JEFFERSON TWP — Matt Goodlin didn't have to work overtime Friday night.

He only worked half-time.

That proved to be plenty as Knoch's senior running back rambled for 249 yards and five touchdowns in the first half alone as the Knights ran away from Beaver, 42-7, in a Northwest 8 football match-up.

The win was the 300th in Knoch football history.

Goodlin added a 49-yard run on Knoch's first offensive play of the second half. He was done for the night after that.

“(Quarterback) Kam (Grassi) was making his reads and saw their defenders staying on the line,” Knoch coach Brandon Mowry said. “That meant zone hand-offs. If they were gonna give us Matty all night, we were gonna take it.”

Goodlin's touchdowns came on yardage runs of 4, 14, 7, 44 and 1. He wound up with 298 yards for his abbreviated evening, believed to be a school record. The late Tim McNerney had rushed for 296 in a game.

“If that's a record, it's a team thing, not an individual thing,” Goodlin said. “I have to credit our offensive line, the other backs, everyone.

“Defense and special teams have been carrying us. Offense was the missing part of the puzzle. We filled that piece in tonight.”

The Knights (3-0, 2-0) rushed for 402 yards as a team. They threw the ball only twice and had no completions.

After losing a fumble on its first possession, Knoch got the ball right back three plays later. James Johnston intercepted a Tyler Ziggas pass and returned it 24 yards to the Beaver 4. That set up Goodlin's first touchdown.

“We're a young team and we need good things to happen for us early,” Beaver coach Jeff Beltz said. “We got the early turnover, then we gave it right back to them.

“The momentum got away from us pretty quick.”

A 57-yard Goodlin run set up his own 14-yard score. A 31-yard punt return by Scott Fraser gave the Knights possession inside the Beaver 10. That set up Goodlin's third score, still in the first quarter.

“This was definitely a momentum game,” Goodlin said.

Mowry agreed.

“Our goal tonight was to play a solid 48 minutes of football and be 1-0 for the week by 9:30 p.m.,” the coach said. “We hammered that in tonight.

“Our takeaways were big and our special teams played a role. This is what can happen when we put together a total game.”

Beltz admitted he had a tough time preparing his defense for Goodlin in practice.

“You just can't replicate what he does,” Beltz said. “He's a north-south runner who gets on you fast. We don't have the speed to simulate that.

“That kid is a special back. No one should ever be surprised by what hje does.”

Hunter Roenigk recovered a fumble for the Knights. Knoch's defense had eight tackles for loss among the Bobcats' 34 running plays.

Beaver slipped to 12, 0-2 with the loss. The Knights have now avenged their three consecutive losses that began the 2018 season.

Knoch travels to Highlands Friday for its first road game of the season.

Beaver 0 7 0 0 — 7

Knoch 21 14 7 0 — 42

First Quarter

K — Matt Goodlin 4 run (Justin Tristani kick), 9:34

K — Goodlin 14 run (Tristani kick), 4:37

K — Goodlin 7 run (Tristani kick), :05

Second Quarter

K — Goodlin 44 run (Tristani kick), 10:18

B — Marco Marmone 13 pass from Tyler Ziggas (Mackenzie Boyd kick), 5:09

K — Goodlin 1 run (Tristani kick), :03

Third Quarter

K — James Johnston 2 run (Tristani kick), :03

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Beaver, Tyler Ziggas 8-57, Jackson Thomas 8-13, Anthony George 5-23, TEAM 2-3, Wyatt Ringer 8-25, Jake Hilton 2-8, Isaac Pupi 1-(-5). Knoch, Matt Goodlin 21-298, Kam Grassi 5-7, Joey Wojchiechowski 1-8, Keith Washington 2-18, Gavin McGowan 2-21.

Passing: Beaver, Tyler Ziggas 6-15-59-1, Marco Mamone 0-2-0-0. Knoch, Kam Grassi 0-2-0-0.

Receiving: Beaver, Anthony George 2-25, Jackson Thomas 1-3, Marco Mamonde 2-34, Tyler King 1-(-3).