Knights clash with Ridley in district opener
First-round contest moved to Wissahickon
The North Penn football team’s District 1 postseason begins with a shift in its starting point.
With rainy conditions expected Friday, the top-seeded Knights’ Class 6A first-round game with No. 16 Ridley has moved for Crawford Stadium to the turf at Wissahickon. Kickoff is still set for 7 p.m. Winner advances to face either No. 8 Neshaminy or No. 9 Haverford in the quarterfinals.
North Penn is one of three unbeaten sides in the 6A field — defending champ No. 2 Coatesville and No. 3 Garnet Valley the others still chasing perfection — and heads into the postseason 10-0 for the fifth time under coach Dick Beck. Three of those teams (2003, 2008, 2016) won the district championship while Ridley handed the 2009 squad its
lone loss with a 19-10 victory in the District 1-4A title games.
That was the last contest between the Knights and Raiders (6-4), who met four times in the postseason between 2002 and ‘09. North Penn won the first two games in ‘02 and ‘03 but Ridley comes into Friday holding a two-game winning streak over the North Penn, beating NP in the 2006 4A semifinals then in the 2009 final.
After missing districts last season, Ridley began this year 0-4 against a tough opening slate — Archbishop Ryan, Garnet Valley, Springfield-Delco and Radnor — but the Raiders have not lost since, entering Friday’s matchup on a sixgame winning streak. The Raiders’ last two victories have come against 6A tournament qualifiers — beating No. 13 Upper Darby 3214 in Week 9 then last Friday edging Haverford 31-28 thanks to a field goal with 1:41 remaining.
Ridley racked up 356 yards on the ground against the Fords last week, Elijah
Yakpasuo leading the way with 157 yards on 18 carries while quarterback Jack Bakey carried the ball 24 times for 120 yards.
North Penn, which is 15-1 in playoff openers under Beck, capped its regular season scoring a season high in points, rolling past William Tennent 5614 last Friday. And while the Knights start the postseason coming off a easy victory, they have tested plenty of times in 2018, including winning a pair of double-overtime contests against district qualifiers Neshaminy (34-33 in Week 1) and Council Rock South (27-24 in Week 6).
Against Tennent, Shamar Edwards eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the fifth time this season, posting 138 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries, Seniors Edwards and Julian White lead a NP rushing attack that averages 236.1 yards per contest — Edwards leading the team with 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns with White collecting 601 yards and 14 TDs. Senior Jon Haynes is the Knights’ top threat in the passing game, hauling in 19 catches for 386 yards and four touchdowns.