BEAVER FALLS — It’s been a year of change for the Knoch Knights. Nearly one year ago to the day, the Knights traveled to Beaver Falls and walked away with an 0-3 record. This go round, things are completely flipped after their 27-24 win over the Beaver Falls Tigers.

“We have a lot of things to clean up, but it’s a hell of a lot better to be 3-0 than 0-3,” Knoch coach Tim Burchett said.

Early on, the Knights felt some growing pains. It’s not hard to see why. The Tigers were able to score almost at will last year, and Beaver Falls brought back a number of key starters.

That showed just a few minutes into the game. Da’Sean Anderson quickly showed a good example as to why the scoreboard was so uneven last year. After a false start, the Tigers were backed up for a 3rd and 9. It didn’t matter. Anderson found Di’Nari Harris for a 49-yard strike. Just like that, Beaver Falls held a 6-0 advantage.

The 2023 edition of the Knights is much different than what the Tigers rolled over in 2022, however. Just minutes later, Codi Mullen hooked up with Kaden Spencer for an eight-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-6 lead. The Knights wouldn’t give up the lead again.

Neither team graced the scoreboard again until midway through the second quarter. Next time points were put on the board, it would once again be Mullen and Spencer connecting, this time for a 12-yard touchdown. Anderson and the Tigers weren’t going to go away, though.

Just five plays later, the Knights all stood and watched as Anderson scampered into the end zone. Knoch did them one better. The first play of their next drive, Mullen found Spencer who took the ball 72 yards untouched to put the Knights up 20-12.

The next two Tiger drives ended in interceptions. While Spencer’s interception hurt, Tony Nicolazzo’s interception stung much more as it turned out that his 50-yard return for a touchdown would be the difference.

They were the final points the Knights put on the board. It left the Tigers too big of a hole to dig themselves out of. Or at least it seemed that way.

“It’s a concerning trend that we’re letting teams back into in the second half, but Beaver Falls is Beaver Falls,” Burchett said. “They’re going to wind up at [Acrisure].”

The Tigers and their experienced team were out to prove that wrong. They opened up the second half with a trick play that saw Gary Pugh throw a pass to a wide open Meach Taylor for a 50-yard touchdown.

With just under four minutes left, things got a little closer. Anderson pounded the ball into the endzone. Suddenly, a 15-point lead was down to just three points.

But the change of the Knoch Knights showed. Mullen and the Knights offense, which sputtered in the second half, led an eight-play drive that included three first downs to put the game on ice.

For Beaver Falls, they feel that a few different calls may have changed the outcome of the matchup.

“They played their hearts out, and I feel horrible because I let them down,” Beaver Falls head coach Nick Nardone said. “That game is 100% on me.”

But Knoch’s ability to slow down the big plays on the defensive end is why they walked out of Reeves Field still unblemished.

“Our defense won us this game, there’s no doubt about it,” Burchett said. “They’re more athletic than us, they’re going to have big plays, but we mitigated most of those plays and I thought our defense played great most of the game.”

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Knoch 7 20 0 0

Beaver Falls 6 6 0 12

First Quarter

B- Di’Nari Harris from Da’Sean Anderson 49 pass (Conversion failed), 7:52

K- Kaden Spencer from Codi Mullen 8 pass (Kannon Trofimuk kick), 2:19

Second Quarter

K- Kaden Spencer from Codi Mullen 12 pass (Kannon Trofimuk kick failed), 6:12

B- Da’Sean Anderson 9 run (Conversion failed), 4:24

K- Kaden Spencer from Codi Mullen 72 pass (Kannon Trofimuk kick), 3:53

K- Tony Nicolazzo 50 interception (Kannon Trofimuk kick), 0:39

Fourth Quarter

B- Meach Taylor from Gary Pugh 50 pass (conversion failed), 11:46

B- Da’Sean Anderson 3 run (conversion failed), 3:55

Individual Statistics:

Rushing: Knoch, Codi Mullen 20-46, Ethan Alwine 6-33, Tony Nicolazzo 4-(-1). Beaver Falls, Da’Sean Anderson 15-78, Da’Tailan Beauford 9-36, Brixx Rawl 7-32, Di’Narri Harris 2-20, Za’Saun McElvy 4-7, Gary Pugh 2-(-1).

Passing: Knoch, Codi Mullen 13-24-215. Beaver Falls, Da’Sean Anderson 15-26-219-2, Gary Pugh 1-1-50.

Receiving: Knoch, Kaden Spencer 7-140, Ethan Alwine 2-34, Samuel Skurka 1-23, Dylan Pinkerton 1-27, Zachary Szebalskie 1-0. Beaver Falls, Di’Nari Harris 4-112, Gary Pugh 7-78, Meach Taylor 3-69, Za’Saun McElvy 1-9, Brixx Rawl 1-1.