The Knights have proven to be quite the traditional contender each year for the District 1 AAAA football championship (seven appearance, five titles in the last decade), and have posted a 106-18 record under head coach Dick Beck. The boys in blue have proven quite adept at reloading year after year after year, but they’ll have to pull off quite the reloading effort this year, as nearly the entire team has departed due to graduation.
North Penn’s three leading rushers – Craig Needhammer, Dom Taggart and Brandon Mercer – are gone, as are the trio’s 414 carries, 2,967 yards and 42 touchdowns. The Knights’ top four receivers – Taggart, Mercer, Gerard Wendowski and Needhammer – are all gone, leaving a void which accounted for 105 receptions, 1,652 yards and 16 touchdowns.
About the only returning offensive skill to speak of is quarterback Corey Ernst (125-of-196, 1,980 yds, 22 TD) and tight end Ralph Reeves (10 rec., 191 yds, 3 TD).
Defensively, Reeves returns at linebacker, and Shayne Watson returns at defensive end. The only other known North Penn returner who made significant contributions last season was kicker Brandon Mandes, who converted 70 PATs and two field goals.
