Knoch explodes, 70-14
JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch came out fast and furious against Kittanning on Friday — not even the mud could slow it down.
The Knights scored touchdowns on their first eight possessions — needing just 19 plays to do so — and rolled to a 70-14 Allegheny Conference football victory.
Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin rushed nine times for 231 yards and five touchdowns, all coming in the first half to pave the way to a school record for points scored in one game.
The offensive line of center Chad Tudor, left guard Sam Montgomery, right guard Austin Slupe, right tackle Nathan Anuskiewicz and left tackle Eric Klein played a near-flawless game.
“I can't say enough about our offensive line,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “They were a big question mark coming into the season ... The kids did a tremendous job.
“Chad Tudor handling a slimy ball and not one bad snap. They executed extremely well considering the terrible field conditions,” King added.
“(Knoch) beat us in every aspect of the game,” said Kittanning coach Sam Panchik. “Part of it was we didn't tackle. We got a spurt a couple of times ... but we came out flat and stayed flat the whole game. We were just beaten by a better team.”
Knoch (7-0, 4-0) set the tone early as Rumburg-Goodlin just needed carries of 20 and 40 yards to stake the Knights to the early lead.
Kittanning (1-6, 1-3) countered with a 95-yard kickoff return by Jud Toth to tie the game, but the Knights would score the next 56 points.
Mac Megahan's 63-yard scoring pass from Ky Kenyon made it 14-7 just 1:02 into the game.
Rumburg-Goodlin added scoring runs of 4 and 53 yards and Megahan a 17-yarder to give the Knights a 35-7 lead with 22 seconds left in the first quarter.
Three more scores in the second quarter — a 53-yard run by Rumburg-Goodlin, a 75-yard interception return by Alex Strezeski and a 51-yarder by Rumburg-Goodlin — opened up a 56-7 halftime advantage.
Knoch had 400 total yards at the break, 310 on the ground, while limiting the Wildcats to 26 total yards in the first half.
“I thought we could make tackles inside and we couldn't do it,” Panchik said. “We didn't come to play and I'm embarrassed.”
“The kids were not happy with what happened last week (allowing 31 points in a win over Indiana),” King said. “We turned the ball over. They made it a point to come back.”
Ben Tackett added a 78-yard touchdown run in the third quarter before Kittanning went on a six-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a Mitchel Scholl 10-yard run with 7:22 to play.
Adam Albert closed out the scoring 1:15 later when he scored from 50 yards out, giving the Knights their fifth scoring run from 50 yards or more and sixth from 40 yards or more.
Panchik was impressed with what he saw from the Knights Friday.
“Don't be surprised if they're playing at Heinz Field (for the WPIAL championship game),” Panchik noted. “That's the fastest team I've seen in a long time.”
Notes: The Knights have outscored their opponents 300-66 ... Through seven games, Rumburg-Goodlin has rushed for 1.043 on 106 carries and 18 touchdowns ... Knoch returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Highlands.
