Oct 14, 2006 By The 2 min read

Knoch scored 15 points in the final quarter Friday, rallying from a 10-0 halftime deficit for a 21-16 non-conference victory on the road at Laurel Highlands. Joel Borland opened the scoring for the Mustangs with a 25-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Laurel Highlands (2-5) extended its lead in the second quarter when Brandon George hauled in a Dan Pegg pass for a 23-yard touchdown reception. Borland’s kick gave the Mustang’s a 10-0 lead at the half.

The Knights started to peck away at their deficit in the third quarter when Kyle Reiser scooped up a Laurel Highlands fumble and raced 90 yards to the end zone. The two-point run failed.

Knoch (3-4) gained the lead for the first time when Dan Pickard gathered in a 46-yard scoring pass from Zack Gross. Gross found Robert Briggs open for the two-point conversion and a 14-10 lead.

Alex Whisler scored on a 20-yard run and Reiser added the point after for a 21-10 advantage.

The Mustangs scored with six seconds left in the game when Tyler Jodon grabbed a 9-yard scoring pass from Dan Pegg. The two-point pass failed. Laurel Highlands then attempted an onside kick which Knoch recovered to seal the win.

Pegg completed 16 of 31 passes for 215 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Randy Rankin, who entered the game as the WPIAL’s leading receiver, had seven catches for 88 yards. Pickard had two catches for 88 yards and the touchdown.

The Mustangs had two takeaways in the game.

Eric Yarborough, who entered the game tied for the WPIAL lead in interceptions, added to that total when he picked off his sixth pass of the season to kill a Knoch drive in the second quarter.

Josh Ward put a halt to a Knights’ drive in the third quarter when he recovered a fumble.

The loss was tough to take for Laurel Highlands since the Mustangs had 14 first downs to just five for Knoch and out-gained the Knights 272 to 166.