JEFFERSON TWP — Ryan Rupert’s first kick was blocked. His second one proved to be a game-winner.

East Allegheny’s place-kicker attempted a 40-yard field goal on the final play of regulation Friday night at Knoch Stadium, the score even at 7. But the Knights, led by Wyatt Foster and a penetrating line, smothered the football the moment it left Rupert’s foot, forcing overtime.

The Wildcats (7-2, 4-0) did not send Rupert out for another field goal try on 4th down from the Knoch 8 in the extra session. Quarterback Mike Cahill tossed a touchdown pass to Brennen Rutledge instead and Rupert was true on his PAT.

Knoch (7-2, 3-1) quarterback Codi Mullen scored on a 10-yard run in first down on the Knights’ possession, but Kannon Trofimuk’s PAT attempt was blocked and East Allegheny escaped with a 14-13 victory.

“I thought about going for two points there ... briefly,” Knoch coach Tim Burchett said. “But I figured our defense would stop them on their next possession and we would win it on ours.”

The East Allegheny win — coupled with Shady Side Academy’s 41-35 loss to Deer Lakes — gave the Wildcats the Allegheny 6 Conference championship, their first section football title since 2000.

“I can barely talk right now,” an emotional Dom Pecora, East Allegheny’s coach, said. “Next to my kids being born, this is probably the greatest thing I’ve experienced in my life.

“I never thought we’d pull something like this off. I mean, our program winning a section title ... Those are things that happen to other teams.”

Burchett was not surprised East Allegheny went for the touchdown on fourth down in overtime.

“That’s what they do,” he said. “They’re a big-play team, They always go for it. I was a little surprised they threw a fade, our best kid against their best kid, and their kid made the play on a 20% ball.

“To hold an offense like that to seven points (in regulation), our defense played its butt off. We just made too many mistakes on offense. We missed open receivers, blocking assignments, dropped passes.

“Maybe the moment was too big for them, I don’t know. I’m always going t o be honest with our kids. The mistakes on offense hurt us tonight,” Burchett added.

The Knights turned the ball over on downs at the East Allegheny 18 and 24-yard lines while being shut out in the first half. The Wildcats drove to Knoch’s 21 late in the first quarter before Sam Skurka intercepted a fourth-down pass to quell that threat.

The only points of the first half were set up when a Mullen pass was tipped at the line and intercepted by Raemar Sims at the Knoch 19 with 51 seconds left in the half. Two plays later, Cahill found Rutledge for a 19-yard TD strike and East Allegheny took a 7-0 lead into halftime.

Knoch put together a 12-play, 77-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, capped by Mullen’s 11-yard TD pass to Jackson Bauman.

East Allegheny tried snapping the 7-7 deadlock in regulation by driving from its own 2-yard line to the Knoch 23. That’s when Rupert’s field goal attempt was blocked.

“I felt like we had to go for the touchdown in overtime,” Pecora said. “The longer the overtime went on, the more it would favor Knoch. We had to try to win it early. Besides, we’re a go-for-it team offensively.”

Cahill threw for 179 yards and rushed for 78 for the Wildcats. East Allegheny had five carries for one yard otherwise. Mullen completed only nine of 25 passes for 92 yards, but carried 19 times for 79 yards. Ethan Alwine had 18 carries for 81 yards.

“Tough one to swallow, for sure,” Burchett said. “Just too many mistakes.”

East Allegheny 0 7 0 0 7 — 14

Knoch 0 0 7 0 6 — 13

Second Quarter

EA — Brennen Rutledge 19 pass from Mike Cahill (Ryan Rupert kick), :36

Third Quarter

K — Jackson Bauman 11 pass from Codi Mullen (Kannon Trofimuk kick), 3:29

Overtime

EA — Rutledge 8 pass from Cahill (Rupert kick)

K — Mullen 10 run (kick blocked)

Individual Statistics

Rushing: East Allegheny, Mike Cahill 20-78, Amir Rollins 4-7, Brennen Rutledge 1-(-6). Knoch, Codi Mullen 19-79, Ethan Alwine 18-81, TEAM 1-(-1), Brady Pflugh 1-3.

Passing: East Allegheny, Mike Cahill 19-30-179-1. Knoch, Codi Mullen 9-25-92-1.

Receiving: East Allegheny, Steve Yusko 5-62, Brennen Rutledge 8-87, Solomon Buggs 1-1, Amir Rollins 5-29. Knoch, Kaden Spencer 2-15, Jackson Bauman 4-43, Carter Beres 1-12, Ethan Alwine 2-20.