Great PA Teams 2003 North Penn @KnightsLoyalty

Tagged under: District 1, Great PA Teams, News

Hal Wilson | November 6, 2019

We are pleased to run a series, Great PA Teams, by the great Hal Wilson, a long time contributor to PA High
School Football. Hal has written many stories in the past for PAFootballNews dating back to
our print days.

Pics via, Click to see more pics http://npaaa.org/NPKnightsFootball/2003_team.htm

NORTH PENN 2003

The North Penn Knights have dominated PIAA AAAA District One football since the turn of the Century. In the ten years since Dick Beck became Head Coach, the Knights have won six District One titles. The best North Penn team of all was the 2003 squad – this mighty machine combined speed with power to compile a 15-0 record and capture the AAAA State Championship.

At the end of the 21st century’s first decade, the 2003 Knights of Coach Beck were recognized by the Philadelphia Inquirer as Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Team of the Decade.

The momentum for 2003 began in the 2002 District One playoffs when the Knights overwhelmed previously undefeated and favored Downingtown on the Whippets’ home field. The Knights returned a veteran group for the highly anticipated 2003 season.

Coach Beck said recently that , “ We were loaded with talent – we had size and speed and could run and throw”.

Two-way standout Kevin Akins teamed with big fullback Jim Casertano to form a strong tandem of running backs. Juniors Adam Hearns and Eric Halberstadt had battled for the starting quarterback slot. When Hearns emerged, Halberstadt seized the strong safety position for his own. Beck states that the two were very close in ability.

The 2003 offensive line was very nearly the equal of the outstanding 2002 group.

The Knights worked their way through a difficult schedule that included decisive wins over Cardinal O’Hara, Bethlehem Catholic and Glen Mills, along with the traditional Suburban One National Conference opponents.

In the District One playoffs, always tough Ridley and northern neighbor Pennridge were dispatched, 28-7 and 42-21. Pennridge, with its star Greiser, led 7-0 in the first half and had marched inside the North Penn 30. Hearns then returned an interception for a touchdown and the Knights were on their way.

In the District One Final against Interboro at Wissahickon in a virtual replay of the 2002 final, the Knights jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on short runs by Casertano and Akins. The Bucs got back into it at 14-7 by halftime, but North Penn scored first in the third on 11 yard dash by Akins and traded scores with Interboro until the final whistle, winning 43-28.

In the state AAAA semi final against Easton, the Knights had five different players score TD’s and rolled to 471 yards of offense. Quarterback Hearns was the standout for the Knights with 275 total passing and rushing yards. The Red Rovers star backs, Piperata
and Gouldburne combined for more than 320 yards – impressive but not nearly enough to derail the Knights.

Pittsburgh Central Catholic was expected to provide a severe test in the State Championship game at Hershey with its mighty-mite back Jarvis. A Saturday blizzard postponed the game to Sunday but neither the delay nor the weather itself delayed the inevitable North Penn victory and following celebration. With the Knights ahead 7-0 in the first half, safety Halberstadt intercepted a Viking pass on his own 12 in a pivotal play. However, a blocked punt deep in Knight territory did enable Central to tie the score. Then Jarvis ran 41 yards to the North Penn 16 with a pass on the last play of the first half.

North Penn turned the game around in the third quarter when Casertano and Hearns scored. Taking the second half kickoff, the Knights marched 61 yards in nine plays, including Casertano’s 35 yards with a Hearns screen pass. Later, in relief of Hearns, Halberstadt dashed 66 yards for the final Knight score

Overall, North Penn had pounded the Viking defense for 454 yards of total offense. Akins had gained 210 yards on 26 carries.

Akins received first team All-State honors as both a running back and defensive back. He had rushed for more than 2,000 yards. Casertano was also a first team All-Stater . He had scored 21 touchdowns in 2002. Akins played defensive back as a senior starter at Boston College. Casertano’s promising career at Delaware was cut short by injury.

Hearns later played at I-AA Coastal Carolina, while Halberstadt was a three-year starter at linebacker for Duquesne.

Center and defensive end Mike Partain became a captain and four year starter at Columbia. Jeff Ball was a three-year starter at Rhode Island. Wide receiver Deanco Oliver finished his college career at IUP.

Coach Beck had been a star two-way lineman on Mike Pettine’s 1984 and 1985 Central Bucks West teams, receiving All-State recognition. After a strong career at Temple as a three-year starter, Beck joined the coaching ranks. He worked as an assistant at CB West for four years, then became the defensive coordinator for Mike Pettine, Jr. at William Tennent, and followed him to North Penn. He became the Knights’ head man in 2002.
Dick’s record at North Penn is 119-20 and includes the phenomenal six District One championships.

“Surreal – a feeling like no other”, is the way Casertano describes his 2003 North Penn experience. “We were loaded at every skill position”. Casertano also believes that Dick Beck was the “perfect man for the North Penn job”, although he had enjoyed playing for Mike Pettine, Jr. as a sophomore.
Great PA Teams – North Penn 2003 3

The Knights’ prolific 2003 offensive starters:

SE 13 Deanco OLIVER 6-1 180 SR
T 71 Chris KNECHEL 6-1 255 SR
G 78 Dotun AKINTOYE 6-2 275 JR
C 79 Mike PARTAIN 6-4 250 SR
G 77 Zach DETWEILER 6-0 260 SR
T 66 Ryan ADAMS 6-3 285 SR
TE 84 Jeff BALL 6-0 220 SR ©
9 Zach RAFFLE 6-0 225 JR
QB 8 Adam HEARNS 6-0 180 JR
H 7 Kevin AKINS 6-2 185 SR
H 2 Jim LAKY 5-9 180 SR
F 43 Jim CASERTANO 6-2 235 SR ©

The North Penn championship defense:

E 79 Mike PARTAIN 6-4 250 SR
T 43 Jim CASERTANO 6-2 235 SR
G 58 David MIMS 5-11 220 SR
T 56 Chris TRIBANAS 5-10 245 SR ©
E 99 George FARRELL 6-2 225 SR ©
LB 42 Andrew BROWN 6-0 220 SR
LB 84 Jeff BALL 6-0 220 SR
CB 13 Deanco OLIVER 6-1 180 SR
CB 7 Kevin AKINS 6-2 185 SR
SS 18 Eric HALBERSTADT 5-10 185 JR
FS 8 Adam HEARNS 6-0 180 JR

33 Chad FINNEY, at 6-0 and 195, also a captain, was a valuable defender and special teams player. 81 Jon STRIEFSKY, 6-2 165, handled the punting and place kicking.
North Penn’s mighty 2003 record:

35 CARDINAL O’HARA 7
38 BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC 7
49 HARRY S. TRUMAN 8
49 ABINGTON 7
35 PENNRIDGE 10
45 GLEN MILLS 19
35 NESHAMINY 17
38 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 7
43 PENNSBURY 19
41 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 7

District One Playoffs

28 RIDLEY 7
42 PENNRIDGE 21
43 INTERBORO 28

State Playoffs

38 EASTON 21
37 PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC 10

Kicker Striefsky became a first team 1-AA All-American at Delaware.

In 2011, the Knights overcame two early season losses to streak all the way to the State AAAA final. At Hershey, North Penn fell one game short as Central Dauphin won its first title, 14-7.

In January 2012, Jim Casertano’s flag football team won the National Championship in Florida. He was named championship defensive MVP.

2003 North Penn Coaching Staff:

K. McLarnon, J. Munn, M. Carey, Head Coach – D. Beck, W. Bannak, J. Williams
J. Clotz, E. Harkins, B. Taggart, Asst. Head Coach – J. Jones, D. Franek, R. Major

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews