He is like the stereo in the movie  "This is Spinal Tap." He doesn't just go up to ten, he has another level past the top level when needed and turns up just that little bit extra.

Knox has been written about by many others more gifted at analyzing stats than I'll ever be. But what I saw was more than his legs, he could see the field and know what speed he needed at what point in a run. He could be running at a five because he knows he'll need to be at seven when he gets this block and 9 when he gets that block and when he's clear he kicks it up to ten. And if he feels breath beating down on him that's when he turns it up eleven.

​And subtle adjustments yards away from contact helped him create even more distance. And he really knows how to use his blockers.

It is always a team effort. Without the big men up front - Knox is stopped. In fact, in the two games Knox was held at or 100 yards this season, it was due to slightly more athletic and physical defenses. But there are not many of those around.

A Dan York team is about having strong, sometimes very big, kids who understand proper ways to block and push people around. Our friend Penny Weichel at yardsandpoints.com has given praise over the last few years for Ethen's army of blockers. "The Oilers’ OL of Henry Milford, Tanner Kightlinger, A.J. Bucholz, Lenny Liebold, Nico Blauser and Tim Walentoski have been particularly dominant the last three outings, allowing the team to hog the ball against the Pickers, Titusville and Conneaut," she wrote recently.

And Knox too has praised them over and over again in post game interviews.

The Oiler defense has also been stingy overall with a number of take aways and stops all season long. Coming up short against Sharon was mostly about the speed of the Tigers who also play up at ten and occasionally eleven as well.

But to predicate an offense so focussed on Knox's ability, and pulling it off week after week is actually something. This also goes to having a solid quarterback with good hands and other backs who can make key blocks as well as pick up other key yards when defenses thought Knox was getting the ball again.

And let's not forget the "Bossman" Dave May who might very well be the best football wrangler in all of District 10. It may seem like a small duty on a football team, but when a ref doesn't get a new ball when they want it they actually get pissed off and that is no good for the team.

And Dan Cartwright's Oiler Marching Band was 100 strong this year with a big sound. The band is an underrated part of the Friday night football experience. Music sends vibrations through the air adding energy to the fans and even out on the field, especially when things are going well.

This season, there was a very scary moment when Hayden Wilson was taken to the hospital by helicopter. Fortunately his injuries were not life threatening. And he showed team determination and guts when he was back on the sidelines the following week and back on the field in two weeks.

​ He also went out of Friday's game in Sharon in obvious pain, but again, he showed guts returning later in the game to be with his team win or lose.

It's been a fun era of Oiler football to watch and sad to see it come to an end, but soon we'll see a lot of these kids on the basketball court or donning Cranberry singlets for wrestling. Oh and the Bossman will be all around the area helping the Salvation Army raise money for those in need over the holidays.

And the cheers are out there rain, snow, sleet, hot, cold and win or lose they have the Oilers' backs no matter what.

Scroll down for a few more photos.

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Boy did they, and in dramatic fashion too. Down two scores they needed a quick hit. Starting with good field position on their own 42 they pitched out Brett Kania who nearly broke it all the way, but was driven out of bound 31 yards later on Eisenhower's 27.

They did start to move the ball but the clock was not working in their favor They had to convert two third downs. On the second conversion they were aided by an Eisenhower personal foul that sent the ball down to the Ike 19 with nearly a minute left on the clock.

But a penalty, an incomplete pass and a sack left them with a third and 25 with only 39 seconds left.

Morgan Applebee, Cambridge's play caller found Dan Brown in the flat and the receiver got out of bounds setting up a fourth and 12 at the 22.

​Eisenhower called a timeout.

With the season on the line Applebee rolled out, stepped up and fired a strike to Preston Gorton hitting him in stride at the 10. Gorton, with first down yardage didn't want to take a chance on getting another play off went hard for the end zone. He was met with some serious opposition at the one, but reached the ball over the line for the go ahead score with just 24 seconds remaining.

He also scored in the first half on a 17-yard run where he dived into the end zone for the team's first score.

Scroll down to view more photos.
​

Momentum in sports is big. But what happens when no one establishes momentum? That's what happened throughout most of the first set between Maplewood and Bishop Canevin Saturday morning in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class A championships.

It is up to mental toughness and seeing who is standing in the end. 

​And when to call timeouts.

Canevin got a short run and led 22-20 in the first set. Maplewood coach Sheila Bancroft took a timeout.

We had our backs up against the wall," she said, Then they rattled off four straight points to go up 24-22.

Canevin coach Angela Wyman throws up a T.

Then it went back and fourth until it ended 27-25 for the Tigers.

"I have to go back to our practice gym," Bancroft said. "I put them through a lot of mental drills.,, I think mental toughness comes from some of those tough drills in practice."

