JEFFERSON TWP - With a large and experienced offensive line, a football team can go places, particularly the end zone.

Franklin Regional proved that idea Friday against Knoch, rolling up 365 yards on the ground in a 47-15 victory over the Knights in a Greater Allegheny Conference game.

Robby Armstrong rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns, with those scores coming in a 24-point second quarter to help the Panthers pull away.

"I told our kids it's not who we play, but about us getting better," said Franklin Regional coach Greg Botta. "Our line was susceptible earlier in the year.

"It's just one of those years. We do have a lot of talent. We have a good group of kids and we expect to do well," Botta added.

"The offensive line they have, they have some big, powerful kids," said Knoch coach Mike King. "That's one of the best offensive lines I've seen."

Leading the offensive line, as well as the defensive line, is 270-pound Pitt recruit John Malecky.

His play helped to open some holes for Franklin Regional (6-1, 4-1), which jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Glenn Halperin's 27-yard field goal with in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, however, the Panthers scored on all four of their possessions.

Armstrong scored on a 10-yarder on the first play of the quarter, then added a 9-yard scoring run 4½ minutes later for a 17-0 Panthers lead.

"He's a powerful back," said King. "He runs the ball and we have three or four guys trying to tackle him and he keeps moving the ball forward."

Knoch (2-5, 1-3) answered when quarterback Jordan Shoop tossed a short pass to Curtis Howard, who split a pair of defenders and sprinted for a 45-yard score with 4:32 left before halftime.

Franklin Regional, however, went on a 10-play, 56-yard drive, capped by a 3-yard run by quarterback Brad Phillips with 40 seconds left.

On the ensuing drive, Shoop was intercepted on the first play and the Panthers set up at their own 45-yard line. Completions of 25 and 20 yards sandwiched an incomplete pass and Halperin kicked a 28-yarder as time expired to give Franklin Regional a 27-7 halftime advantage.

The Knights ran just nine plays on their first three possessions for minus-19 yards before scoring, but the interception was the Knights' only other possession of the first half.

"Our defense was a strength coming back this year," said Botta. "We didn't play well early against Plum and Greensburg Salem, but we're finally starting to jell."

In the second half, the Panthers began replacing players, and backup quarterback Lenny Gallo's first run from scrimmage resulted in a 41-yard score just three plays into the half. Fullback Geno Lodovico's 3-yarder with 4:12 left in the quarter opened up a 41-7 lead.

Anthony Guida 2-yard scoring run with 9:57 left kicked in the mercy rule.

Aaron Shaw scored on a 2-yarder with 2:46 left and Kiel Boschele caught a conversion pass from Zach Gross to close out the scoring.

Notes:

Howard caught three passes for 57 yards … The Panthers averaged 8.1 yards per carry and had 18 of their 22 first downs on the ground.