Central Bucks South stuns North Penn: Smith’s two-point run wins it for Titans

WARRINGTON >> Call it the “Sean Smith Special.”

“That is one of our favorite plays. It’s named after me. We’ve been running it since my sophomore year,” said an elated Smith, speaking of the play that catapulted his team into the lead for the first time Friday night. “I just knew it was gonna happen. We knew it was gonna work…”

Smith took the reverse and made it to the corner, sprinting in for the two-point conversion as Central Bucks South pried one away from North Penn in the final moments, winning 36-35 in a Suburban One League Continental Conference battle.

“This is a huge win,” said Smith, who caught six passes for 80 yards and two scores and added 29 yards rushing. “Nobody had us winning this game. And we just wanted to come in here and just do our business. (Coming back from 35-21 down) was amazing. I don’t even know what to say. We just pulled through. It was a great team win.”

South erased a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit. The Titans (6-3, 3-2 conference) got within 35-34 on a two-yard TD run by Jason Christianson and then went for two and the win.

They got it.

“We’re pretty much in the playoffs now — almost,” Smith said as the District 1-6A Playoff picture starts to come into focus.

Testament to the strength of this year’s stacked Continental, it’s the first time the Knights (6-3, 3-2 conference) have lost two conference games in a season since 2012.

In a matchup of two playoff-bound squads, North Penn built a commanding 35-21 lead on the strength of Khalani Eaton’s 239 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Nate Brown added a pair of rushing TD’s.

“South played great. We didn’t do too much on defense tonight,” said Knights coach Dick Beck. “South did what they did all year. They gave us a little more jet sweep than we’ve seen before.

“(Our ground game) is still not consistent enough. We had a couple guys hurt up front and it hurt us. We got stuck in a couple of personnel groups because of the injuries so it was tough for us to run all of the plays we were looking to run. But I thought Khalani had a good night.”

After forcing CB South to punt away its first possession, North Penn reached the end zone on its first offensive series.

Ryan Zeltt hit Evan Spann on a strike over the middle for 14 yards, setting the drive in motion.

Eaton gained 11 yards for another first down and the Knights were in Titan territory.

Ground gains by Eaton along with an 11-yard pass to Kenneth Grandy helped move NP along, and a nine-play march was finished off when Eaton charged in untouched from a yard out, putting the Knights in front 7-0 on a cool, crisp night on the turf at South.

The Titans struck back.

Consoletti rolled left, bought time, then found a wide open Cole Andrewlevich in the middle of the end zone for a 39-yard score and a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter.

The Knights regained the lead on their next possession, going almost exclusively to the run. A 15-yard dash by Brown put North Penn back in front, 14-7, and the two teams would go to the locker room with the visitors maintaining their seven-point advantage.

South tied it early in the third when Consoletti hit Smith – streaking along the goal line – for a six-yard score.

North Penn seemed to pull away when touchdown runs of 65 and two yards by Eaton made it 28-14 Knights. South cut it to 28-21 when Christianson (109 yds, two TD) burst in from a yard out, but again NP tightened its grip on the game when a two-yard run by Brown made it 35-21 with 9:50 to go.

South, however, scored on all three of its fourth-quarter possessions (not including a pair of kneel-downs by Consoletti to end it). A nine-yard scoring throw to Smith brought the Titans closer at 35-28.

North Penn moved the ball to its 46 and then a pass interference call appeared to give the Knights a first down in Titan territory. However, after the officials discussed the play, the flag was waved off, making it fourth down.

A fake punt by the Knights came up short, and the Titans took over at their 49 with 3:25 to play.

Colin Crabtree’s juggling catch helped build momentum for the Titans, and on the seventh play of the drive, Christianson charged in to bring South within 35-34.

Smith put them ahead for good.

“It’s basically the Philly Special. It’s literally the Philly Special,” he said of the winning two-pointer. “(Quarterback Josh) Consoletti got the snap, handed it off to the running back, he hands it to me, and I do the rest. I can either throw it or run it.”

Smith ran it, bolting to the right corner and putting South in front.

North Penn gained one first down on its final possession but a desperation heave by Zeltt was intercepted by Smith with a minute to go.

Said Smith: “I didn’t play too much defense this game. I knew I just had to make a play to secure the win.”