DOWNINGTOWN — North Penn’s 2024 season came to an end at Kottmeyer Stadium. It just so happened the Knights started off their 2025 campaign back at the same spot, albeit against a different foe.
In their first game since last year’s District 1 6A championship loss to Downingtown West, the reigning runner-ups took down Downingtown East, 42-21, on Friday night.
Junior running back Rylei Gray and senior Matt Pownall (Navy) both ran for more than 100 yards and combined for five total touchdowns as the Knights opened what they hope will be another season that goes deep into the winter.
“Right when we started, Day 1, January, all we thought about was last year walking off this field, losing the District 1 championship,” senior defensive lineman Jack Silvers said. “This is a helluva win for us, and we want to get back here (the District 1 championship game). We want the district championship to be ours.”
Downingtown East (0-1) got on the board first when Juelz Chiron-Robinson’s 58-yard run helped set up a 1-yard rushing score by Alex Rios with nine seconds left in the first quarter. North Penn (1-0) responded on its next drive. A 37-yard completion from Matt Bucksar to Pownall pushed the Knights deep into Cougars territory before Gray scored from 1-yard out with 9:47 left in Q2.
After North Penn’s defense forced a 3-and-out on the ensuing Downingtown East drive, Bucksar marched his team 77 yards. A four-yard touchdown pass to Matt Pownall on fourth-and-goal capped the drive and sent North Penn into half with a 14-7 lead.
“We were doing it last offseason. You guys probably saw it a lot in the playoffs,” Pownall said of his connection with Bucksar. “It’s our go-to.”
Pownall broke off a 45-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the second half, giving the Knights a two-touchdown lead with 9:24 left in the third. Gray punched in a two-yard touchdown less than two minutes later (7:37), taking advantage when the Cougars fumbled the kickoff inside their own 10-yard line.
Gray finished with 21 carries for 105 yards and three touchdowns. Pownall rushed 16 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, and also added the score through the air.
Gray, who also starts at defensive back, played running back in the team’s opener against Downingtown East last season, but played only on the defensive side of the ball for the rest of the year. Back in the backfield alongside the Navy commit Pownall, he took advantage of another opportunity on Friday night.
“I feel like last year Coach (Dick) Beck knew what I could do, but I just fell down to expectations and didn’t do as good as I was supposed to,” Gray said. “This year, he just kept his trust in me, and put me back on the offense to see what I can do, and I proved my point. It shows here.”
Chiron-Robinson flashed ability as a freshman, and looks to be a potential breakout star this season as he rushed for 175 yards and two scores on Friday. A 25-yard touchdown run with 6:12 left in the third pulled the Cougars back within two scores.
The Cougars’ defense got the ball back and the Downingtown East offense marched back down the field to the North Penn 36-yard line looking to tighten things closer before a sack by Silvers stalled the momentum and forced a punt.
Bucksar (9-for-13, 113 yards, TD) led an 89-yard Knights touchdown drive on the ensuing possession, capped by a 33-yard touchdown run by Gray that made it 35-14 with 9:03 remaining.
“That’s one of the tougher offenses I’ve ever gone against,” Silvers said of Downingtown East. “The run, the tempo … I just wanted to get my defense off the field and give the ball to our offense.”
Chiron-Robinson found paydirt for a second time at the 4:11 mark in the fourth to bring the Cougars back within two scores, but they were out of time for a true comeback bid. North Penn’s Jacob Garrett finished the game’s scoring when he went 67 yards to the house after a fumble recovery.
“They kind of took it to us,” Downingtown East coach Michael Matta said. “We think we’re pretty good up front, but we didn’t play well. They out executed us up front pretty well, especially their offensive line, and they really ran the ball pretty well.”
North Penn is one of the favorites in District 1 again after bringing back eight starters on offense and seven starters on defense. Bucksar, Pownall, and wideouts Mason Franek are some of the big returning offensive pieces, looking the part Friday night.
Senior Dominic Tranzilli and Mason Charles and junior Charles Ashley return on the offensive line alongside seniors Jacob Cheeseman and RJ Smith. Senior tight end Wyatt Martin was another one paving the way for 248 yards on the ground to start the season on Friday night.
“I might take them out to dinner,” Gray said.
Where to?
“P.J. Whelihan’s, right in Lansdale (for) wings.”
North Penn 0 14 14 14-42
Downingtown East 7 0 7 7-21
Individual Scoring
First Quarter
DE: Alex Rios 1 run (Paul Selden kick) 0:09
Second Quarter
NP: Rylei Gray 1 run (Matt Marnier kick) 9:47
NP: Matt Pownall 4 pass from Matt Bucksar (Matt Marnier kick) 0:20
Third Quarter
NP: Matt Pownall 45 run (Matt Marnier kick) 9:24
NP: Rylei Gray 2 run (Matt Marnier kick) 7:37
DE: Juelz Chiron-Robinson 25 run (Paul Selden kick) 6:12
Fourth Quarter
NP: Rylei Gray 33 run (Matt Marnier kick) 9:03
DE: Juelz Chiron-Robinson 8 run (Paul Selden kick) 4:11
NP: Jacob Garrett 67 fumble recovery (Matt Marnier kick) 0:14
Team Statistics
…………………….NP………………DE
1st downs………..20…………………18
rush-yds……….43-248……….46-196
comp-att-int….9-13-0…………..9-14-0
pass yds……….113………………116
total yds…………361……………….325
fumb-lost……..2-1………………2-1
pen-yds…………8-60…………..5-45
Individual Statistics
Rushing-
North Penn: Matt Pownall 16-107, TD; Rylei Gray 21-105, 3 TDs; Matt Bucksar 2-21; Cameron Mainor 3-11; Aiden Ashley 1-4.
Downingtown East: Juelz Chiron-Robinson 27-175, 2 TDs; Alex Rios 7-15, TD; John Morrin 4-14; Ethan Ellis 8-(-8).
Passing-
North Penn: Matt Bucksar 9-13, 113 yards, TD.
Downingtown East: Ethan Ellis 9-14, 116 yards.
Receiving
North Penn: Mason Franek 3-66; Matt Pownall 2-17, TD; Sal Colella 3-17; Aiden Ashley 1-13.
Downingtown East: Abe Sesay 3-37; Michael Schlachter 2-25; Madden Miller 2-19; Ryan McGowan 1-18; Juelz Chiron-Robinson 1-17.
Interceptions: None.
Sacks:
North Penn: Jack Silvers
Downingtown East: Caleb Aikens