GREENSBURG — The Knoch football team jogged toward the locker room at halftime facing a 20-0 deficit, but fought its way back until a win was within reach.

Despite a golden opportunity, the early hole proved too deep.

Trailing 20-14 with two minutes and 31 seconds left on the clock, Knoch took over on the Greensburg Salem 9-yard line after a botched snap on a punt tumbled 29 yards downfield.

Two incompletions, a sack and a deflected fourth-down heave ended Knoch’s comeback hopes, as Greensburg Salem escaped Friday night with a 20-14 victory in a mutual Greater Allegheny Conference opener at Offutt Field.

“You have to learn,” said Knoch coach Mike King. “This is only a complete loss if kids don’t take something from it — understand what it takes to play four quarters of a varsity football game; understand the focus they have to have on blocking schemes; defensively, do the things that they’re coached to do.”

The Golden Lions are coming off a 2-7 season — their first in the Greater Allegheny Conference — and first-year coach Dave Keefer hopes the win will serve as a stepping stone for his program.

“It’s huge,” he said. “We have to demonstrate to people within the conference that we can play in this conference. We came in last year and didn’t necessarily establish ourselves the way we wanted to.

“Our whole plan is to reestablish our football team,” he added. “That means play physical football all the way through the fourth quarter.”

Greensburg Salem jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the opening drive. Adam Indof connected over the middle with Simeon Stevens, who found daylight toward the sideline and broke away for a 58-yard score.

The Lions stretched the advantage to 14-0 after Nate Sweeney jarred the ball loose from Dan Farinelli and Dylan Berberick pounced on the fumble. Dominque McKinley scampered through the middle for a 17-yard score on the following play.

Knoch lost another fumble early in the second quarter, and once again, Greensburg Salem immediately capitalized with a 32-yard touchdown jaunt from Ryan Zepeda.

“We have a lot of young kids,” said King. “There were a lot of penalties, a lot of mistakes.”

The Knoch defense didn’t allow a first down during the third quarter and the offense responded with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Farinelli to Jim Larrimer with 3:20 remaining the in the third quarter.

The Knights cut the deficit to 20-14 with 6:06 to go in the fourth after Farinelli found Sean Daugherty wide open over the middle on a fourth-and-10 for a 16-yard score.

The Golden Lions (1-0) tried to run out the clock, but a sack from Ty Gornick forced Greensburg to punt. The snap went awry to set the Knights up in prime position, but Marvin Barclay tipped away a Farinelli pass intended for Daugherty to secure the victory.

“We figured out a way to win,” said Keefer. “Sometimes in the game of football, it isn’t always pretty. ... We want to be successful and we found a way to be successful tonight.”

The vast majority of Knoch’s offense came through the air. Farinelli was 8-of-23 for 102 yards with two scores and an interception, while Troy Hixson — who played the second quarter behind center — was 3-of-4 for 25 yards. Daugherty led the Knights with five catches for 64 yards.

Cody Milsom recorded a team-high 33 rushing yards on 12 carries, while Knoch allowed six sacks, factoring into the team’s total of 1 yard rushing.

“It’s hard to throw the football when you have someone climbing your frame. I thought Dan did an admirable job,” said King. “We have to balance our passing game with some running game and that wasn’t there and that’s not Knoch football.

“We’re going to regroup,” King added. “We’re going to take this one as a learning experience.”

Notes: Knoch senior wide receiver Adam Albert, a captain, was unable to play. ... Greensburg defensive standout Kenny Clark left the game in the second quarter and did not return. ... The Lions had a 186-27 advantage in total offense during the first two quarters, but the Knights outgained Greensburg by 100 yards in the second half. ... The teams combined for 150 penalty yards.