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Chris Masse on football: Knoebel trusts Montgomery’s defense in key situations

By Chris Masse 11 min read

Montgomery held a seven-point second quarter lead and faced a fourth-and-three at its own 34-yard line. More than seven minutes remained in the first half.

Opting against the punt, coach Joel Knoebel went for it and Hughesville made the stop. A series later, Montgomery faced a fourth-and-1 at its 46 and went for it, this time converting before the drive stalled.

What that sequence highlighted even more than belief in the offense is how much Knoebel trusts his defense.

With good reason.

That unit led District 4 in points and yards allowed a year ago and returns most of its starters. True to form, the defense thrived no matter the situation, forcing Hughesville four-and-out following the failed offensive conversion as Montgomery won its season opener last Friday, 24-0. The defense allowed just 71 yards and Montgomery produced its fifth shutout over the past two years.

"Having confidence in them let me go for it a couple of times," Knoebel said. "I considered punting, but as well as the defense was playing, I wasn't afraid to go for it."

There's a long way to go and Montgomery's defense has a high bar to clear when it comes to topping what it did last fall. But the opener certainly was a strong start. Despite Hughesville having good field position throughout the first half, Montgomery limited it to 2.6 yards per play and three first downs.

Montgomery also never let the Spartans move past its 27-yard line. Gage Furman forced a game-changing fumble late in the first half and the Raiders did not allow a first down in the middle quarters.

On a night Hughesville also played strong defense, Montgomery's stifling play helped shift momentum. It was 7-0 until Furman jarred the ball loose and set up Trace Furman's 5-yard touchdown run. While the offense took some time to get going, the defense excelled from the start and paved the way as everything started coming together.

"It tells you how gritty they are. It shows how our defense is going to dig in when times get tough," Knoebel said. "When they have to lock down they're going to come through and come through big for us."

That trend started two years ago when Montgomery made a massive six-win turnaround, finishing 7-4 and reaching districts for the first time in five years. The Raiders went to another level last season, allowing fewer than seven points per game and finishing 10-2. They appear eager to keep ascending.

The thing is, while some dominant defenses over the years might be defined by a few superstars, that is not the case here. Montgomery simply brilliantly plays team defense. All three levels are connected and all complement the other.

That was evident against Hughesville. Connor Jarrett and Evan Hugar set the tone up front, Lincoln Miller dominated at linebacker and a stout secondary allowed just 14 passing yards. Nobody is out for personal highlights on that defense; just wins.

"I feel like we just play our positions well. We don't over-pursue and give up cutback lanes," Hugar said. "We just stay in our gaps. Nobody is trying to be a hero."

Many of those players also start offensively. Both units go hand-in-hand; Montgomery playing smash-mouth football on offense and the defense playing fast and physical. That combo takes a toll and as Montgomery's offense opened up against Hughesville, the defense continued constricting.

It formed a lethal combination and Montgomery put the game away with a 14-game fourth quarter burst.

"A lot of that is the defense, too," Miller said. "The defense wears the on the (opposing) offense and and lot of those guys play defense, too. That physicality really helps out."

A year ago, the defense started out ahead of the offense as Montgomery adapted to the new Wing-T look. That could be the case again this season as the offensive line brings in two new starters.

But it certainly is nice having the defense forming a strong foundation. Of course, it's only one week and Montgomery knows the challenges will be many, starting with Canton and South Williamsport the next two weeks.

The defense formed a red wall when times were tough against Hughesville. The more that wall stiffens, the more dangerous Montgomery becomes.

"This helps a lot. Getting punched in the mouth in the beginning sent a message to us, and we got it together," Miller said. "We know we're definitely going to be tested, and hopefully, we can start out strong going forward."

DOMINANT START: South Williamsport could not have opened the season much better, dominating all aspects in a 48-0 win at North Penn-Mansfield. The Mounties built a 35-0 halftime lead and the defense constantly drove North Penn-Mansfield backward, resulting in minus-54 yards of offense. Dominik Goode collected two sacks and Kamdyn Bubb another.

