JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch is well aware of its football identity.

Fox Chapel? Still looking.

The Foxes aren't even certain who's going to be on the field for them when they invade Saxonburg for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday.

First-year coach Eric Ravotti, a Freeport graduate and former Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker, picked up his first win last week. The Foxes defeated Altoona, 28-14, despite missing starting quarterback Noel Wilson and starting running back Carrington Vaughn due to injury, suffering three turnovers and 100 yards in penalties.

“Noel brings a whole new dimension to our offense,” Ravotti said. “He's an unbelievable athlete, the best one on our team.

“We like to spread a defense out and get Noel out in space, just like Knoch likes to do with their quarterback (Ky Kenyon). We're very similar that way.”

Ravotti lists Wilson as probable this week, “though we may hold him out just to buy him another week.”

Three quarterbacks — Alex Romango, Matt Dunlap and Billy Urso — played against Altoona. Ravotti said two of them will play against Knoch if Wilson doesn't play.

Vaughn has been ruled out for this game, but sophomore running back Nigel Garrett is in. Garrett rushed for 108 yards and caught passes for another 112, including two touchdowns last week.

“He's an important player for them, a name you have circled on the bulletin board,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “He's quick, shifty and elusive. He'll be a handful.”

The Knights have been more than that to their opposition thus far. Knoch has outscored Brashear, Albert Gallatin and Valley by a 136-15 margin this season.

King knows greater challenges lie ahead. So does his team.

The Foxes have lost 63 of their 80 games played since 2003, including a 40-21 decision to Knoch last year. Still, Fox Chapel may be one of those challenges.

“They are much bigger than us and have a powerful offensive line,” King said. “But we tell our kids all the time, ‘It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.' We're gonna have to bring it come Friday.”

One of those linemen — 6-foot-6, 285-pound Adam Bisnowaty — has already received numerous Division I offers.

“We've got a new staff in place this year and we're building a new identity,” Ravotti said. “We took some big strides last week, especially on defense, but we've got a long way to go.”

Fox Chapel's defense allowed 35 points to Baldwin and 42 to Seneca Valley the first two weeks.

The worrisome matchup for Ravotti is his defense against Knoch's versatile attack.

“We're not gonna shut them down,” he said. “We have to find a way to hold them down enough to outscore them. Against that team ... a couple of missed assignments or kids caught out of position and it's 21-0.”

Kenyon has thrown for 234 yards and six touchdowns, rushed for 252 yards and three TDs. Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin has rushed for 277 yards and four scores.

Ben Tackett has four catches for 74 yards and a TD to top the Knoch receiving corps.

“We've got a lot of weapons and we've been patient, just taking what defenses give us,” King said. “Everyone will play a significant role eventually.

“This season has started out much like last year's, only the kids have gone through it twice now. They know bigger challenges are ahead.”

King said linebackers Luke Kroneberg and Mike Cunningham — both juniors — along with the secondary mix of Alex Strezeski, Mac Megahan, Rumburg-Goodlin, Kenyon and Dakota Bruggeman have sparked the defense.

“We've got a lot of veteran guys back there,” the coach said.