​The second set was a little more business as usual for Maplewood, but not without being challenged. It started out much the same with no one taking control when Wood finally got a little breathing room going up 17-13 only to watch Canevin battle back. But Wood had a bit more in the tank and finished off Canevin 25-19.

Canevin wasn't done. They came out in the third and appeared to be cruising to a set win Even Bancroft's timeout down 7-3 didn't seem to help and they found themselves down 11-3.

But they began stringing three and four points together and kept chipping away. 12-7, 17-13 then they tied it up at 19 a piece.

Wood took the first lead of the match at 23-22 and managed to finish the match with a 26-24 win

The win puts the defending state champion Tigers in the state semi-finals against Elk County Catholic Tuesday night a 6 p.m. at Warren High School. The match will be live streamed by our friends at YDL Sports network.

Bancroft lost three key players from last year's squad, but still find her team battling it out against the best Class A has to offer.

The team had 43 kills including 21 from senior Elizabeth Hunter. Savannah O'Hara also stepped up big-time with a dozen kills.

Bree Neely was between the floor and the ball al night with 22 digs. In fact not many kills went uncontested with the team recording 66 digs with only nine errors.

They manage five solid blocks as well. Canevin was a tough opponent. "A huge test. Every game here is going to be tight . You shouldn't win an easy match (at this point). I can't believe (the Canevin game) was just three sets. I felt like we were in a five game marathon," Bancroft said. "It was a ball control game."
She said it was about keeping the ball in play hoping the other team made the mistake.

Bancroft said about those timeouts that she hopes she says the right things. "I try to show them I'm not panicking and (the players) shouldn't panic either. Just relax and play your kind of game. You're a good team. That's why you're here."

She praised her coaching staff for keeping their eyes glued on what the players need. "I have three great coaches on the bench here. More eyes makes definitely helps out."

Scroll down below for more photos from the game.

The symbolism of Oil City's 51-14 trouncing of North East Friday night shouldn't be lost on anyone. Back in week three North East visited Oil City in a Class 3A showdown and shutout the Oilers 35-0. ​

​Also in that game, Oiler Hayden Wilson was knocked unconscious. The game was a week after Karns City's, Mason Martin was sent to the hospital and continued to lay unconscious. Wilson was life-flighted to Pittsburgh but the extend of his injuries were not life threatening.

He looked like the Knox of old at that moment and kept up that next level speed the rest of the game.
He ended with over 350 yards rushing and  five touchdowns including a 79-yarder in the second half. ​

They also added nine points just in four two-point conversions and a kick.

The Oilers will face Sharon in the district semi-finals at a site and time to be determined.

See more photos from the game at https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p1058000541

We're proud to partner with other companies to cover area stories. ​https://explorevenango.com/knox-rushes-for-350-yards-as-oil-city-rolls-past-north-east-in-d10-playoffs/

Aye Caramba, what I witnessed tonight was state championship level.

No questions asked.

​Either team could've found the groove to take momentum, but the other team, point after point said, 'wait a minute, we're still here.'

In the end, it was Maplewood this year that hoisted the district trophy again this year. They did last year, the year before it was Cochranton. Many times it is one of them, but Crawford County is a girls volleyball Mecca.

I didn't realize when I was asked to help out photographing this match what it would do to the nostalgia in me.

There I was looking into the stands for Lisa Byers (Renwick) taking notes. She was the Meadville Tribune expert on volleyball for years.

I was just getting situatuated to take some match photos when I received a message from Brian Hanley, someone I have known from the early days of his kids playing sports. He saw me at the game and decided it would be funny to let me know there was already an "ugly photographer" at the game and I didn't need to come. (yes I love you too Brian!). When you've been around awhile these things are funny. Trust me.

So old memories surfaced, even though the faces of the players are different. Lisa and I covered many matches over the years that had very similar folks playing very similar roles.

She and I made a pact tonight that if Maplewood and Cochranton meet again in the semi-finals, we'll both try to be there to cover the match together like we've done dozens of times before.

The refs were the same. George Schroeder, Vic Carr, John Chapman and Randy Sovisky, though the latter were accomplished coaches 20 years ago.

​This volleyball match was just fun to watch and be a small part in documenting. I am thankful I was there.

It was also nice to share a few words with Marci Malliard after the match. Coaches don't realize how much we respect them and that is ok, but it was really nice to see her still on the sidelines even though she has given the reigns to one of her best setters and assistant coaches Leirin (Baker) Schmader.

​Both teams will move on into the state playoffs. Maplewood is a six time state champion and is looking to repeat after winning in 2022. 

Below are more photos from the match. More photos can be viewed at: sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p433053205

More Maplewood photos from there semi-final match here: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p28065714

Good luck both teams, Lisa and I are hoping we can cover your semi-final match in a few weeks.