Dominant First Half Performance Lifts Purchase Line Football Past West Shamokin, 41-14
Tagged under: District 6, Gameday Hub, News, pfn
Isaac Markle | September 18, 2026
Feature photo by Sara Aikens-Freno
Purchase Line Football warms up prior to their dominant win over West Shamokin on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 (photo by Isaac Markle)
With Purchase Line High School taking a day off in observance of the 109th Cookport Fair Day, the Red Dragons football team had plenty of time to prepare on Friday before facing off against West Shamokin. Senior runningback and kicker Matt Johnston put up a three-touchdown performance as part of a dominant offensive game, leading the Dragons to a 41-14 victory over the Wolves.
Purchase Line runningback Zander Davis opened the scoring on the opening drive for Purchase Line, giving them a lead they would go on to keep for the entirety of the matchup.
Later on in the first quarter, quarterback Nolan Engle ran it in on first and goal for the team’s second touchdown, making the score 13-0, where it would stay going into the second quarter.
Although West Shamokin quarterback and safety Cole Wingard picked off a pass from Engle early on in the second quarter, Purchase Line was able to make a critical stop near midfield, allowing him to set his offense up inside the ten with a pass to Maddox Frantz. Johnston would run it in for his first touchdown of the game, making it 20-0.
Near the midpoint of the quarter, the Dragons looked to have stalled out after a penalty forced them back to around midfield. However, Johnston was able to execute a fake punt to perfection, running in his second touchdown to make it 27-0. Johnston added on yet another touchdown, a 34-yard reception from Engle, before the end of the half. Davis added on a two-point conversion, making the score 35-0 Purchase Line by the end of the first half.
The defense did its part to start the third quarter, shutting down the Wolves offense with a three-and-out. Though a holding penalty drove Purchase Line back to their own 30, Engle broke away for a 70-yard touchdown run, making it 41-0.
On the Dragons’ next drive, they were more than comfortable with allowing the backups into the game, and although West Shamokin scored two touchdowns, courtesy of sophomore Maddax Johns and senior Christian Wilcox respectively, it was too little too late for the Wolves, and the Purchase Line Red Dragons football team claimed their second victory of the season.
“Our whole team knew that this game was a very winnable game, which I think motivated all of us,” said Engle following the win, “There was a lot of tweaking on little things. Especially after playing against Cambria Heights. I think we got a lot of time to develop our offense, so just a lot of tweaks here and there.”
The Wolves took a third loss despite a dominant performance of their own a week prior. Meanwhile, Purchase Line bounced back yet again, claiming its first home win of the season after a deflating road loss to Brayden DeArmitt and the Highlanders.
Next week, West Shamokin will visit the home-standing Marion Center Stingers, who are coming off of their first loss of the 2026 season. Purchase Line will also hit the road to face their backyard rivals, the Penns Manor Comets.
Photo by Sara Aikens-Freno:
- Senior runningback Micah Lotson steps over a Wolves defender