Eli White (115, 2 touchdowns) and Cade Lusk (106 and 3) each went over 100 yards, while Cole Gerber and Garrett Lorson each threw touchdowns. Gerber found Lorson for a score and Lorson connected with Caleb Johnson. Gerber threw for 100 yards; Lorson totaled 73 and South gained 318 first-half yards.

The Mounties play their home opener Friday against Sayre.

EXTRA POINTS: Loyalsock put together a similar strong collective performance, routing Central Columbia on the road, 47-14. The offensive line took the game over, clearing the way for 487 yards, including 361 on the ground. Ivan Baker (170) and Cayden Sones (93) both topped 90 and combined for three touchdowns, while freshman quarterback Dyson Dupont ran for 62 yards and two scores in his high school debut. Dupont also threw for 110 yards, finding Carter Brown for a 35-yard touchdown. Baker made 14 tackles, including 12 solos ... Muncy quarterbacks Noah Weikle and Noah Walters both made some exciting plays in their first significant varsity action, combining for 196 yards and a touchdown in Muncy's 14-7 loss against Warrior Run. Weikle threw for 104 yards and Walter found Nate Rogers for a 24-yard fourth quarter touchdowns. Rogers caught four passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, adding an interception ... Canton produced an excellent fourth-quarter comeback, scoring 22 straight points and turning a nine-point deficit into a 22-9 win against Cowanesque Valley. Bailey Gardner totaled 228 yards, running for 156, while Owen Moore threw for 163 yards, hitting Monte Whitehead with an 80-yard touchdown and Gardner for a go-ahead eight-yard strike. Gardner sealed victory with a 61-yard touchdown run and the Canton defense allowed just 137 yards. Dave Hess totaled 119 yards and a touchdown for CV ... Bucktail played well in its opener, dropping a hard-fought 32-22 contest at Cameron County. The offense produced 392 yards with Stephen Heiser running for a career-high 148 yards. Corbin Pentz threw for 109 yards, twice hitting Teagan Stone (82 yards) with touchdowns. He also was one of four Bucks who gained 33 or more yards ... Central Mountain put together one of its best defensive performances over the past two seasons, limiting Mifflin County to 90 rushing yards on 35 carries in a 28-19 loss. Kole Corman made 13 tackles, including 11 solos, while Jacob Rembold had 11 tackles. Kyle Everett ran for 133 yards and a touchdown and had a sack defensively ... Jaylen Walker caught seven passes for 171 yards and a touchdown in Lewisburg's 42-22 loss at Danville. Xavier Carter ran for a score and hit Walker for the touchdown, while Jett Jamieson also scored and threw for 121 yards.

Chris Masse covers high school football. He can be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter/X at @docmasse.

DR. MASSE’S TOP 5 RANKINGS

1. Jersey Shore (1-0): Jersey Shore beating North Schuylkill was impressive enough but how it did so stood out more. The Bulldogs rallied from a 13-point second quarter deficit against the perennial District 11 title contender, scoring 41 points in 19 minutes while pulling away for a 49-34 victory. Jersey Shore piled up 476 yards of offense, topping 200 passing and rushing yards. Quarterback Nolen Pauling dazzled and Carter Rhinehart caught seven passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Khani McCray showcased his big-play ability in his first high school game, catching a 37-yard touchdown pass. Playing his first game in two years, Zeke Sechrist ran for 64 yards and a score, while making 11 tackles. Conner Yingling also had 11 tackles; forcing a fumble as well. Dalton Rehrig made 10 tackles and Isaac Shirey added two tackles for a loss and a sack. Kicking for the first time, Gabe Welshans was perfect on seven extra point tries as Jersey Shore won its eighth straight season opener.

