North Penn holds potent Haverford defense in D1-6A Quarterfinals
Tagged under: District 1, Scoreboard, Scores
Mike Livingston | November 8, 2024
LANSDALE, PA – In 2024, Haverford High School had one of the most potent offenses in all of District One.
Heading into Friday night’s D1-6A – 29-21 quarterfinals loss to the Knights of North Penn, the Fords had an extraordinary 417/92 point differential. This came while eclipsing the 40-point mark seven times and the 50-point mark twice.
Though from a combination of big plays, standing on their heads, and just some damn good football the North Penn defense was able to stop Haverford in their tracks on nine of their eleven drives. They also forced three turnovers and blocked a punt.
“Our figuring was, make them work the ball,” said Knights head coach Dick Beck. “We figured, someone ought to make a mistake if we make them work it. I just thought the guys up front did a great job beating blocks and staying low, they didn’t get beat and stayed with the running back who is so good.”
On the few occasions when the North Penn defense couldn’t put a stop to Haverford, it was because of that running back in question, one Liam Taylor. Taylor broke free for a couple of huge runs that kept the Haverford offense alive at times. Was the driving force all day for the Fords, breaking through the first wave of defenders to find a ton of open space.
One of the few plays that did translate into the endzone for Haverford came on just their second drive of the game. After a four-and-out on their opening drive, it was Taylor who broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run, giving the Fords an 8-0 lead after a botched snap on the PAT allowed kicker Vincent Cunningham to unexpectedly run it in for the conversion.
“I’d be hard-pressed to ever say that kid (Taylor) had a bad day,” said Haverford head coach Luke Dougherty. “He’s an animal, he’s a beast on both sides of the football. We love him.”
The Fords’ defense would soon stand tall following the score as North Penn went four. Though the Knight’s defense flipped the script when Haverford got the ball back despite it appearing the Fords may be in for yet another scoring drive. After a chop block set Haverford back 20 yards, Jimmy Fusaro fumbled away the ball while North Penn capitalized with the recovery.
The Knights also capitalized on the effect that they marched right downfield and scored as Matthew Bucksar tossed one into Aiden Eves for the score, making it 8-7 Fords as the first quarter closed.
After the two sides traded brief drives it was the Fords who made quick work of an NP mistake when senior Will Hulea picked off Bucksar in the red zone to flip the field and the momentum, in a battle we’d continue to see through the night.
In yet another swing, the Fords would go three and out before getting their punt blocked and returned to about the 10-yard line by senior linebacker Cole D’Ambrosio.
“It felt so great to make those plays,” said D‘Ambrosio. “But that D-Line took up a bunch of blocks and they let me get in there. No credit to me there, it was all D-Line.”
The Knights quickly capitalized taking a 15-8 lead as Bucksar completed a pass to Matt Pownall in the back of the endzone. While Bucksar ran it in himself for the two-point conversion.
Heading into the half North Penn held the Fords to just 8 points, something very few teams have struggled to do at all this season. The Knights were able to put a cap on Taylor after his original score and completely get rid of the Haverford passing game when it was all said and done.
Nonetheless, just as the North Penn defense stood tall the Haverford defense did just the same on a few occasions. One of the most notable was at the outset of the second half as the Fords forced turnover-on-downs as North Penn attempted to convert a 4th and One from midfield.
The Fords kept the good times going after the TOD as the offense was finally able to get past NP, mainly on the back of Taylor as junior quarterback Adam Kilpatrick took it in himself for the touchdown to tie it all up at 15 a side.
The even score wouldn’t stick for long though as North Penn marched downfield, finishing their drive with a 38-yard touchdown run from Josiah Coleman to give the Knights a 22-15 lead.
As the fourth quarter started both teams would once again trade defensive stops before Taylor fumbled as the Fords were poised to tie the game at the NP 14-yard line. The Knights took over with just 3:46 on the clock though they could do absolutely no damage and were forced to punt it right back to the Fords who got the ball back but turned it over, yet again…
This time the mistake came through the air as Kilpatrick was picked off by Pownall who scored both the go-ahead touchdown and now what very well could have been the game-winning interception. That being if the 5 ’11 junior didn’t break free for the game-icing 79-yard touchdown run to make the score 29-15 Knights with a minute-twenty-six to go.
“(I’ve) been planning all week for it,” said Pownall. “Just knew I’d have to make some key plays to get that win today, so I’m glad I stepped up and did my job today for the team.”
Though with just 1:15 left in the game following Pownall’s score, it appeared he’d iced the game – he very well may have saved it. Cause just as Haverford got the ball back, on their second play of the drive with only seconds left in the ball game Kilpatrick let one fly for Fusaro who brought in the 52-yard touchdown pass and made the score 29-21. Though following the failed conversion and onside kick, just two kneels down’s later the Knights claimed one of their hardest-earned victories of the season.
“It was so hard fought, they were a good team and they ran a tight ship,” said Beck. “You know we made a couple of big plays though I’m just really happy with the defensive effort.”
North Penn was able to hold the Fords just 21 points, a feat accomplished by only three other teams before them this season – two of which actually won their games. To stand their ground on their home turf and put a stop to a Haverford offense that outscored their opponents by a combined score of 138-10 in the last three weeks was one of the best things we’ve seen from this North Penn team all year and proves they still have a lot left in the tank as they continue to head through the gauntlet of the District one playoffs.
That gauntlet now has the Knights facing off with maybe the best team around next week in the 6A semifinals against Central Bucks South. The Titans handed North Penn their first loss of the season last time around in a 14-6 win up in Warrington. The Knights will need to leave some of their best football in front of them if they want to take down the Titans.
“Hey look, they’re the alpha right now,” said Beck. “They are the best team around but we need to get through a week of practice, and prepare then see what we can do.”
As for the Fords of Haverford High School. The team finishes the consequential part of their season 10-2, with a second-round loss in district playoffs. They’ll take the next two weeks to rest, recoup, and then finish their year out with one of the best traditions in high school football as they take on Upper Darby on Thanksgiving morning for a 10 am kickoff from AG Cornog Stadium.
“We got a couple weeks which is nice,” said Dougherty. “We will make sure we get ourselves healthy, go back to the drawing board, and do what we do. We really trust what we do on both sides of the ball and we feel like we have great players. We just have to go out and do it on Thanksgiving morning.”
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