SAXONBURG — In a game dominated by defense, Knoch quarterback Dan Farinelli took a fourth-quarter snap and threw what looked to be a harmless bubble screen to receiver Cole Shinsky.

But the toss to Shinsky was a lateral, and the result was far from harmless. Shinsky took one step and fired a strike downfield to a wide-open Brennan McTighe, who strolled into the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown that sealed an emotional victory for the Knights over Highlands, 19-7.

On Senior Night at Knoch Stadium, the Golden Rams came into the game as the heavy favorites, and they could clinch a share of the Greater Allegheny Conference crown with a victory over a Knoch team that had already been eliminated from playoff contention and had numerous starters out due to injury.

Unfortunately for Highlands, the Knights played like the team with everything on the line.

“We talked about this before the game, the last couple weeks,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “These kids never gave up, no matter what happened to them. They practiced. They didn't feel sorry for themselves. They deserved that win more than about any other team I've ever coached because they never gave up.”

Defense was the theme for most of the game as Highlands scored its only touchdown on an interception return in the second quarter and the Golden Rams managed to sack Farinelli six times in the game.

Not to be outdone, the Knights forced five turnovers and held the high-powered Rams attack to only 90 yards of total offense. Highlands coach Sam Albert said his team played a bad game and was just unable to make the plays when they had to.

With neither team moving the ball offensively in the first half, Highlands held a 7-3 lead midway into the third quarter when Knoch took the ball over at its own 40-yard line.

Farinelli lined up in the shotgun in a three-wide receiver set and threw a dart down the middle of the field to star receiver Jim Larrimer, who split the secondary and scampered 60 yards for the go-ahead score.

“They came out with no one in the middle of the field so we knew that was going to be open,” said Farinelli, who finished with 225 yards passing on the night.

After Knoch's Logan Tupper kicked his second field goal to extend the lead to 13-7, the Knights forced a fumble on Highlands' first play of the ensuing drive. That's when King opened up his bag of tricks.

According to Farinelli, the Knights had seen Highlands jumping the bubble screen most of the night. So on second-and-14 at their own 49, they decided the time was right to try a wide receiver pass.

The lateral was thrown out to Shinsky, and, sure enough, the safeties and cornerbacks took the bait. As they charged toward the line of scrimmage, McTighe slid unnoticed deep behind the coverage and found himself wide open for the touchdown.

“That double pass is because Cole is a quarterback, but we kicked him out to receiver so we've been working on that all season. You just call it when it's the right time,” King said with a laugh. “No use keeping it in the pocket.”

With the Knights missing the playoffs, Friday's contest was their last of the season and emotions ran high after the game.

The players gathered together, raised their helmets high in the air and celebrated a hard-fought victory over a conference rival. Many players had tears streaming down their face as they ran across the field to celebrate with the band. Seniors were hugging their coaches for the last time on the field.

The emotions came as no surprise to Farinelli, who had a simple answer for how the Knights pulled off the big upset.

“With the help of the seniors and team chemistry. That's all,” Farinelli said.