JEFFERSON TWP — Defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory.

Then Knoch snatched it back.

The Knights scored the winning points on a 1-yard run by quarterback Max Wiley and extra point by Whitaker Schwalm with 1:51 to play, hanging on from there for a 21-20 home non-section football victory over McGuffey on Friday night at Knoch High School.

But so much happened before that.

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“We would not have won this game last year,” Knoch coach T.J. Wiley said. “This is a different group. They showed their resilience.”

Trailing 14-12 late in the third quarter, McGuffey (1-1) faced a third-and-5 from the Knoch 28, in the middle of a ball-control drive. But a bad snap was covered by the Knights’ Josh Hollenbaugh and Knoch (2-0) began a drive the other way.

Ethan Rouleau carried the ball 12 times on a 14-play drive that took the ball inside the Highlanders’ 5. But on fourth-and-goal from the 2, he was stopped for no gain. Two plays later, Dennis Furmanek broke loose for a 98-yard scoring run. A conversion rush gave McGuffey a 20-14 edge with 4:49 left.

“After that, no one thought we were gonna win this game,” Coach Wiley said.

Max Wiley connected with Evan Fink for a 49-yard gain on a screen pass, however, moving the ball to the McGuffey 15.

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“We weren’t looking for a home run on that play ... but that’s what we got,” quarterback Wiley said.

Rouleau — who rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown — left the game a play later with leg cramps.

Knoch faced fourth-and-1 from the 6-yard line.

“My teammates carried me to that point,” Max Wiley said. “I wanted the ball. I wanted it to be on my shoulders.”

Wiley ran 5 yards to the 1-yard line, then scored on the next play to knot the game. Schwalm’s PAT gave the Knights a 21-20 lead.

“All the credit in the world goes to Whitaker for making that kick,” Coach Wiley said. “He had never played football before this year.”

Schwalm missed field goal tries from 27 and 48 yards in the first half. Both attempts were a result of errant snaps that eluded the quarterback, costing Knoch touchdown opportunities from inside the McGuffey 20.

The Highlanders did not go quietly.

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On the game’s final possession, they drove across the 50 on a 9-yard run by quarterback Dante Gadani on fourth-and-5 with seconds remaining. But Gadani was sacked by Cameron Lang on the next play and his desperation pass was intercepted on the game’s final play.

“We had (four) turnovers tonight that hurt us,” McGuffey coach Nate Parry said. “We made too many mistakes that cost us the game. But I’m proud of our boys. They kept fighting.

“We won the second half. We just came up a point short in the end. They blocked a PAT in the first half. That was the ultimate difference.”

Max Wiley threw for 200 yards, including a 72-yard TD strike to Roman DeFelice in the first half. Wiley attempted only two passes in the second half.

DeFelice caught four passes for 95 yards but was lost to a collarbone injury in the second half.

“That changed the dynamic of what we were doing offensively,” Coach Wiley said.

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McGuffey rushed for 382 yards and has over 700 yards rushing in two games. Furmanek rushed for 160 yards, Caleb Simons for 142 yards and two touchdowns. The Highlanders did not compete a pass and were intercepted twice.

“They were more physical than us for much of this game,” Coach Wiley said.

Knoch travels to Ambridge in Week 3.

McGuffey 6 0 6 8 — 20

Knoch 14 0 0 7 — 21

1st Quarter

K — Roman DeFelice 72 pass from Max Wiley (Whitaker Schwalm kick), 10:32

M — Caleb Simons 59 run (kick blocked), 6:16

K — Ethan Rouleau 2 run (Schalm kick), :56

3rd Quarter

M — Simons 2 run (run failed), 7:01

4th Quarter

M — Dennis Furmanek 98 run (Dante Gadani run), 4:49

K — Wiley 1 run (Schwalm kick), 1:51

Individual Statistics

Passing: McGuffey, Dante Gadani 0-5-0-2. Knoch, Max Wiley 11-14-200-0.

Rushing: McGuffey, Dante Gadani 9-46, Caleb Simons 12-142, Gage Clayton 4-18, Dennis Furmanek 11-160, TEAM 1-(-11), Kash Main 4-21, Blake Ewig 2-4, Dristen McAnallen 1-2. Knoch, Max Wiley 7-22, Carter Beres 1-5, Ethan Rouleau 20-111, Roman DeFelice 1-20, TEAM 3-(-26), Ashton Mosby 1-(-3), Cameron Lang 3-8, Blake Montgomery 2-4.

Receiving: Knoch, Carter Beres 2-14, Roman DeFelice 4-95, Ethan Rouleau 2-30, Evan Fink 2-54, Kaeden Myers 1-7.