KNOX, IN. - Defense: the action of defending from or resisting attack. And in Friday's Hoosier North Athletic Conference high school football showdown it was LaVille's defense that stood tall. The Lancers kept their conference championship hopes alive with a 21-20 victory over Knox at Community Field. "Once again we found a way to win," said LaVille Head Football Coach Will Hostrawser. "Last season 6 of our 9 wins were by 7 points or less so we have close game experience - this game was no different. I am proud of our grittiness - but even more so, the team's willingness to take a hard look at the game to find ways to improve our execution this coming week. We won - but we were not satisfied - we can play better and we all know it. The team has a want to improve each week and they are coachable in doing so." The Redskins just rallied from a 21-7 deficit and had the opportunity to take the lead. Freshman back Myles McGlaughlin took the handoff from quarterback Cohen Watson on a misdirection play. Mclaughlin worked his way along the right side of the line of scrimmage, got a block and wiggled his way back toward the middle of the field and raced to the goal line. The result was a touchdown and the decision to kick for the tie or attempt the two-point conversion. The Redskins were going for the win. A successful two-point conversion for Knox could have opened up the HNAC title race heading into the final few three weeks of the season. Following a time out, Watson brought the Redskin offense to the line. He belted out a loud count trying to draw the LaVille defense across the line. The Lancer front moved, but did not cross the line. As the play clock moved to zero, another timeout was called. Watson once again brought his team to the line of scrimmage. Ball snapped. McGlaughlin tried the middle of the line. The ball carrier was engulfed in a sea of humanity before being pushed back as the ball failed to cross the goal line. The Lancer defense, the sidelines, and the LaVille stands erupted in celebration. The defense made what was the most important stop of the season to date. LaVille's quest for its first-ever HNAC football championship remained alive. "We thought they were going to get the ball into their best player's hands - Myles McGlaughlin #2," explained Hostrawser. "They lined up in a wildcat with a direct snap formation and we called time out to set up a defense for it. They came out of the timeout with him at wing which is a counter reverse formation and Knox tried to draw us off side. We held our ground so they called timeout and went back to the original wildcat formation which we had prepared for originally. We had to defend 9 feet (3 yards) to win the game. We stepped up and got it done - for the second year in a row." The Lancer defensive front line of Garret Wagoner, Mason Stepp, and AJ Bedock, along with linebackers Noah Richhart, Jonathan Neese, Ross Wagoner, and Michael Good held their ground. There was enough resistance to push back any early advantage the Knox offense created. "Our defense could not get off the field in the first half," said Hostrawser. "Knox was able to sustain long drives and convert several 3rd and longs and 4th and shorts. We missed several tackles at the point of attack. We did not play particularly well on that side of the ball for the first 24 minutes. As a result our offense had only 3 possessions the entire first half. Nonetheless we were down only 7-6 at the half. Coach (Jeff) Kaiser made some fantastic adjustments that sparked our defense for the second half and we rallied around them. Minus the penalties, our defense responded very well in the second half." Similar to the 2021 regular season dual when Knox visited LaVille and the Lancer defense made a goal line stop to a similar play to preserve a 7-6 victory had just repeated the same feat. This time, on the road, in a championship environment and to preserve the top spot in the 2022 HNAC title run. "The game came down to a 3 yard play with 39 second left," said Hostrawser. "We stepped up and got a stop when we needed to get it done." LaVille got on the board first, as Paul DeWitt busted open a 34-yard touchdown run on the first possession for LHS of the game. KHS came right back and answered on a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Watson took the ball in from the one and Jake Conroy added the point-after as Knox took a 7-6 lead. That lead would hold up for the remainder of the half. LaVille did have a chance to score, but an incomplete pass on a fake field goal attempt on fourth-and-three from the Knox 5-yard line stopped the Lancer drive without a point. Knox took over at its own 5 and moved the ball down the field. Watson and McGlaughlin were the featured rushers as KHS moved into LaVille territory. However, a crucial Knox penalty pushed the Redskins back to midfield and the Lancer defense stiffened, forcing a punt. LaVille had a chance to take the lead early in the third quarter, but a high snap threw off the timing of Plummer's 41-yard field goal attempt and the ball sailed wide left. LaVille moved ahead on back-to-back possessions to end the third and start the fourth quarter. Plummer finished off a 7-play, 66-yard drive with an 8-yard scamper. With the score at 12-7, the Lancers opted for a 2-point conversion. Plummer's run was successful and LHS led, 14-7. Early in the fourth, Plummer was back at it again, scoring from the three and adding a crucial PAT. "Lucas is a real good player - he remains calm in pressure situations and simply makes plays," Hostrawser said of his junior quarterback/place kicker. "He has a short memory when bad things happen and moves forward to the next play. He has made a habit of making plays when we need them to be made. He is special for sure." That set up a furious comeback effort by Knox. On the next Redskin possession, Watson took over, making a couple big runs to help push KHS into LaVille territory. Watson finished off the drive with a 5-yard TD run. Conroy added the kick. After forcing LaVille to punt, Watson and the Redskin offense went to work. McGlaughlin rambled for a 17-yard gain and a personal foul penalty on LaVille moved the ball near midfield. Watson then found McGlaughlin on a 42-yard pass play that ended with a fine catch and run from McGlaughlin to push the ball near the red zone. McGlaughlin closed out the drive on a 10-yard TD run to set up the final 2-point conversion. DeWitt finished with 174 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown. Plummer added 37 yards on five carries and two TDs. "I thought Paul DeWitt took the game over in the second half," said Hostrawser. "He ran with purpose - through first contact and refused to go down easy. Our guys rallied around him offensively. One of the best things about Paul - he wants the ball when the chips are down - I really like that about him." Neese and Richhart led the Lancer defense with 11 tackles. Stepp added 10 tackles, Ross Wagoner nine tackles and a fumble recovery, and Owen Smith nine tackles LaVille improved to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in HNAC play. THe Lancers take a week off from the HNAC battles to entertain neighborhood rival John Glenn on September 30. Kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. Knox moves to 3-3 and 2-2 and will play host to Pioneer, also on September 30. LAVILLE 21, KNOX 20 At Community Field, Knox HS Scoring Summary LV - Paul DeWitt 34 run; kick blocked K - Cohen Watson 1 run; Jake Conroy kick LV - Lucas Plummer 8 run; Plummer run LV - Plummer 3 run; Plummer kick K - Watson 5 run; Conroy kick K - Myles McGlaughlin 10 run; run failed