TITUSVILLE, Pa. – In a game that determined the top Class 3A team in Region 4, it was a vintage performance from Ethan Knox and the Oil City offensive line that led to a 38-12 win over Titusville.
Rewatch the game:
Knox carried a whopping 55 times for 345 yards and four touchdowns for the Oilers, who had the ball for all but two plays in the second quarter in building a 22-6 halftime advantage.
See Knox’s full postgame interview:
“It was ground and pound up the middle, up the middle up the middle, first down, first down, first down up until we scored, and that’s how we did it,” Knox said.
The only blemish on Knox’s night was a fumble on the Oilers’ opening drive.
The two teams traded early scores, as Knox punched it in from four yards out with 3:15 to go in the first quarter, that coupled with the two-point conversion, made it 8-0.
Titusville responded with a drive that ended in an 18-yard touchdown run from Kameron Mong on the first play of the second quarter.
That was one of just two offensive plays in the quarter for the Rockets.
Oil City responded with a drive that resulted in a 6-yard touchdown run from Knox with 5:02 to go in the second quarter.
Coach Dan York’s Oiler rolled the dice after the score, attempting and recovering an onside kick. That proved to pay dividends, as Knox capped off a nearly 5-minute drive with 22 seconds to go in the second quarter that made it 22-6.
After the kickoff, Titusville ran it’s only other play of the quarter, with Gavin Stephens picking off an Ian MacDonald pass.
The Oilers essentially iced the game away in the third quarter, forcing a Titusville three-and-out to open the half and responding with a 5-minute drive that ended with Knox’s fourth touchdown, this one from two yards out that was set up by his longest run of the game, a 53-yarder.
Titusville scored just 58 seconds later as Jaxon Covell, who finished with 118 yards on the ground, broke loose for a 51-yard score to make it 30-12.
The Oilers put the finishing touches on the game by going to the air on their following drive, as Cole Findlay hit Jon Hargenrader with a 26-yard touchdown pass.
Findlay finished 2-of-5 through the air for 34 yards.
McDonald was 7-of-13 for 50 yards for Titusville, while Mong had 31 yards rushing and 22 yards receiving.
CORRY 14, FORT LEBOEUF 7
CORRY, Pa. – Nolan Carey threw for a touchdown and ran for another as Corry upended Fort LeBeouf, 14-7.
The win comes on the heels of the Beavers’ 42-14 win over Girard last week.
Carey threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Rylan Smith in the first quarter to give Corry a 7-0 lead. It was the only score of the first half.
Carey’s 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter made it 14-0.
Carey finished with 114 yards through the air and 87 on the ground.
LeBoeuf got on the board with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Connor McChesney to Hunter Villa, but couldn’t get any closer. McCheney finished with 136 yards through the air.
MCDOWELL 52, BUTLER 12
ERIE, Pa. – Blayze Myer was 15-of-18 passing for 205 yards and three touchdowns as McDowell built a 42-0 halftime lead on its way to a 52-12 win over Butler.
Dominic Berarducci had 88 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns for the Trojans, while Stephon Porter had 14 yards on the ground and a pair of scores.
Jackson Johns, Leo Whitaker and James Zigler Jr. all hauled in touchdown passes from Myers, with Johns leading the way with 51 receiving yards.
Kameron Bastow added a 52-yard pick six for McDowell in the second half and Alex Sontheimer booted a 28-yard field goal.
CATHEDRAL PREP 38, ERIE 8
ERIE, Pa. – Luke Costello ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as Cathedral Prep beat Erie, 38-8.
Costello accounted for touchdown runs of 18 and eight yards in the first half, and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Dajoure Hollingsworth in the third quarter to put the running clock in effect.
Hollingsworth opened the scoring in the first quarter for Prep with a 79-yard touchdown run in the first half, while Suhtaun Lewis had a 37-yard scoring strike.
Hollingsworth finished with 186 yards of total offense.
Cam Christman also had a 34-yard field goal for Prep.
Quani Darnell threw a touchdown pass to Markel Pope in the fourth quarter for Erie.
FRANKLIN 27, CONNEAUT 14
LINESVILLE, Pa. – Cole Buckley had a pair of fourth quarter touchdown runs to break a 14-14 tie and lift Franklin to a 27-14 win over Conneaut.
Conneaut’s Joe Furgiuele scored on a 1-yard run with 39 seconds left in the third quarter that, coupled with the two-point conversion, tied the game at 14-14.
Buckley proceeded to lead the Knights on a 99-yard drive that was capped off by his 25-yard touchdown run with 8:51 to play.
After a Franklin stop, Buckley put the finishing touches on the win by breaking free for a 64-yard run with under two minutes to play, finishing with 201 yards on the ground.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first half, with Franklin leading 7-6 at halftime on the strength of Bryson Watson’s 6-yard touchdown run.
Conneaut got within 7-6 on Furgiuele’s 50-yard scamper in the second quarter.
Buckley came out in the third quarter and had his first long touchdown run, this one covering 76 yards, putting Franklin up 14-6 before CASH tied up the game late in the third.
Buckley also had two of Franklin’s five interceptions on defense, with Dreyden Payne also notching two interceptions for the Knights.
GENERAL MCLANE 49, GIRARD 14
EDINBORO, Pa. – General McLane built a 35-7 halftime lead en route to its fifth win of the season, 49-14 over Girard.
Isaac Zietz connected with brother Jacob Zietz for three touchdowns – all in the first half.
Isaac Zeitz finished with 66 passing yards, all but one of which went to his brother.
Ian Salisbury had 58 yards on three carries and a pair of touchdowns for the Lancers.
WHEELING CENTRAL CATHOLIC 49, HARBOR CREEK 20
HARBORCREEK, Pa. – Heath Betza threw for 158 yards and a touchdown, but it was visiting Wheeling Central Catholic that earned a 49-20 win over Harbor Creek.
Tyshawn Jones also had 92 yards on the ground for the Huskies.
MEADVILLE 53, WARREN 0
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Bradyn Miller ran for three touchdowns and Brighton Anderson two as Meadville improved to 7-2 with a 53-0 win over Warren.
Three different Bulldogs – Miller, Anderson (47 yards) and Jacoby Thompson (38 yards) scored on rushing touchdowns to stake the Bulldogs to a 20-0 lead after the first quarter.
Anderson and Jordan Lawrence (51 yards) scored on touchdown runs in the second quarter as Meadville led 34-0 at halftime.
Miller had a 39-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, while Nic Williams added a 9-yard score.
