Do you remember the 21st night of September? There was homecoming, a great student section, and a close football game that saw the Knights (5-0) win 31-21 over the CB East Patriots (2-3).

This one was not a conventional conference win for the Knights, as CB East managed to keep it a 3-point game as far into the contest as the 4th quarter, before an 8 minute offensive drive sealed win for North Penn.

It was a slow start for what would turn out to be an exciting game.  North Penn started the game with possession but ended up with a three and out. When CB East got the ball they followed in the footsteps of North Penn as they as also had a three and out.

Eventually however the scoring festivities started with 6:44 left in the 1st quarter when CB East junior Jake Ventresca intercepted a pass from North Penn quarterback Solomon Robinson intended for Andy Cole.  Ventresca was able to cut across to the far side of the field and return it for a touchdown to give the Patriots a 6-0 lead and eventual 7-0 lead after the PAT.

North Penn would not let that lead stand.  Senior running back Shamar Edwards had a 38-yard run followed by a 17-yard run by Solomon Robinson.  Senior Jon Haynes then showed his athleticism as he got the carry from the 16-yard line and broke a couple tackles, hurdled a defender before pushing into the endzone for a touchdown (4:03).  Ayoub Cherrady was good on his PAT to tie up the game at 7-7.

Before the end of the quarter Robinson went deep down the field to junior Evan Spann who made a spectacular catch to set up North Penn with a first and goal on a 39-yard pass. The Knights were unable to score before the end of the first quarter.  The Knights put up a field goal in the opening minutes of the second quarter to take the lead 10-7.

The Patriots were able to then take the lead after driving down the field capped off by a 2-yard run by Ventresca as CB East went up 14-10.  That lead however did not hold either as North Penn marched down the field and scored off a Julian White 1-yard touchdown (2:54 left in the 2nd quarter). The Knights went up 17-14 and kept that lead into the half.

At halftime, the homecoming king was announced and it was the Knights’ very own star athlete Julian White who came away with the honors.  And as soon as the second half action started White came through with a big sack that forced the Patriots to punt. White than hopped back on the field, this time on the offensive side where he rushed for 22 yards. Robinson than rushed for a touchdown himself to put the Knights up 24-14.

White had a big game and a big night at North Penn.

“Words can’t describe how I feel right now, the crowd supported me everybody  supported me, and then my team supported me, it was just overall a great experience,”. White said.

On the very next possession Patriots QB Evan O’Donnell lead his team down the field and rush in for a touchdown to cut into the lead 24-21.

Robinson and the rest of the offense were able to go down the field and throw a pass into the endzone but was it was intercepted by CB East senior Joey Haug who returned it to just before midfield. The third quarter would end with the score 24-21.

The Knights got a crucial stop on defense including a sack from Julian White to get the ball back.  There was a clear gameplan on the Knights offensive possession. Run the ball and milk the clock.

“As soon as we got the ball on like the six we knew this drive really mattered, we can’t have any mental mistakes, nothing, we gotta drive the ball right down their throat and that’s what we did,” senior Solomon Robinson said.

The Knights methodically went down the field for a 92-yard drive capped off by senior Shamar Edwards rushing the ball in for a 7-yard touchdown to put the Knights ahead 31-21.  The drive was 16 plays and took 8:09 minutes off the clock. For the most part, this would end the Patriots hope for a win with 2:26 left in the 4th as they were down by two possessions.

The Knights will be at Council Rock South (4-1) next Friday.