JEFFERSON TWP — One win would be nice. Knoch coach Tim Burchett believes his team deserves so much more.

The Knights (0-9, 0-4) close their season with a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday against Valley (1-8, 0-4) at Butler’s Art Bernardi Stadium.

“I feel like we could have three or more wins right now and be headed to the playoffs,” Burchett said. “We’ve dropped some tough ones. These kids should be playing more football.

“We had a very spirited practice today (Tuesday). Nobody wants this to end yet.”

Sophomore quarterback Codi Mullen has thrown for 1,377 yards this season and has a chance to set Knoch’s single-season passing yardage record, which s over 1,500. He’s spread the ball around as Jake Murphy has 600 yards receiving, Jackson Bauman 300 and Exzavier Johnson 200.

The Knights have dropped one-point decisions to Indiana and Deer Lakes this year. Southmoreland defeated the Knights by nine points and Knoch had a 21-17 lead on East Allegheny with five minutes remaining before succumbing in a 31-21 loss.

“That’s been the story of our season,” Burchett said. “We just haven’t been able to finish.”

Valley’s lone win this year is a 20-13 decision over Uniontown on Sept. 23. The Vikings are coming off a 62-19 loss at Freeport. Senior Lamontae Jones started at quarterback for the first time and threw for 122 yards, though he threw five interceptions.

“He had been a defensive end and offensive lineman before that game,” Valley coach Dave Heavner said. “Lamontae did play quarterback in junior high, though. We were looking for a change, a way to spark our offense, and he did that.”

Jones will be back behind center this week.

Xavier Wilson and Dallas Price are the Vikings’ top two running backs. Wilson leads the team with five touchdowns. Their top linemen is two-way tackle Demetrius Beller, who stands 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, and is getting some college looks.

“We’ve struggled offensively all year,” Heavner said. “In weeks six and seven, we didn’t score a touchdown for eight quarters.

“Knoch has been playing better every week. They are well-coached and run an innovative offense. Both teams are hungry for this game. It’s a chance to get a section win and to close the season with a win.”

Burchett said he’s learned to accept the growing pains that come with building a program.

“I have to admit, I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself next week,” he said. “But our goal this year was to get the ball into the hands of a lot of people and move it downfield. We’ve done that.

“It’s hard to learn how to win. We’ll get there.”

Clearfield (7-2) at

Karns City (5-4)

7 p.m., Friday

Clearfield topped Central Mountain last week, 21-6. Karns City is coming off a 42-14 defeat of Bradford.

The Bison are a run-heavy team, averaging just 59.5 passing yards per game. Sophomore RB Brady Collins has gained 1,221 yards on the ground with an 8.5-yard average and 13 TDs. As a team, Clearfield puts up an average of 266 rushing yards per game. Of the team’s 33 pass completions, eight have gone for scores.

With a win, Karns City would post its fourth straight winning season. In last week’s victory, QB Eric Booher completed 9 of 12 passes for 153 yards and a TD. Levi Hawk gained 93 of KC’s 292 yards rushing and Nathan Hess (2), Mason Martin, Braden Slater and Cooper Coyle each scored on the ground.

Union/A-C Valley (5-4)

at Punxsutawney (5-4)

7 p.m., Friday

Union/A-C Valley defeated Ridgway last week, 26-19. Punxsutawney beat Brookville, 21-13.

Last week, the Falcon Knights managed a 19-play, 96-yard drive that culminated with a TD run in the 3rd quarter from QB Brody Dittman, who finished the game with 50 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.

Stopping the run will be a focal point for Union/A-C Valley. Punxsutawney senior RB Zeke Bennett has bulled his way to 1,102 yards this season. He has six 100-yard games to his credit, including a 206-yard, 3-TD effort against Kane. The Chucks have sacked opposing QBs 21 times this season, with Anthony Gould leading the way with 7.

Deer Lakes (4-5)

at Freeport (8-1)

7 p.m., Friday

Freeport had to work early, but raced away late in a 62-19 road win against Valley last week. The Lancers were blanked, 20-0, at home against Shady Side Academy.

With their output against the Vikings, the Yellowjackets passed the 60-point threshold for the second time this year. This marks the first time in program history — dating back a century — that the team has bested that mark twice in a season. On 81 gives, senior running back Ben Lane has racked up 840 rushing yards, the most for Freeport since Austin Romanchak’s 1,027 in 2018.

Deer Lakes has suffered two straight setbacks after a three-game win streak. Junior Derek Burk quarterbacks the offense, having thrown for 136.9 yards per game. Wayne Love (428 receiving yards) and Zier Williams (463 rushing yards) are some of his weapons.

Keystone (5-4)

at Moniteau (1-6)

7 p.m., Friday

Moniteau bowed to DuBois at home last Friday, 42-0. The Panthers gave Port Allegany a good fight, but lost, 20-10.

The Warriors have fallen in three straight contests by a combined score of 129-14. Senior Hunter Stalker has rumbled for 663 yards and has turned in three 100-yard performances this go-round.

Keystone got out to a 3-0 start, but has won only one of its last four outings — a 45-13 home win over lowly Kane. Senior Kyle Nellis has run for 731 yards on 105 carries, while Tyler Albright leads the team in all-purpose yardage (1,329).

The Panthers have won three of these teams’ past four meetings, including a 31-13 decision a year ago.

Summit Academy (1-8)

at Union (New Castle) (6-3)

7 p.m., Friday

The Knights lost their sixth straight at home against Laurel last Saturday, 68-14. Union was toppled by South Side, 35-8.

Summit Academy is winless in WPIAL Class 1A Big Seven Conference play. They’ve given up a total of 440 points this season, the most in District 7, regardless of classification.

The Scotties were on a three-game win streak — including a hard-fought 6-0 triumph against Rochester — before they fell flat last week. They managed only 136 yards in that defeat.