TOWANDA — Towanda found the end zone on its first three possessions and rolled to a 46-14 victory over North Penn-Mansfield in NTL football action here Friday night.

“That was our goal, sort of, that we talked to our team about, like start fast,” Towanda coach Jamie Wecker said. “Keep the gas pedal, you know, down to the metal so to speak, that kind of thing, and just keep going and going and going.

“It's nice when we can do that because then we can get them to do what we need to do, and we get some younger kids in, and we get to develop that depth. That helps a lot also. It also helps get our kids out so they stay fresher for the rest of the season.

NP-M coach John Minnich shouldered the blame for the team’s loss.

“That's on me as a coach,” he said. “I just need to get these boys prepared each week, you know, because these teams aren't going to come out here not swinging. No better way I could put it. We’ve just got to be better prepared each week.

“I’ve got to call a better game, got to keep that ball rolling with the fellas. Young team, but big potential.”

The Tigers got a decent return from Colton Pellett on the opening kickoff and a 12-yard run by quarterback Peyton Greene, NP-M’s longest run from scrimmage on the night, moved the ball near midfield. That’s when the Black Knights tightened up on defense and the offense took control.

Jazick Brown broke free and darted 92 yards to paydirt, but didn't get a chance to get the kick away on the PAT attempt, settling for a 6-0 lead at 8:51.

The Towanda defense would shut down the Tigers on the next drive and Gage Evans scored on an 18-yard run at 5:48. Clayton Spencer’s PAT kick made it 13-0.

Another solid defensive stand gave the pigskin back to the Knights following NP-M’s next possession and Brown scored from 11 yards out with 43 seconds left in the first quarter. Spencer made it 20-0 with the PAT kick.

The teams swapped fumbles early in the second period with Towanda capitalizing on the Tigers’ fumble with a 48-yard field goal by Spencer pushing the home team’s advantage to 23-0 with 9:14 on the clock.

The Knights would get the ball back and score on an 8-yard touchdown run by Evans with Spencer’s PAT kick making it 30-0 with 4:15 remaining in the half.

NP-M refused to roll over and 63 seconds later, Greene found Pellett open and he broke a tackle at the 45 and outraced the Towanda defense for a 76-yard TD. Connor Lewis connected with the PAT kick to make it 30-7 with 3:12 left in the half.

“This is a hard-nosed group of kids,” said Minnich. “They're going to fight all four quarters. There's not much more I can ask for out of these guys.

Special teams stole the spotlight when the Knights’ Colton McPeak jumped on a blocked punt for a TD at 1:05 of the third period. Spencer’s PAT kick gave Towanda a 37-7cushion.

Brown scored his third TD of the game 1:23 into the fourth quarter, scoring on a 28-yard run. The Tigers blocked the PAT attempt, making it 43-7.

Towanda put its final points on the board following a Bentley Johnson interception at the NP-M 15. Elaine Cook split the uprights from 30 yards out for a field goal and a 46-7 lead with 8:51 to go.

North Penn-Mansfield responded with a 70-yard kickoff return by Bentley Chilson at 8:36. The PAT kick by Lewis made the final score 46-14.

Towanda racked up 391 yards of offense to improve to 2-0. NP-M had 91, slipping to 0-2 on the season.

Brown rushed for 194 yards on 11 carries while Evans toted the rock eight times for 78 yards and Curtis Maynard had two runs for 27 yards and three receptions for 23 more. Reese Sluyter completed three of his four pass attempts for 35 yards.

Pellett was the Tigers’ top gainer with one carry for 13 yards and one reception for 76 yards.

The Black Knights received an impressive defensive performance throughout their line-up.

“Defensively, we were really quick,” Wecker said. “We're not real big defensively, but I think we're pretty strong for our size and the quickness definitely helps. 

“We're going to be going into a stretch here in the next three, four weeks, or whatever it is, where we've got to really play at a high level on the defensive line, and that was a challenge that we put on them this week. Let's be fast. Let's be physical. Let's finish the play. Let's get those sacks and force those incompletions.

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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.