JEFFERSON TWP — Hampton never really drove the football downfield Friday night.

Then again, it didn’t have to.

The undefeated Talbots (5-0, 4-0) used two critical takeaways, a pair of big plays and a dominant defensive effort to blank Knoch, 28-0, on the Knights’ home field.

“That team is 5-0 for a reason,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “They played a solid game tonight all the way around.

“We couldn’t do much with them.”

The Knights (2-3, 1-3) managed only six first downs and did not go over 100 yards of net offense until well into the fourth quarter.

Knoch’s deepest penetration was Hampton’s 40-yard line.

Hampton’s first score was set up by a turnover. Knoch quarterback Jake Herrit could not handle a high snap while in shotgun formation and the Talbots’ Albert Intrieri recovered the loose ball at the Knights’ 17.

Two plays later, Matt Rech scored on a 17-yard run.

Late in the first half, Knoch inserted tailback Mac Christy behind center in trying to convert a fourth-and-1 at the Hampton 40.

He was stopped short of the lead stick with 1:23 left in the half.

Talbots quarterback Ross Andersson tossed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Alex Bianco moments later and the visitors had a 14-0 lead at halftime.

“Knoch has been playing extremely well at home, so we knew we had a daunting task coming in here,” Hampton coach Jacque DeMatteo said. “It all came down to preparation for us. We worked hard in getting ready for this game.”

Shane McMillen returned an interception 54 yards for a score early in the third period.

Hampton completed the scoring when McMillen caught a 31-yard halfback pass from Rech on a third-and-11 play with 3:42 left in the quarter.

“I told our defense the scoreboard was not indicative of how well that unit played tonight,” King said. “We can’t keep hanging our defense out there like that and expect to win football games.”

Rech was Hampton’s leading rusher with 65 yards on 19 carries.

“We were able to grind it out a bit tonight,” DeMatteo said. “Our offensive line played well, our quarterback managed the game well.

“We win and lose games as a team. I’m proud of the overall effort tonight.”

Christy paced Knoch with 20 carries for 90 yards, but the Knights offense did little else.

Herrit was sacked four times and the Knights couldn’t put any type of drive together all night.

“This was a tough week of practice. We had guys out sick here and there and couldn’t get into any kind of groove,” King said. “I give Jake Herrit credit, though. He’s had a 101 temperature and came out here and gave what he had.

“When your offense struggles like ours did ... I’m not going to make any snap judgments. We’ll look at the film. We have to evaluate everything — personnel, schemes, everything — because we can’t win games in our conference playing like this.”

Hampton defeated Knoch for the fourth successive year.

The Knights have a 25-24-1 edge in the all-time series.