Zeltt throws 4 TD passes, North Penn rolls past CB South in District 1-6A first round

TOWAMENCIN >> The wind and rain last Friday effectively grounded quarterback Ryan Zeltt and the North Penn football team’s passing game, the junior tossing a total of just four passes as the visiting Knights topped Central Bucks South.

Facing their SOL National Conference rivals again just seven days later in the District 1-6A first round on a cool, clear night at Crawford Stadium, Zeltt had the Knights’ aerial attack operating at a high level in a dominant victory over the Titans.

“That totally stunk – a couple throws,” Zeltt said. “But I guess I made up for it.”

Zeltt was 16-of-18 for 293 yards – 277 in the first half – and four touchdowns as second-seeded North Penn scored TDs on all six of its possessions before the break and cruised past No. 15 Central Bucks South 49-21 Friday night.

“We had a great week of practice and that always leads up to a great game,” Zeltt said. “I thought we were explosive, we blocked well, we caught the ball, ran the ball well and everything was working. And when we’re at full throttle, we look pretty good I think.”

Levi Carroll caught a pair of TD passes, ran for another score and combined for 116 yards rushing and receiving as North Penn (11-0) advanced to the district quarters for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and the first time since 2019.

The Knights host No. 7 Ridley, a 42-23 winner over No. 10 Conestoga in its first-round contest, for a spot in the semifinals. North Penn last met the Raiders in the 2018 district first round and came away with a 26-16 victory.

“Ryan was throwing strikes, guys were getting open,” Knights coach Dick Beck said. “Khalani (Eaton) wasn’t feeling good and it’s nice when you go to a guy like Levi to run the ball. And I really feel like Michai Cuffie has really changed our dimension on offense because I think he’s another weapon at that fullback position.”

Eaton had just one carry – going for one yard on NP’s first offensive play, Beck stating the dynamic senior running back “hurt his shoulder a little bit but he’ll be fine next week.”

Carroll ran the ball nine times for 30 yards while catching six passes for 86 yards. Cuffie had seven rushes for 47 yards and also added a 25-yard reception.

“Without ‘Lani we knew it was going to be a struggle but still pulled through,” Carroll said. “We’re still a strong team without him – not saying that we don’t need him.”

Zeltt completed his first seven passes, two going for touchdowns as he was 15-of-17 for 277 yards before intermission – capping the half by connecting with Carroll for a six-yard score with 8.64 seconds for a 42-6 lead.

The junior QB’s only throw in the second half was a 16-yard completion to Rashad Mcneill, who had four catches for 77 yards.

“We had a couple of the short passes, get in rhythm,” Zeltt said. “And then threw it up to my receivers and they made plays and ran it from there.”

Cole Maholtz had 157 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries for CB South (6-5), which finished its 2021 season with three straight losses – the last two to North Penn.

“We didn’t take anything,” said Beck of the 35-7 win over South in wet conditions last Friday. “Our playbook was eliminated, you know, which I’m sure theirs was too. It was almost like you played a brand new team.”

Tyler Robinson had 60 yards and a touchdown on six carries and caught two passes for 42 yards while quarterback Brett Szarko threw for 126 yards on 6-of-20 passing for the Titans, who have dropped their last six district games – their last postseason win coming in 2012.

CB South grabbed a 6-0 lead on Friday’s opening drive. Szarko connected with Zak Fischer for a 50-yard gain to the North Penn 25 and three plays later Maholtz scored on a 16-yard run at 10:02. The Knights blocked the extra point.

 

North Penn answered with a nine-play, 70-yard series Carroll finished by getting around the left side and finding the end zone on a seven-yard run at 5:53. The Knights recovered a Titans fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Zeltt connected with Tyler Beam for a 21-yard touchdown and a 14-6 lead at 5:42.

“The touchdown pass he threw to Tyler over the middle that was a BB he threw,” Beck said. “He got to get that to the receiver before the safety can come over top of the guy. So that was an awesome throw.”

