JEFFERSON TWP - Knoch learned a valuable lesson on the importance of catching passes in a 34-12 high school football loss to Moon Friday night.

"We gotta catch the ball," Knoch coach Mike King said.

According to King, the Knights' game plan was to attack Moon with the passing game.

"That was our plan today. You put him (quarterback Jordan Shoop) back there in the shotgun a little bit and try to be able to give him a little time to throw it," King said.

Shoop threw the ball 28 times but completed only 11 passes.

On Knoch's second possession, senior Curtis Compton dropped a pass in the end zone.

"If we catch the ball in the first half, I think we have a much better chance of hanging with them in the second half," King said.

"Their receivers definitely helped us out by dropping balls," Moon coach Mark Capuano said.

"They had guys open. He didn't have much time, but he did a good job of moving around the pocket," the coach added.

Moon scored the first touchdown in the first quarter when sophomore Casey Williams scampered into the end zone on a fake field goal.

"We actually planned to fake the extra point, so we just went ahead with the play anyway," Capuano said.

Knoch answered when Shoop connected on a 14-yard floater to senior Ryan Hollihan.

Moon scored again late in the first quarter when Williams ran 20 yards up the middle for a touchdown.

"Casey Williams ran the ball real hard tonight," Capuano said. Williams finished the night with 108 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Moon scored on its ensuing drive when senior quarterback Matthew Dowdell fell forward on a 2-yard keeper.

Moon scored in the third quarter when Dowdell connected with senior tight end Chad Trenney for a 10-yard touchdown.

Moon scored its last touchdown as the final seconds of the third quarter ticked away.

Dowdell hooked up with senior Robert Francis, who ran across the goal line as the horn sounded to end the quarter.

Knoch scored the only touchdown of the fourth quarter on a 49-yard run from senior running back David Bergamasco with 5:54 remaining.

Knoch will play its first conference game next week against Hampton.

"I saw a lot of good things tonight. guys playing four quarters of football," King said.

"We've gotta fix a few things, but we're not as far off as that score indicates."