COLLEGEVILLE- In the first game of the season, the Knights displayed that their identity for the season was going to be a tough and scrappy defensive team.  It was all about steals, contested shots, and victories on loose balls for the Knights in their win.

“We realize that it starts on defense so by playing defense we’re now pressing more than we ever did before because we feel like we have the team to be able to do that.  We have the subs on the bench and we have other players in different roles that are able to help us that way.  We feel like our offense comes from our defense so if we can establish that defense early, we think we stand a pretty good shot at the game,” Head Coach Jen Carangi said in her first game of her sophomore season as the Knights head coach.

The North Penn Knights (1-0) beat the Perkiomen Valley Vikings (0-1) 50-36 in the season opener on Friday night.

“We came in here knowing that we had to get this [win] and coming in we all had a lot of pregame jitters but we got them out of the way and pulled through,” senior captain Carley Adams said.

On the first possession of the game, Gabby Marinacci made a three to give the Vikings the 3-0 lead.  With 6:37 left in the first quarter, senior Katie Early, coming off a torn labrum that made her miss her entire junior season, shot her first goal attempt and scored to show she was back and ready to go.  Early then found senior Carley Adams on a bounce pass, as Adams scored and the Knights took a 4-3 lead. They built the lead up to 12-10 by the end of the first quarter.

Then entered freshman Abby Plaugher  with her first varsity field goal in the second quarter to put the Knights back in the lead at 14-12.  The Vikings retook the lead for a brief moment when Hannah Salazar made a three with 6:18 left in the 2nd quarter.  The Vikings then got into trouble with fouls and the Knights took advantage of it by going 6/9 at the charity stripe.  The Knights took a 28-19 lead into halftime with Plaugher scoring 7 points in the 2nd quarter.

“I think going in unintimidated and listening to the older girls kinda helped me out.  Obviously I had some nerves but I feel like once I started playing, they kinda just shook out,” Plaugher said after her first varsity game.

The Knights continued to to hold that lead as they finished the third quarter with a 34-29 lead.  The Knights closed the door in the 4th quarter and a big part of that was Rachel Dunn who came away with a couple steals and 4 points in the 4th quarter.  The Knights will be up against Archbishop Carroll High School on Monday at 7:00 for their home opener.

“They were state champs last year so I told the girls just come ready to play and if we play good fundamental defense, like I said it starts there, anything can happen,” Coach Carangi said.

Perkiomen Valley: Beattie 9 pts, Miley 7 pts, Marinacci 6 pts, Daisey 4 pts, Salazar 3 pts, Ramsey 3 pts, Quoos 2 pts, Sherman 2 pts

North Penn: Plaugher 11 pts, McGriff 9 pts, Dunn 8 pts, Lindsay 6 pts, Adams 6 pts, Mullaly 4 pts, Early 4 pts, Johns 2 pts