North Penn Edges Out Central Bucks South In Thrilling 21-19 Victory

WARRINGTON — In a one-possession loss to Central Bucks South in early October, North Penn never found its spark.

The Knights were bottled up by the Titans, scoring just six points in their first loss of the season.

As No. 4 North Penn trailed No. 1 CB South at the start of the second half of Friday’s rematch in the District 1-6A semifinals, the Knights finally found what they were looking for.

While North Penn couldn’t immediately capitalize on the big play, a strip sack by junior Jack Silvers was the first of four second-half turnovers forced by the Knights that helped them get revenge with a 21-19 win over the top-seeded and reigning champion Titans.

The victory sends them to their first district title game since 2018, where they will face No. 2 Downingtown West — a 28-23 winner over Central Bucks West.

“The first game was a little off, obviously we started slow and we kind of didn’t really build a lot of momentum,” said North Penn senior Aidan Eves, who was involved in three of the turnovers. “We were kind of in that same position. It was a real close score. We were down one possession again and Jack Silvers forced that strip sack, and we just built that momentum off there.”

CB South (12-1) running back Jim Wade broke off a 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to put the Titans up 6-0. North Penn (11-2) didn’t respond until Matt Pownall caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Matt Bucksar with 3:46 left in the second quarter — a blocked extra point the difference as the Knights led 7-6.

The Titans retook control of the game when quarterback Owen Pinkerton ran in a four-yard touchdown with 30 seconds to go in the first half for a 13-7 lead. They were driving after the break, then Silvers hit Pinkerton as he prepared to throw, popping the ball out and right into Eves’ hands. The play seemed to give the Knights’ defense an appetite for the ball.

Silvers’ strip sack was the first of four fumbles on four straight possessions for CB South. The Titans’ defense held strong on the first two to carry their six-point lead into the fourth, but Eves and Cole D’Ambrosio combined on a tackle that popped the ball free for a North Penn recovery on the third CB South drive of the half.

The Knights took advantage this time, driving down to the three-yard line before Bucksar tossed a touchdown pass to Eves on fourth-and-goal that put North Penn ahead 14-13 with 7:51 to play.

“I definitely think this year more than last year they have more confidence in me, which I’ve worked my ass off the entire offseason to gain that,” Bucksar said of his coach’s putting the ball in his hands for the go-ahead score. “It’s all the coaching throughout the entire season is the reason we’re here. It’s all the hard work we’ve put in.”

CB South’s fourth turnover came on the ensuing kickoff. Two plays later Bucksar tossed a 27-yard dime to Pownall in the back corner of the end zone to make it 21-13 North Penn with 6:52 left in the fourth quarter.

Bucksar completed 8-of-13 passes for 150 yards and three scores. Pownall hauled in six of those for 132 yards and two scores to go along with a team-high 54 yards on the ground.

“Really we just knew we had to set up the pass game,” Pownall said of the difference between the first game against CB South. “Props to Bucks, a helluva player, great QB. And just film, hours of film getting ready for the game.”

CB South outgained North Penn 363-217 and had 22 first downs compared to 11. CB South quarterback Owen Pinkerton led his team’s offense with 24 carries for 153 yards and a score to go along with 78 yards passing.

Pinkerton drove the Titans 80 yards in eight plays before Braylen Cape ran in a score with 3:13 to play to make it 21-19 North Penn. Their two-point pass play to tie was broken up — the early blocked extra point looming large.

Despite a failed onside kick, Central Bucks got the ball back on its own 27-yard line with 1:06 to play. Pinkerton pushed his team to midfield with about a half a minute to go.

Pinkerton tossed a 39-yard Hail Mary to beat CB West earlier this season, but he never got a chance to heave toward the end zone as three straight incompletions, the last broken up by North Penn sophomore defensive back Rylei Gray, spoiled the Titans’ comeback attempt.

“I was thinking that the whole time,” Eves said. “They’re driving down the field and I’m like, ‘Please don’t let them get in Hail Mary range.’”

Eves and Bucksar both complimented the team’s offensive line, which played with a “chip on their shoulders” after CB South won the battle up front in the first meeting of the season.

North Penn won’t get a chance to avenge its only other loss of the season to CB West, but the Knights will face the reigning district runner-ups.

The Knights lost to Coatesville in their most recent district title game appearance in 2018. They will enter next Friday seeking their eighth District 1 championship (2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2016) with the last coming eight years ago.

“This is a good win, but we’ve gotta stay locked in, work hard throughout the week, get better every day, and then just go play when the time comes” Bucksar said.

North Penn 0 7 0 14-21
CB South 6 7 0 6-19
Individual Scoring
First Quarter
CBS: Jim Wade 25 run (kick blocked) 4:15
Second Quarter
NP: Matt Pownall 31 pass from Matt Bucksar (Ryan Bocklet kick) 3:46
CBS: Owen Pinkerton 4 run (Adis Formelio kick) 0:30
Third Quarter
None
Fourth Quarter
NP: Aidan Eves 3 pass from Matt Bucksar (Ryan Bocklet kick) 7:51
NP: Matt Pownall 27 pass from (Ryan Bocklet kick) 6:52
CBS: Braylen Cape x run (Pass fail) 3:13

Team Statistics
……………………….BS………………CBS
1st downs………..10…………………22
rush-yds……….32-67……….42-283
comp-att-int….8-13-0…………..5-11-0
pass yds……….150………………80
total yds…………217……………….363
fumb-lost……..1-0………………4-4
pen-yds…………5-45…………..4-34

Individual Statistics
Rushing- North Penn: Matt Pownall 18-54; Josiah Coleman 9-22; Christian Johns-Wallace 1-(-4); Matt Bucksar 4-(-5).
CB South: Owen Pinkerton 24-153, TD; Jim Wade 10-80, TD; Braylen Cape 8-50, TD.
Passing- North Penn: Matt Bucksar 8-13-0, 150 yards, 3 TDs.
CB South: Owen Pinkerton 5-10-0, 80 yards.
Receiving- North Penn: Matt Pownall 6-132, 2 TDs; Jackson Schurmann 1-15; Aidan Eves 1-3, TD.
CB South: Matt Harmon 2-47; Danny Gies 2-21; Braylen Cape 1-12.
Interceptions: None.
Sacks: North Penn: Jack Silvers; CB South: Eddie Bowen, Jim Wade.