This is one in a series of previews of Butler County area high school football games this Friday

JEFFERSON TWP — Practice makes perfect.

Knoch has been working ... and working and working ... on its triple option offense since first-year head coach Frank Whalen decided to go with that mode of attack this summer.

“Jake (Herrit, quarterback) has proably taken 1,000 snaps with this offense by now,” Whalen said. “He knows it. He's getting comfortable with it.”

That showed in the Knights' season-opening 39-13 Northwest Nine win at Blackhawk last week. Knoch opens its home schedule at 7 p.m. Friday, taking on West Mifflin in a non-conference game.

The Titans — 26-24 winners over Trinity in their opener — handed Knoch a 42-0 defeat early last season.

“That was one of those games that got away,” said West Mifflin coach Ray Braszo, in his 24th season. “This is a totally different team we're playing — new offense, new defense, new coach.

“They look a lot like Navy in how they're running that triple option. Laurel Highlands uses that offense and we play them every year, so we've seen it. But when you execute as well as Knoch did last week, it's tough to stop.”

The Knights threw only three passes against Blackhawk. Ivan Stapchuk had 30 carries for 212 yards and five touchdowns while Herrit had 14 carries for 46 yards.

“Ivan doesn't get those carries if Jake doesn't make the right read,” Whalen pointed out. “And if Jake keeps the ball, he has another decision to make, whether to run with it or pitch it.

“His decision-making has been excellent. I can think of only four or five plays where he should have done something else with the ball. That's pretty good.

“But any offense starts with the offensive line. We were getting a push up front and everyone up front handled his responsibilities,” Whalen added.

West Mifflin is a team that likes to run the football as well. Howie Reid rushed for 876 yards and 16 touchdowns last season — averaging well over 10 yards per carry — before breaking his leg late in the year.

Reid had 20 carries for 56 yards and two touchdowns last week.

“He did OK, but he's not totally back yet,” Braszo said. “Howie is working hard and I expect him to keep getting better. But he's not 100 percent year. He's just not there.”

Receiver Zkkron “Ziggy” Patterson had two catches for 74 yards and intercepted two passes for the Titans last week.

“Ziggy has great speed./ He's an outstanding track runner, too,” Braszo said. “We don't win last week without him.”

Dontae Braxron is a senior quarterback making his second varsity start behind center this week. He only threw three passes last week.

“He started on defense for us last year, so he's not totally new to this,” Braszo said.

Whalen lauded his defense's performance against Blackhawk, particularly end Tanner Grassi and linebackers Eric Green, Andrew Mullen and Jarrett Bricker.

“That whole unit played well,” the coach said. “@We're going to need them again, because West Mifflin brings a lot of speed and a lot of athleticism.”