TOWAMENCIN – As North Penn football’s team wrapped up their last home game at Crawford Stadium, Seniors Steve Gozur, Bobby McDonald, Kyle Mayfield, and George Shipp took a moment to sit on the NP logo in the center of the field taking in their 48-28 victory over Central Bucks West Friday night. This senior group has seen both the highs and lows during their time playing and Friday’s game was one of the highs as the Knights used a hard hitting defense and big offensive plays to ruin the Bucks’ playoff hopes.
North Penn started the scoring on a 61 yard touchdown run up the middle by Gozur. A series of North Penn turnovers led to West tying the game at seven before Mayfield plunged in for a score to give the knights a 14-7 halftime lead. Seniors Eddie Posavec and Steve Gozur continued the scoring effort in the third quarter with Gozur running for a 53 yard touchdown and Posavec catching a 15 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Berstecher.
But on this evening, the North Penn defense owned the night. The much maligned pass defense came up with big hits and big plays that left the CB West receivers fearing for their lives. The Knights were able to keep West’s completions to minimal gains and generate turnovers. The Knights were also able to convert with senior Bob Bull picking off a pass and returning it for a touchdown. Bull’s interception return, a “highlight of his North Penn football career” helped seal the deal for the Knights at 35-7.
The Knights offense and seniors still had more to prove as Mayfield galloped for a 70 yard touchdown run and junior Luke Perry ran for an 80 yard touchdown to give the Knights the 48 to 28 final score.
The final home game for the seniors was an emotional one and “kinda bittersweet” commented senior Mike Berstecher, who had one TD pass for the night, “to see all of the fans and play and have fun with my [football] family at home one last time.” Those feelings were shared by seniors Kyle Mayfield and Eddie Posavec who looked back at three years of football at Crawford Stadium and will miss playing with friends in front of the NP community.
Even Coach Beck had time to reflect on the season and what the seniors should take away from this season. “I hope they learned perseverance. We played against four of the best teams in Southeastern PA and we played tough against three of them; we gave everyone all we got and these seniors really lead these guys and a win like this on a senior night, I think, honors these seniors the way they should be honored.”
The Knights will end their season next Friday at Souderton as they look to end Souderton’s playoff hopes.