Match report: Knights Youth start 2022 season in style
Northants Knights got the 2022 Youth season off to an unbeaten start coming away from tournament 1 with a 3-0 record.
A squad of 19, with only four returners from last year, kicked off at home with Wellingborough Old Grammarians playing host to the Knights, Rugby Rhinos, Leicester Falcons and Sandwell Steelers.
Game one: Knights 18-0 Rugby Rhinos
The Knights first game of the tournament came against last season's surprise package the Rugby Rhinos, who finished in third place during the 2021 season behind the Knights.
With a mainly rookie team, the Knights were nervous early on and made some mental errors including a false start penalty on only the second play of the game. Eventually settling down with some good running by Jayden Lewis and a 7-yard catch and run by rookie center Gabe Swannell, the Knights started to get into a rhythm; eventually capping the opening drive with an 8 yard touchdown run by Khalil Ahmada. After failing to convert the extra point the Knights led 6-0.
The Knights defense started hot and forced the Rhinos offense into a quick 4th down which resulted in Freddie Duke making a tackle in the backfield and rookie linebacker David Obembe making the additional hit to force a fumble which was unfortunately picked up by a shaken up Rhinos quarterback.
However, the Defense was needed soon again after the nerves got the better of the Knights offense once again and a late throw was intercepted near the goal line.
It was once again David Obembe making the big hits on the Knights own three-yard line to force another fumble, this time recovered by Matt Coggins to give the home team the ball back.
After driving down the field the offense stuttered at the Rhinos goal line and failed to convert.
The defense continued its dominance and some great tackling from Lucas Cooper and Freddie Duke quickly got the Knights offense back on the field. Jayden Lewis continued to tie the defense in knots but it was first time quarterback Dom Wood who found Angus Slater for the touchdown - connecting on a 15 yard pass to make the score 12-0.
As Knights continued to push for another score it was once again debutant Khalil Ahmada who added to his earlier score with a 22-yard run. In a display that certainly wasn't the Knights finest, it was enough to get the job done and start the season 1-0 with an 18-0 victory.
Game two: Knights 50-6 Leicester Falcons
Game two saw Knights take on Leicester Falcons who started the game with the intent on power running through the Knights defense. It wasn’t to be after great tackling by David Obembe and a sack on 3rd down from Freddie Duke.
It was then the Knights offenses' turn to enter the field and a 45 yard catch and run by Freddie Duke on the first play opened the scoring, with Dom Wood finding Hayden Quantrell for the extra point to make it 7-0.
Leicester found some success but great pressure from Rhys Lackford and coverage from Lewis Hawkins quickly put the Knights offense back on the field. Once again it was penalties and nerves that hurt the offense and a deep pass was picked off by the Falcons Defense to set them up in good position which they capitalised on, making it 7-6.
Back on offense and the penalties continued, this time pulling back a would-be-34 yard touchdown run by Khalil Ahmada, however the rookie running back then pushed it in the following play. Dom Wood once again converted the extra point, this time with a 5 yard strike to Angus Slater to make it 14-6.
On defense it was time for Oliver Parkhill to take over and after a huge tackle for loss on second down he then made an interception at the half way line and returned it all the way to the house for a touchdown on his debut. The two-point conversion was completed after Dom Wood found Angus Slater once again in the corner of the end zone making the score 22-6.
After half time the Knights started on offense and quickly found a rhythm with Dom Wood finding speedster Dallas Burch for an 18-yard touchdown and the resulting extra point conversion taking the score to 29-6.
The defense continued to step up and get the ball back for the offense, and this time it was pressure from Oliver Brooks-Payne to force a fumble that was recovered by Lucas Cooper on the Leicester seven-yard line. Rookie running back Richmon Antwi took the hand off and exploded untouched into the end zone for the touchdown, and a catch from Dallas Burch for the extra point made it 36-6.
Pressure from Freddie Duke resulted in a two-point safety for the Knights and back on offense, although the Leicester sideline were confident they knew the play, they couldn't stop it and Richmon Antwi bursted through for a 45-yard touchdown run, taking the score to 44-6.
After some good defensive work the Knights offense trotted back out and Dom Wood found Hayden Quantrell on a 31-yard pass but he was just ran down before scoring, setting up Richmon Antwi for his third rushing touchdown of the game to make it 50-6.
On defense there was another interception this time from captain Matt Coggins to seal the game and move Knights to 2-0.
Game three: 52-0 Sandwell Steelers
The third and final game came in the form of Sandwell Steelers who had won both games at the tournament coming into it.
The Knights scored on the opening play through a 45-yard catch and run by Freddie Duke but a flag pulled it back to near the halfway line. The drive continued and after some really good protection from Rhys Lackford on the offensive line, Dom Wood found Angus Slater for a five-yard touchdown to make the score 6-0 early on.
Some great defensive stops by Oliver Parkhill brought up a long 4th down attempt by Sandwell that was picked off by linebacker David Obembe. Although Angus Slater caught another touchdown, yet another penalty cost us and the drive fizzed out.
The next score eventually came and it was once again the defense who got an interception, this time Matt Coggins picked the ball off at the 17-yard line and ran it home for the score before David Obembe jumped on a loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown to make it 18-0.
An unfortunate injury to star wide receiver Angus Slater affectionately known as Slim Reaper amongst the team meant the Knights had to play out the rest of the game without him.
On the resulting drive Freddie Duke continued to dominate the line of scrimmage and made his way to the backfield and sacked the Sandwell quarterback in the end zone for a two-point safety to make it 20-0.
With the ball back on offense it was penalties that killed a 45-yard scoring play on first down, and a 35-yard run by Jayden Lewis was marked just shy of the end zone. However, the Knights offense continued to push and Dom Wood found Jayden Lewis for a two-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 28-0 after Jayden Lewis ran in the two-point conversion which quickly became 30-0 after another two-point safety.
The explosive Khalil Ahmada then shrugged off three tacklers to find his way to the end zone on a 45-yard run, and after Richmon Antwi converted the two-point conversion the Knights led 38-0.
After some fantastic pressure on the defensive line by debutant Oliver Brooks-Payne he forced the Sandwell quarterback into a mistake that was picked off once again by Matt Coggins at the 20-yard line who ran it all the way back for another Knights touchdown to enhance the score to 46-0.
Jayden Lewis continued his strong showing during tournament one when he added on a 12-yard touchdown run to put the score at 52-0 and give the Knights a 3-0 start to the season.
Next up
Attention now turns to Tournament Two in a couple of weeks time as we travel to Tamworth to play last season Midlands winners Bedford Blackhawks, Nuneaton Jaguars and the hosts Tamworth Phoenix.