’re having issues internally but hopefully we’ll bounce back for the last two games of the season, see what else we can do.”

North Penn made it 14-0 as Amir Major got to the front left corner of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown run at 5:11 in the first quarter.

Pennridge looked like it might answer the next series. Starting at their own 20, the Rams drove down the Knights 11 but on 2nd-and-6 a pass was deflected and intercepted by Connor Adams.

“That was big,” Cody said. “I think that was our second interception of the year. Getting that on the screen was pretty big for us, especially a big stop too, especially inside the red zone.”

The next play, Zeltt went deep to Haynes behind the defense and the Georgia verbal commit raced away for an 88-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead at 8:12 in the second quarter.

“I think he’s pretty fast, I might be able to beat him in a race,” said Zeltt jokingly. “You throw it up to him, he’s going to catch it.”

After forcing a Pennridge punt, North Penn took over at its own 31 and on first down Zeltt completed a pass to Haynes for a 20-yard gain. The duo capped off the drive as Zeltt hit a streaking Haynes for a 39-yard touchdown at 4:32 for a 28-0 advantage.

“I was getting good protection and I felt very comfortable,” Zeltt said. “Every receiver had a great game tonight I think. Definitely a good game from them.”

The Rams made it 28-6 on the ensuing kickoff, Dantzler escaping from a crowd then breaking away down the right sideline for a 91-yard TD return at 4:17. Pennridge tried for a two-point conversion but its run was stopped short.

But the Knights proceeded to put together its fifth touchdown drive before intermission – going 76 yards on 10 plays with Zeltt and Haynes hooking up for a TD for a third time, this one from four yards out in the half’s final minute to make it 35-6.

North Penn extended its advantage to 42-6 with a five-play, 51-yard drive in the third quarter capped by Zeltt finding Cody for an 11-yard touchdown at 6:53.

“Kind of like a dig play where it’s just 10 yard in but the middle linebacker blitzed right away,” Cody said. “So I just looked up and Zeltt read it and saw it and got it.”

North Penn 42, Pennridge 6

North Penn (4-5, 3-3) 14 21 7 0 – 42

Pennridge (2-7, 1-5) 0 6 0 0 – 6

First Quarter

NP – Ryan Zeltt 61 pass to Rashad McNeill (Ryan Bocklet kick), 11:09.

NP – Amir Major 16 run (Bocklet kick), 5:11.

Second Quarter

NP – Zeltt 88 pass to Yazeed Haynes (Bocklet kick), 8:12.

NP – Zeltt 39 pass to Haynes (Bocklet kick), 4:32.

P – Xavier Dantzler 91 kickoff return (run failed)

NP – Zeltt 4 pass to Haynes (Bocklet kick), 0:52.3.

Third Quarter

NP – Zeltt 11 pass to Luke Cody (Grace Macnamara kick), 6:53.

NP P

First Downs 21 9

Rushes-yards 22-128 31-108

Passing 17-19-0 7-11-1

Passing yards 341 74

Totals yards 469 182

Punts 1 5

Penalties-yards 2-10 5-35

Fumbles-lost 1-0 0-0

Rushing

North Penn: Amir Major 9-67, TD; Michai Cuffie 7-27; Zach Duld 2-16; Luke Cody 1-12; Ryan Zeltt 3-6.

Pennridge: Brennan Fisher 18-51; Tyler Wetzel 6-36; Connor Lelii 6-31; Noah Keating 1-(-10).

Passing

North Penn: Ryan Zeltt 17-19-0, 341, 5 TD.

Pennridge: Noah Keating 7-11-0-1, 74.

Receiving

North Penn: Yazeed Haynes 7-184, 3 TD; Rashad McNeill 4-92, TD; Michai Cuffie 2-26; Luke Cody 2-24, TD; Xavier Bryan 1-9; Zach Duld 1-6.

Pennridge: Xavier Dantzler 1-24; Connor Lelii 1-16; Nick Swanson 2-13; Brennan Fisher 1-11; Nate Mossbrook 2-10.

Interceptions

North Penn: Connor Adams.

Pennridge: None.