2. Williamsport (1-0): Like Jersey Shore, Williamsport started slow but then went into turbo mode. The Millionaires had just three points late in the first half, but rolled from there, piling up 528 yards in a 41-21 win at Wyoming Valley West, delivering coach Kevin Brown a win in his debut. Quarterback Tevin Williams picked up where he left off following last year's super sophomore season and Trey Damschroder totaled 140 yards with two touchdowns. Tight end Kason Ulmer could become one of the area's best at that position and caught five passes for 43 yards. The defense struggled against the pass at times, but put the game away with a 32-point second half. Brayden Ungard provided a special teams weapon, starting the scoring with a 36-yard field goal. One of the most encouraging aspects of the game was the offensive line jelling as it progressed. The Millionaires also handled the early struggles well, coming back strong instead of falling apart. Williamsport debuts its new state of the art stadium Friday when it hosts Hazleton.

3. Montgomery (1-0): A year ago, Montgomery produced four backs who topped 400 yards. That balance was there again Friday with four gaining at least 40 yards. Trace Furman, Josh Knoebel and Briar Persing all gained 85 or more yards and scored with Furman producing a game-high 106 yards. Dylan Sherman impressed in his kicking debut, drilling a 24-yard field goal which would have been good from much longer, while going 3 for 3 on extra-point tries. Montgomery won its ninth straight regular season game and heads to Canton this Friday.

4. Montoursville (1-0): Montoursville also made a winner of its new coach and this one had to be extra sweet for Reese Holmes. The Canton graduate earned that initial win against old rival Troy as the Warriors made a statement with a 26-19 road win. Montoursville dominated the line of scrimmage and became the first team to win at Troy since Canton in the 2022 regular-season finale. The defense allowed just 173 yards and two touchdowns and Montoursville erased three first-half deficits, scoring 20 second quarter points. Elijah Eck offered a glimpse of the dual threat he was becoming in a district semifinal win against Mount Carmel last year and built on that in a big way at Troy, topping 100 yards passing and rushing. He threw for 183, while running for 129 and three touchdowns. Kaden Kleinmann also ran for a score and Brayden Burkett intercepted two passes. Jacob Schon made a career-high 10 tackles and Maxton Williamson six solos.

5. Warrior Run (1-0): Muncy made it hard, but Warrior Run's defense came up big and preserved a 14-7 season-opening win on the road. That defense never buckled despite the offense losing five first half turnovers. In fact, the defense never gave up a point following those turnovers. Zayas Reynolds and Weldon Rooker intercepted passes, while Jackson Albright and Garrett Williams added sacks. Those two also were part of an effective line which paved the way for Denyn Beachel to run for 147 yards and two second-half touchdowns. Beachel never tired despite playing well on defense, too, and topped 90 yards for the 12th time in 13 games. Logan Stevenson threw for 160 yards in his first start and Liam Moore caught six passes for 84 yards. Warrior Run plays its home opener Friday against Central Mountain.

Players of the Week

Nolen Pauling, Jersey Shore and Tevin Williams, Williamsport: Two of the area's premier quarterbacks showed exactly why in their openers. Pauling totaled 390 yards and six touchdowns, while igniting Jersey Shore's comeback. The junior threw for 266 yards and four touchdowns, while running for 124 and two scores, frequently turning what looked like potential negative plays into big ones. Williams did the same and made a massive impact in all three facets. He totaled 410 offensive yards before sealing victory late when he returned an onside kick 60 yards for a score. Williams ran for 213 yards; threw for 197 and intercepted a pass. Every time Valley West threatened, it seemed like Williams made a big play which crushed its comeback hopes.

Game of the Week

Jersey Shore at Montoursville: One of the area's best rivalries is renewed Friday night with both coming off impressive; exciting wins. This is the first time these teams will be playing since 2023 when Jersey Shore won, 38-21 at Memorial Stadium. Montoursville once dominated the series, winning 28 straight games from 1985-2013, before Jersey Shore highlighted ascension with an overtime 2014 victory. Since then, Jersey Shore has won six of the last nine meetings, including three straight.

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