Turnovers sink Knoch
HAMPTION TWP — Penalties and two second half turnovers proved to be too much for the Knoch Knights to overcome as they bowed to Hampton 33-10 at Fridley Field Friday night.
The Knights had 10 penalties for 95 yards and the Talbots picked off Knoch quarterback Dan Farinelli twice in the second half. The Knights were outscored 19-0 in the final two frames.
“You can't be the Steelers and win making those kinds of mistakes,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “We told our kids that this conference is at a level that if you make those kinds of mistakes it is going to hurt you. It's something we have to get corrected starting with this week coming up.”
Trailing 14-10 at the half Knoch kicked off and Hampton started at its own 30.
The Talbots moved the ball into Knights territory and were aided by a pass interference penalty that set them up with a first down at the Knights' 29.
After Knoch held the Talbots on two straight running plays quarterback Nick Grabovski found a wide open Gus Schmitt, but Schmitt dropped the ball setting up fourth down. The Talbots went for it and again Grabovski looked Schmitt's way, but this time the senior wide receiver came down with the ball in the end zone to give Hampton a 20-10 lead.
“(Schmitt) is a tough kid and a good athlete,” Hampton coach Jacque DeMatteo said. “The first play is not him, and I knew when we called the second play he'd come through for us.”
Knoch looked to answer on its next possession, and were helped out by a couple of Hampton penalties including a personal foul that moved them to the Talbots' 17-yard line. That's as far as Knoch would get as a sack followed by a personal foul penalty of its own ended up forcing a fourth and long where Farinelli was intercepted on a heave to the end zone.
The Talbots scored seven plays later on a Grabovski 18 yard touchdown pass to Matt Rech to make the score 27-10 early in the fourth quarter.
Rech also had a rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
Farinelli was intercepted again on the next drive, this time by linebacker Steve DiBuicci who returned the ball 25 yards to the Knoch 30. Alex Bianco scored on the next play to put the game out of reach.
“My hats go off to Knoch and their staff,” Dematteo said. “They are all classy people. This was a good high school football game and we are fortunate to come out on the winning side.”
Knoch had a brief 7-0 lead after it received the ball to open the game and went 60 yards in five plays highlighted by a 46-yard run by Cody Milsom. Milsom finished off the drive scoring from 1-yard out. Milsom led all rushers with 139 yards.
Hampton responded with a drive featuring its ground game, running it nine straight times before Grabovski hit Schmidt with a 30-yard pass that moved the ball to the Knoch 8-yard line. Grabovski threw it again on the next play and connected with Jack Werling for a touchdown. Grabovski completed four passes on the night and three of them went for touchdowns.
While penalties hurt Knoch, they also had trouble stopping Hampton's rushing attack. The Talbots had 154 yards rushing in the second half.
“I don't know if there is anyone in our conference who is as big up front as they are,” King said. “That's a really good football team.”
