Kiski Area football, led by Landon Kucic’s huge night, blows out Knoch in season opener
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Wyatt Fraser (3) of Knoch celebrates after holding Kiski on a 4th down play in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Knoch High School. Brandon Croney/special to the eagle
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Codi Mullen (5) of Knoch stiff arms a Kiski defender in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Knoch High School. Brandon Croney/special to the eagle
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Knoch’s Codi Mullen (5) finds a hole and makes his way to endzone during a PIAA high school football season opener on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Knoch High School. Kiski Area bested Knoch with a final score of 42-7. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch’s Wyatt Foster (54) comes out during introductions at a PIAA high school football season opener on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Knoch High School. Kiski Area bested Knoch with a final score of 42-7. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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The Knoch band gets ready to recite the national anthem prior to a PIAA high school football season opener on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Knoch High School. Kiski Area bested Knoch with a final score of 42-7. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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The Knoch band gets ready to recite the national anthem prior to a PIAA high school football season opener on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Knoch High School. Kiski Area bested Knoch with a final score of 42-7. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
JEFFERSON TWP — In a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated, Knoch dropped its season opener to non-conference opponent Kiski Area by a 42-7 margin.
Knights head coach Tim Burchett declined to talk after the game, saying only, “We got our (expletive) kicked.”
Knoch was hoping to start its season on a high note, but those hopes were dashed within the first 15 seconds when the Cavaliers’ Aven Shirley took the opening kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.
The undisputed offensive star of the game was Kiski senior running back Landon Kucic, who carried the ball 14 times for 161 yards and four touchdowns, including a 72-yard scamper near the end of the first quarter.
Cavaliers quarterback Carson Heinle contributed by completing 6 of 7 passes for 77 yards, many of which went to Kucic.
The only Knights touchdown came on a 74-yard touchdown drive midway through the second quarter, which narrowed the score to 21-7, after Kiski turned the ball over on downs and failed to score for the first time. The drive was capped off by a 3-yard touchdown plunge by Codi Mullen.
Knoch quarterback Cody Sprankle was 26 of 41 for 211 yards, although he threw two interceptions.
The Knights had other chances to narrow the deficit throughout the game, including one drive in the fourth quarter which ended with a dropped pass in the end zone on fourth down. However, the score was already at 42-7 in Kiski’s favor.
Despite the convincing win, Cavaliers head coach Sam Albert said after the game his team still had some wrinkles to iron out.
“We made some mistakes. We had a couple of holding penalties. We jumped offsides a couple times,” Albert said. “Those are things you can't do when you get higher up in 5A and 6A. You can't make those mistakes. Everybody is just so good.”
The Knights host North Catholic, which lost its season opener 23-12 to Seton-LaSalle, next week.
Kiski 21 14 7 0 — 42
Knoch 0 7 0 0 — 7
First Quarter
Ki — Aven Shirley 75 interception return (extra point good) 11:53
Ki — Landon Kucic 1 run (extra point good) 3:09
Ki — Landon Kucic 72 run (extra point good) :07
Second Quarter
Kn — Codi Mullen 3 run (extra point good) 6:42
Ki — Landon Kucic 5 run (extra point good) 2:31
Ki — Carter Brown 2 run (extra point good) :08
Third Quarter
Ki — Landon Kucic 5 run (extra point good) 2:35
Individual Statistics
Passing: Kiski, Carson Heinle 6-7-77-0, Landyn Artman 1-1-3-0. Knoch, Cody Sprankle 26-41-241-0.
Rushing: Kiski, Landon Kucic 14-161. Knoch, Sam Skurka 5-26, Sprankle 5-37, Mullen 4-33, Rouleau 1-1
Receiving: Kiski, Landon Kucic 2-12, No. 3 4-65, No. 8 1-3. Knoch, Codi Mullen 8-33, Kaden Spencer 3-57, Keaton Oprosky 5-52, Wyatt Fraser 2-14, Ethan Rouleau 4-25, Carter Beres 1-5
