DERRY — Senior running back Ben Tackett continues to do it all for the Knoch football team.

But Friday night, he had some help from classmate Michael Cunningham during another lopsided victory.

Tackett piled on 246 yards rushing while Cunningham added 124 more as the duo combined to rush for 370 yards and score five of the Knights' six touchdowns in a 40-7 WPIAL Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference victory at Derry Area.

“He's just amazing,” Knoch coach Mike King said about Tackett. “He continues on a very proud tradition we have at our high school with some really solid tailbacks.”

Last year it was Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin who helped lead Knoch to the WPIAL Class AAA championship game, and through three games this season, it looks like Tackett is intent on trying to take the Knights, who have outscored the opposition, 108-28, back to Heinz Field.

Tackett has accounted for 11 of the Knights' 16 touchdowns this season, rushing for 449 yards on 46 touches. On Friday, Tackett rushed for 246 yards on 16 carries and reached the end zone three times, the only game this season the senior scored fewer than four touchdowns.

“The kid is really taking full advantage of everything we're giving him and I can't ask for anything more,” King said. “He is as tough as nails.”

Not to be outdone, Cunningham rushed for 124 yards on eight carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.

“Michael did a very good job, and he's a very capable running back in his own right,” King said.

It was all Knoch in the first quarter as the Knights outgained the Trojans, 166 to minus-5, in total offense.

The Knights (3-0, 2-0) took a 7-0 lead two plays after a Derry Area three-and-out as Cunningham followed Tackett's 36-yard scamper with a 31-yard touchdown run.

Knoch punted in between a pair of DA three-and-outs, but the Knights quickly got back on track, taking a 14-0 lead on a 65-yard run by Tackett, who had more than 100 yards rushing after a ittle more than seven minutes.

Derry Area (1-2, 0-2) found life when Clint Beeman picked off Knoch quarterback Dakota Bruggeman, eventually resulting in a 33-yard score by Josh Wannamaker, trimming the Knoch lead to 14-7.

The Knights went three-and-out on their next series, and Derry Area threatened again, marching to the Knoch 16-yard line before the Trojans' 33-yard field-goal attempt was tipped and deflected wide right.

“I thought at times we looked good and at times we looked kind of sloppy,” King said. “We had a couple ugly series offensively.

“They're not always going to be touchdown drives, but you want to work your offense and do the things you feel are going to be good for you.”

Knoch did just that on its next series, as the Knights didn't take long to capitalize on Derry Area's missed field goal. Tackett broke off a 20-yard run on first down, and Cunningham found the end zone three plays later, extending the Knoch lead to 21-7 with a 35-yard touchdown run.

Knoch got the ball on its own 23 with 15 seconds left in the half, and rather than take a knee, the Knights scored another touchdown. Tackett spun off a Derry Area defender and raced 77 yards down the left sideline, giving Knoch a 27-7 halftime lead following a missed extra point.

Tackett notched his third touchdown of the night following a scoreless third period, as the senior running back made it 34-7 with a 25-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter. Sophomore Cory Godlewski, who rushed for 47 yards on seven touches, capped the scoring with a late four-yard run.

“There are some things we need to tighten up, but by and large, it's a win in the conference and you have to be happy with that because it's a tough section,” King said.

“I think we're where we want to be, but there's so much work to do in this conference. There are no easy games. We're just happy to come out of here with a win.”

The Knights play host to Hollidaysburg Area (2-0, 2-1) next Friday.