North Penn out to prove it’s still among best
TOWAMENCIN — If North Penn needs some extra motivation this year, some of the preseason predictions have the Knights outside the area’s elite.
“I keep reading all the previews, I see that we’re ranked behind Neshaminy, Pennsbury, La Salle, Downingtown East and Quakertown. And we play all those teams except Quakertown. I’m saying to myself we’re not getting much respect,” North Penn coach Dick Beck said. “I don’t think teams think much about us. And I think we got to have a chip on our shoulder about what teams really think about us and what are the expectations.”
The Knights finished 7-4 overall in 2014 with a share of the Suburban One League National Conference title with Pennsbury. But North Penn was bounced in the opening round of the District 1-AAAA playoffs for the first time under Beck, West Chester Henderson ending NP’s year with a 40-13 defeat.
But with its three leading rushers returning to the backfield, playmakers in the passing game and solid veteran defense, North Penn is set on doing what it has done the 13 seasons under Beck – compete at the top levels of the SOL and the district.
“The goal is to go as deep as possible. This is a great, talented team,” senior defensive end/tight end Keith Earle said. “So, if we can go as deep as possible, help our community, they expect things out of us, so just to translate that on the field is always good.”
Nyfease West – who verbally committed to Delaware State – is coming off back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing campaigns, the senior posting a team-best 1,011 yards and 13 touchdowns on 14 carries last year. Also back to boost the rushing game is Nick Isabella, who was second with 676 yards and six scores on 79 carries and Justin Ostopowicz (31 carries, 262 yards, two TDs).
“(West) catches the ball out of the backfield great. Ostopowicz can really run low behind the line, he’s tough, he really runs hard,” Beck said. “And Isabella’s so strong. He can run through a lot of arm tackles. And speed-wise, all of them are pretty much the same speed – top end – and all three can take it the whole way.”
The quarterback position is still up for grabs between senior Jake Bevan – who led NP is passing in 2014 with 556 yards and four TD throws – and junior Reece Udinski. Whoever the QB is, they will have good option to throw to in junior receiver Ricky Johns and tight end Earle, who verballed to Lafayette.
“Just having Bevan back there for a whole offseason starting for us, and we obviously have Reece (Udinski) back there helping him out, pushing him competitively,” Earle said. “but just to have that and to have Ricky Johns back as a receiver and having Nyfease (West) as a vertical threat as well, it’s good for the quarterbacks.”
Top Photo: North Penn High School football practice on Monday, Aug. 17, 2015 (Geoff Patton/The Reporter)
