Crunch time for Knoch
MURRYSVILLE — There’s not much breathing room in the Greater Allegheny.
The conference sports seven teams with two to four league wins. Knoch is among four teams with two wins each.
The Knights (3-2, 2-2), coming off a 20-9 loss to Hampton, still play the three teams ahead of them in the standings. That stretch of games begins at Franklin Regional (4-1, 3-1) at 7 p.m. Friday.
“We would have liked to have won last week to put ourselves in the driver’s seat a bit,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “But now all of these games are big. It’s no different from the type of situation we were in at this time last year.
“People always say they’d rather see us in more 35-0 games, but that’s not why you practice and prepare. Kids enjoy playing in big, meaningful games and that’s what we have from here on out.”
The Panthers have won six of the most recent seven regular season meetings between the teams, including a 23-13 decision last year. Knoch did score a 9-7 win over Franklin Regional in the 2011 WPIAL Class AAA semifinals.
“It’s always a tough, physical game when we play Knoch,” Panthers coach Greg Botta said. “I have a lot of respect for Mike King and that program.
“They have a hard-nosed, physical line, a good running back and their linebackers will come up and smack you in the rear end. That’s who they are.”
Franklin Regional has had to adjust its own indentity this year.
“We lost 10 starters from one side of the ball and nine from the other,” Botta said. “We anticipated having to fight for our lives. I figured we’d be lucky to go 5-5, so I’m pretty pleased.”
Charan Singh, a wide receiver last year, has moved to quarterback and had completed 21 of 43 passes for 240 yards through four games. He rushed for 244 yards and two scores.
Brett Zanotto — the team’s top defensive player — has rushed for 205 yards and six TDs while Paul Emanuele has rushed for 203 yards and a single touchdown.
“Charan is more of a running threat at quarterback than a passer,” Botta said. “We’ve been working on our passing game and it’s coming along.”
The Panthers have had to deal with the loss of 290-pound guard-defensive end Adam Mihoci to a torn ACL a few weeks ago. He was one of the team’s few returning starters.
“Adam was a Division I recruit before that injury,” Botta said. “He played the entire Highlands game on a torn ACL and didn’t know it. He’s a smart kid and the Ivy League schools are on him now.”
Knoch’s passing game has developed into a big-play attack with Dan Farinelli throwing for 637 yards and six touchdowns. Five of those scores have landed in the arms of Jim Larrimer, who has 11 catches for 226 yards.
Cody Milsom has 128 carries for 558 yards and seven TDs. No other Knight has more than 30 carries.
“We have to get smart and start spreading the ball around more,” King admitted. “If Cody was tired or run down, he’d be the last person to say so, so we have to watch for that.
“I’d like to see us improve our short and mid-range passing game a little more, too.”
Zanotto, who suffered a broken ankle last season, leads Franklin Regional defensively with 48 tackles, including seven for loss. Mark Novak and Kevin Slezak have 29 tackles each.
King credited safety Adam Albert and cornerback Asa Adams with stellar play last week against Hampton.
