JACKSON TWP — Even with several of its top players on the sidelines with injuries, the Knoch football team stayed within striking distance of host Seneca Valley — until the final quarter.

Knoch seniors Tim McNerney and Kevin Brodeur normally get most of the carries in the Knights' ground game. Both missed Friday's game with injury, and junior Mitchell Shaw scored his second touchdown of the game on a 33-yard run with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

The score pulled Knoch to within 27-14.

But the Raiders turned two late turnovers into a pair of scores as SV won going away, 41-20.

"You look at it, we gave up a special teams touchdown and a late score against our younger guys on defense," said SV coach Ron Butschle. "We had our backs to the wall a few times tonight and our defense came up big."

"It's a ripple effect," said Knights coach Mike King. "Some of our experienced guys were hurt and we had young players out there trying to make plays."

The first of the late turnovers came when Knoch quarterback Jake McTighe threw his second interception of the game and SV's Pete Vicente set his team up at midfield with 9:47 left in the game.

A 37-yard pass from C.J. Brown to Chris Dorogy led to Tyler Mack's 12-yard scoring run.

Following Will Hugo's extra point, the Raiders held a 34-14 edge.

Shaw fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Dorogy recovered for the Raiders at Knoch's 15.

Two plays later, Mack scored from seven yards out for a commanding 41-14.

It was Shaw's 61-yard punt return in the first quarter that got the Knoch fans on their feet.

The Raiders had taken a 7-0 lead on Brown's 8-yard pass to Matt Plautz midway through the first quarter.

But SV's next possession ended after an incompletion on third-and-long and the punt came to Shaw at his own 39.

The junior took the ball on one bounce and sprinted down the middle of the field for his team's first score.

Shaw is listed as a wide receiver, but became the Knights' feature back after the aforementioned injuries hit Knoch. Along with his two touchdowns, he added 103 yards on 20 carries.

"I'm real proud of him," King said. "You know, he's been a tailback ever since he was a little kid and he should be one now. But with Tim McNerney there, we put (Shaw) at wideout."

But Brown would strike two more times before the end of the half, once on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Evan Hetzel and again on a 52-yard run late in the second period as the Raiders held a 20-7 lead at halftime.

The senior and University of Maryland recruit ran for another score in the third quarter, this one from 44 yards out, and a 27-7 lead.

He ended the game completing 19 of 34 passes for 247 yards, two scores and one interception. Brown also rushed for 98 yards.

"Seneca Valley has a great offense," King said. "We tried to pressure Brown and play (man-to-man), but it's tough to do that the whole game."

Nine of Brown's completions and 149 of his yards went to senior Matt Plautz, who became SV's all-time career receptions leader. He now has 84 catches, passing 2006 graduate Zach Duggan's 83.

"I don't pay much attention to numbers," said Plautz. "But when I broke the record, they announced it and the crowd started cheering. That felt good."

Notes: Knoch's final score of the game was a 61-yard touchdown run by Kyler Kenyon with 1:46 left in the game. ... Cameron Marburger picked off McTighe at SV's 5-yard line in the first quarter. ... McTighe intercepted Brown late in the first half, but the Knights turned the ball over on downs. ... The Raiders (3-1) will host North Allegheny next Friday while Knoch (1-3) will host Franklin Regional.

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