North Penn saw its season come to an end at the hands of PCL powerhouse La Salle in the PIAA state semifinals. Photos provided by Greg Lindsay and Michael Rice Photography. Check back for a gallery of the game.
PIAA 6A State Tournament semifinal
#12-1 LA SALLE 49, #1-1 NORTH PENN 14
It was a scene that’s replayed over and over at this time of year.
Teams closing the book on seasons that – if ending this late in November – have been seasons for the record books. That was certainly the case for a North Penn squad that was coming off a District 1 6A title, the program’s first since 2016. After Saturday’s season-ending loss, the Knights – decided underdogs against PCL champion La Salle - exchanged hugs and said their farewells to teammates that, in some cases, had been together for a lifetime.
Before facing the waiting reporters, senior Matt Bucksar, a rare three-year starter at quarterback, and coach Dick Beck shared a brief exchange. ‘Awesome three years, brother,” Beck said to Bucksar, who reminded the veteran coach they’d been together four years.
“It’s been a long four years, but I couldn’t have asked for a better head coach or a better four years in my life in general,” Bucksar said. “This season means the world to me and a lot of the other seniors.
“For us to go out winning the district championship, going this far, practicing over Thanksgiving, I couldn’t ask for anything more this year, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to go out.”
RJ Smith had a much briefer varsity experience than Bucksar, but it meant every bit as much to the Knights’ senior center as it did for the veteran quarterback.
“I didn’t start last year – the kid in front of me was bigger, better, stronger faster,” Smith said. “I worked my butt off, but there wasn’t much I could do. He played over me.”
While some of the seniors will be playing at the collegiate level, Smith was not in that number, and his tears were not because the Knights lost but because something special had ended.
“This year was amazing,” he said. “In youth football, we go by grades, so half the kids on this team – I’ve played with for years. We split up into our different middle schools and came back together and made this a (heck) of a team. It’s awesome, all of us working together.”
Smith was part of the Knights’ offensive line that was a driving force in the team’s run to a district title that was highlighted by nine straight wins entering Saturday’s state semifinal.
“After the Pennridge (regular season) loss, we got together, we watched more film and realized we had to kick it up a notch, and we did,” Smith said. “I’ll always remember our (district) playoff run. That playoff run – we had our fun, but we got serious when we needed to, and we kicked some butt.”
Saturday’s state semifinal game – played in front of packed stands at Central Bucks South High School - belonged to a gifted La Salle squad that led 21-0 after one quarter and 35-0 by halftime. Quarterback Gavin Sidwar – bound for the University of Missouri – had four touchdown passes in the half.
“I knew what we were going to get from them,” North Penn coach Dick Beck said. “It’s kind of pick your poison – do you drop in coverage, do you stop the run, do you play man or do you play zone. It’s so hard to defend them because they can do everything.”
The Knights got on the scoreboard in the second half when Aiden Ashley scored on a one-yard run to cap drive that featured a 54-yard run by senior Matt Pownall.
Bucksar connected with Mason Franek on a 16-yard TD late in the game, and Saturday’s loss could not detract from the Knights’ memorable postseason run that culminated with a district crown.
“It was great to get that district championship under our belt,” Pownall said. “We’ll be able to talk about that for a while.
“This is a great team – a lot of brothers on this team. It will be tough just not seeing them every day, being able to put all that hard work in together.”
“It was a fantastic season,” Beck said. “And this doesn’t take anything away from it. How hard they worked in practice during the playoffs was phenomenal because that’s when the weather’s the worst.
“We had a good group. We were a little outmanned today. They have good players at every position, but our guys – we had a great run in the playoffs. The kids were very enthusiastic at practice. There was never anybody saying – ‘The season is long, the weather’s cold.’ We never got that. They were awesome all year.”
For the seniors, Saturday’s game marked the end of a special era.
“We’ve just all grown up together – the chemistry, the bonds we’ve had,” Bucksar said. “We’ve clicked from the start. Just the chemistry between the guys really made it special.
“La Salle’s a great team obviously. We did everything we could to prepare ourselves the best we could. Even going out like this, none of the boys are really upset. We’re all proud of ourselves for how far we made it and for winning the district championship.”
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