The Comets allowed the Black Knights to have the ball just 8:07 out of 48 minutes on their way to a 14-0 shutout.

Penn Manor (2-1 L-L, 4-2 overall) was led by senior Geoff Hess, who carried the ball 22 times for 142 yards. This came just a week after Hess was taken off the field with a shoulder injury and there was doubt he would even play.

"I knew the same night I got hurt that I was going to play," said Hess. "I went to see a guy named Steve Saunders who works with the (Pittsburgh) Steelers and within a day or so I was able to raise my arm over my head," added Hess.

"I called him a miracle worker," said Hess.

It was a tough night for the Black Knights (0-3, 1-5) on both sides of the ball.

At the half Hempfield had only mustered five yards of total offense. The Comet defense held the Knights to only 12 offensive plays in the first half and no first downs.

In contrast, Penn Manor’s first two possessions, even though they didn’t score, lasted 15 and 17 plays respectively.

On their first drive, the Comets marched from their 29 to the Hempfield 28, but shot themselves in the foot by committing two penalties, one on an incomplete pass and the other on a hold, before they finally were forced to punt the ball back to the Knights.

After their second consecutive three-and-out, Hempfield punted the ball back to the Comets, who started at their 23.

This drive lasted 17 plays before the Hempfield defense held on fourth-and-five from their 20, as the first half ended in a scoreless tie.

When Penn Manor set up for the first drive of the second half they started at their 29, and this time they didn’t waste the oppurtunity.

They ran off another 15-play drive, including eight runs by Mike Stover (24-86 rushing), who crashed over from four yards out to give the Comets all the points they would need.

Hempfield took the kickoff and started on the 18, and after a two-yard run by Tanzil Cole and two incomplete passes, the Knights punted the ball back to the Comets, who started another drive at their 26.

It looked like Penn Manor was going to score again, but Hempfield’s Tyler Swezey stepped in front of Eric Rintz’s pass at the Knights 30 for the turnover.

Hempfield’s Mark Duke tossed three incomplete passes and D.J. Ream was forced to punt again.

Again Penn Manor ran off another 15-play drive that ended with Rintz called his own number from five yards out to put the Comets up 14-0.

"These kids played with a lot of courage," said Penn Manor coach Bob Forgrave. "They played like football players tonight. I’m not sure we had that last week."

Forgrave finished by saying, "when these kids play, the’re pretty good."

Meanwhile, Hempfield coach Tom Getz thought his team would have fared better. "I know we’re struggling on the line, and until the end of the game we only ran six plays from scrimmage, and you can’t win games that way," he said.