WEST MIFFLIN — Knoch looked to have an answer for Jimmy Wheeler, then Derrick Fulmore came to the rescue.

In Friday's WPIAL Class AAA first-round football playoff game against West Mifflin, Wheeler opened the game with a 68-yard touchdown run on the first offensive play to give the Titans an early lead.

The Knights limited West Mifflin to 19 more first-half yards, but in the second half, Fulmore, the team's quarterback, helped shoulder the running load.

His 71-yard scoring run late in the third quarter gave the Titans the lead for good in a 28-14 victory.

Wheeler finished the game with 187 yards on 26 carries and three touchdowns, while Fulmore added 133 on 20 carries and one score.

Fulmore's run capped a six-play, 99-yard drive with 1:56 left in the third quarter that gave the Titans a 13-7 lead.

“We were slugging it out and they do have some explosive weapons,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “If we hold them there, we'd still be in it. (Fulmore) did a fantastic job.”

“We went with the quarterback counter and it started working,” West Mifflin coach Ray Braszo said. “They didn't have an answer for that.

“Then, Wheeler started getting hot and our line was blocking better, too,” Braszo added.

On Knoch's next possession, Dakota Bruggeman was intercepted by Jimmy Keys to give West Mifflin the ball on the Knoch 27.

Three plays later, Wheeler scored from 16 yards out to help open up a 21-7 lead with 9:33 to play.

Knoch needed just two plays to make it a one-possession game as Mike Cunningham pulled in a Bruggeman pass that was deflected by a Titans defensive back on a 57-yard hook-up. Bruggeman ran it in on the next play to make it 21-14 with nine minutes remaining.

The Titans, however, needed just two plays to counter, a 1-yard and 55-yard run by Wheeler, that would prove to seal the game.

“Anytime you get open and get them a little room, they can take off,” Braszo said. “Fulmore is shifty and Wheeler has great speed.”

The Knights, however, were seemingly in control in the first half.

After allowing Wheeler that initial scoring run, Knoch went on an 11-play, 66-yard drive — which included a pair of fourth-down conversions — culminated by a 26-yard Tackett run.

The Titans went three-and-out on their next three possessions and picked up only one other first down late in the first half while running down the clock.

The Knights went on drives of 10 and 12 plays, but came away with nothing as both possessions stalled thanks to untimely penalties.

On the second possession of the game, Knoch had a fourth-and-4 at the WM 24 before Bruggeman connected on what appeared to be a first down, but a motion penalty made the squad try again. This time, a 2-yard pass forced Knoch to turn the ball over on downs.

In the second quarter, Knoch had a first-and-goal at the 9, but a holding call pushed the Knights back to the 20. They worked the drive down to a fourth-and-goal at the 2, but Bruggeman's rollout pass was knocked away by Marcus Martin with 3:22 left before the half.

“You can't play football against a team like (West Mifflin) and not convert,” King said. “They're an explosive football team. We knew that and we didn't capitalize.”

Knoch outgained the Titans 190-87 in the first half and ran 36 offensive plays to 15 for the Titans but were tied 7-all at the break.

“We were right where you want to be at halftime,” King said. “I thought we'd go for the touchdown instead of the field goal. I still think that was the right call.”

The Knights received 86 yards from Tackett on 20 carries, although he had just 2 yards on four carries in the second half. Bruggeman threw for 207 yards on 14-of-27 passing with two interceptions.