The Titans drove to the North Penn 34 on the next series but on 4^th-and-3 from the 35 threw an incompletion. The Knights took over and went 65 yards on five plays – Zeltt finding Carroll on a 4^th-and-6 at the South 36 over the middle and Carroll racing to the end zone with 15.3 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 21-6.

“When he gets the ball you think he’s going to score every time,” said Zeltt of Carroll. “And get a great play call in a situation and we executed well and we scored.”

After a Titans punt, the Knights went up 28-6 with a 14-play, 80-yard drive finished by Ethan Spann plowing across the goal line from two yards out at 4:57 left in the second quarter.

Zeltt gave North Penn a 35-6 advantage as he stepped up in the pocket and hit a wide-open Jalen Edwards for a 39-yard TD at 2:02.

“They brought a lot of pressure and Jalen runs a great route, he’s wide open,” Zeltt said.” I see him waving his hand, I throw it up to him, he catches it and he scores.”

A South three-and-out gave the Knights the ball back with 42 seconds before halftime. Mcneill made a great catch – snagging a ball over a defender for a 36-yard gain down to the Titans 21. Spann picked up 15 yards on a screen pass while on the next play Carroll hauled in a six-yard TD pass with 8.4 seconds.

North Penn scored its final touchdown on the second half’s opening kickoff as freshman Jay Ford-King  found a seam on the right side then sped away for a 93-yard touchdown return at 11:46 in the third.

Central Bucks South collected two touchdowns in the fourth. Maholtz broke off a 65-yard TD run at 11:37 while Robinson scored on a 12-yard run at 4:41 – Colin Kelly catching a Jonathan Fitts pass for a two-point conversion to make it 49-21.

North Penn 49, CB South 21
CB South (6-5) 6 0 0 15 — 21
North Penn (11-0) 21 21 7 0 — 49
Scoring
First Quarter
CBS — Cole Maholtz 16 run (kick blocked), 10:02.
NP — Levi Carroll 7 run (Ryan Bocklet kick), 5:53.
NP — Ryan Zeltt 21 pass to Tyler Beam (Bocklet kick), 5:42
NP — Zeltt 36 pass to Carroll (Bocklet kick), 0:15.3.
Second Quarter
NP — Ethan Spann 2 run (Bocklet kick), 4:57.
NP — Zeltt 39 pass to Jalen Edwards (Bocklet kick), 2:02.
NP — Zeltt 6 pass to Carroll (Bocklet kick), 0:08.4.
Third Quarter
NP — Jay Ford-King 93 kickoff return (Grace Macnamara kick), 11:46.
Fourth Quarter
CBS — Maholtz 65 run (Kevin Carrigan kick), 11:37.
CBS — Tyler Robinson 12 run (Jonathan Fitts pass to Colin Kelly), 4:41.

TEAM STATISTICS
CBS NP
First Downs 13 23
Rushes-Yards 26-211 35-163
Passing Yards 126 293
Total Yards 337 456
Passing 6-20-0 16-18-0
Punts 3 1
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-0
Penalties-Yards 5-24 7-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Central Bucks South: Cole Maholtz 19-157, 2 TD; Tyler Robinson 6-60, TD; Brett Szarko 1-(-6).
North Penn: Amir Major 8-50; Michai Cuffie 7-47; Levi Carroll 9-30, TD; Jason Marrero 3-29; Ricky Corry 1-4; James Mangine 1-4; Ethan Spann 1-2, TD; Zach Duld 1-2; Khalani Eaton 1-1; Ryan Zeltt 2-(-3); Michael Cliver 2-(-3).
PASSING
Central Bucks South: Brett Szarko 6-20-0, 126.
North Penn: Ryan Zeltt 16-18-0, 293, 4 TD.
RECEIVING
Central Bucks South: Zak Fischer 1-50; Tyler Robinson 2-42; Jordan Becker 2-19; Matt Boyce 1-15.
North Penn: Levi Carroll 6-86, 2 TD; Rashad Mcneill 4-77; Tyler Beam 2-39, TD; Jalen Edwards 1-39, TD; Michai Cuffie 1-25; Ethan Spann 1-15; Xavier Bryan 1-12.
INTERCEPTIONS
North Penn: None.
Central Bucks South: None.