NEW KENSINGTON —It was almost a year ago to the day that Knoch’s football players walked off the field at Art Bernardi Stadium following a victory over Valley.

The immediate effect was the Knights avoided a winless season, finishing the 2022 campaign with a record of 1-9.

But even as one season ended, there was hope among the Knights who would be returning this year that frustration would give way to a promising 2023.

Bennett Shaw, now a senior lineman, was one of those players who believed such a turnaround was possible.

“I believed it after this game last season,” he said. “We were only losing three starters and played a lot of close games. I really thought we could be good this year.”

Shaw and his teammates celebrated a 40-0 win over host Valley on Friday, capping an 8-2 regular season. Following a 14-13 loss to East Allegheny last week that ended Knoch’s hopes of winning an Allegheny 6 Conference title, getting back on track before the playoffs was paramount for the Knights (8-2, 4-1).

“You always have a bad taste in your mouth after losing a game you should have won,” said Knoch coach Tim Burchett. “We had to fight the hangover a bit.”

Ethan Alwine helped the Knights focus on the here and now. The senior running back, who recently took over for the injured Tony Nicolazzo, scored five touchdowns against the Vikings (2-8, 0-5), three rushing and two receiving.

“I never saw myself as someone who would score that many times in a game,” said Alwine. “I just wanted to give it my all. The defense set up the offense tonight.”

The Knights intercepted Valley quarterback Tristian Goodwin four times, with Codi Mullen (2), Shaw and Ben Martin tallying the thefts.

“If you’re going to have a bend-but-don’t-break defense, you need to create turnovers,” Burchett said.

Alwine’s first two scores, runs from 23 and 3 yards out, put Knoch up 14-0 in the first quarter.

Then, with less than a minute remaining in the first half, he took a swing pass from Mullen and raced 66 yards for another score.

“This is only his second year of football,” Burchett said of Alwine. “All I can say is he’s a physical freak.”

Valley, already in desperation mode to get back in the game, instead was on the wrong end of another long pass. On the first play of the third quarter, Mullen hit a wide-open Carter Beres for a 69-yard score and a 27-0 lead.

Mullen, who passed for 223 yards and three touchdowns, was knocked out of the game on a late hit that drew a personal foul penalty later in the third quarter.

“He’s fine. He wanted to go back in the game, but I wouldn’t let him,” Burchett said.

The Knights will now prepare for a playoff game for the first time since 2014. They will learn their first-round opponent when the WPIAL Class 3A brackets are released Saturday.

“It’s been a good season, but we don’t want to put the period at the end of the sentence just yet,” said Burchett.

Knoch 14 7 19 0 — 40

Valley 0 0 0 0 — 0

First Quarter

K — Ethan Alwine 23 run (Kannon Trofimuk kick), 5:18

K — Alwine 3 run (Trofimuk kick), 3:14

Second Quarter

K — Alwine 66 pass from Codi Mullen (Trofimuk kick), :34

Third Quarter

K — Carter Beres 69 pass from Mullen (kick failed), 11:42

K — Alwine 21 pass from Mullen (pass failed), 7:18

K — Alwine 10 run (Trofimuk kick), 2:56

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Knoch, Ethan Alwine 12-47, Codi Mullen 4-37, Brady Pflugh 2-(-4), Aiden Jones 2-(-20), Ethan Rouleau 2-(-4), TEAM 1-(-2). Valley, Chuck Perkins 14-44, Tristian Goodwin 10-28, TEAM 3-(-45).

Passing: Knoch, Codi Mullen 8-18-223-1, Aiden Jones 1-3-20-0. Valley, Tristian Goodwin 16-37-152-4, Coury Pitts 0-1-0-0.

Receiving: Knoch, Kaden Spencer 4-44, Ethan Alwine 3-107, Carter Beres 1-69, Keaton Oprosky 1-23. Valley, Darnell Coaston 7-58, Derek Hassim 3-25, Coury Pitts 4-36, Chuck Perkins 2-33.