Last year, in Warren’s Homecoming game, the Dragons overcame an 18-point halftime deficit to defeat Oil City at War Memorial Field. Warren contained stud running back Ethan Knox in the fourth quarter and shut out the Oilers in the second half.

Knox and the Oilers’ offensive line didn’t let that happen again on Friday, defeating Warren, 58-24, in the 2022 season opener at War Memorial Field.

The junior running back is bigger and stronger this year, rushing for 298 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries. He also caught a 64-yard touchdown pass, and added four 2-point conversions.

By halftime, Knox had run 19 times and had more than 200 combined rushing and receiving yards. He scored the game’s first touchdown on a long bomb downfield, stunning a Dragons defense focused on stopping the running game. Before the first quarter was over, Oil City quarterback Dane Ley lateraled to Gavin Stephens on the right sideline, and Stephens found Holden Stahl wide open for a 21-yard passing score and 20-6 lead.

Three Warren tacklers, including Eddie Johnson (71) and Tommy Nyquist (22) attempt to take down Oil City running back Ethan Knox on Friday during a 58-24 loss to the Oilers at War Memorial Field. Times Observer photo by Jon Sitler

Up 28-6 at halftime, Oil City leaned on Knox some more. He finished with 155 rushing yards in the second half before the reserves took over.

“We have to learn from our mistakes and pick our butts up, put our nose to the grindstone, and start working to get better,” said Warren coach Mark Morelli. “Oil City gave us a lesson in what physical football is. … They countered anything and everything we did. Offensively, we had some spurts, but we couldn’t get anything established. And, again, it starts up front.”

Warren junior running back Tommy Nyquist found holes early, rushing for 77 yards and a touchdown in the first half, and added 41 receiving yards.

Two early fumbles in the third quarter helped doom Warren’s fate. Warren turned it over three times in all.

Quarterback Eric Dippold had two second-half touchdowns. Ethan Senz took a screen pass 60 yards for the first, and Cayden Wright was wide open for a 51-yard score for the second.

Senz finished with 81 second-half rushing yards as well, including a 5-yard touchdown plunge.

“Half the teams in Pennsylvania lost tonight, and we’re one of those teams,” said Morelli. “The kids have to be able to adjust to the adversity. They could go one of two directions. I’m hoping we’ve got enough leadership on this football team to keep us afloat and get us through the beginning of the year until we get on the right track.”

Oil City 20 8 23 7 — 58

Warren 6 0 12 6 — 24

First quarter

O–Ethan Knox 64 pass from Dane Ley, 7:20 (pass fails)

O–Knox 28 run, 6:28 (Knox run)

W–Tommy Nyquist 42 run, 6:07 (pass fails)

O–Holden Stahl 21 pass from Gavin Stephens after Ley lateral to Stephens, 0:45.6 (run fails)

Second quarter

O–Knox 2 run, 1:28 (Knox run)

Third quarter

O–Knox 6 run, 8:37 (Knox pass from Ley)

W–Ethan Senz 60 pass from Eric Dippold, 8:18 (kick fails)

O–Knox 65 run, 8:08 (Knox run)

O–#21 1 run, 1:59 (Stahl kick)

W-Cayden Wright 51 pass from Dippold, 1:28 (kick fails)

Fourth quarter

O–Stahl 14 run, 7:57 (Stahl kick)

W–Senz 5 run, 2:45 (kick fails)

Individual statistics

Rushing: O–Knox 31-298, 4TD; Stahl 4-60, TD; Isaiah Aeschbacher 3-6; #21 2-3, TD; Stephens 2-(-2); #23 1-22; #9 1-19; Ley 1-0. W–Nyquist 10-80, TD; Senz 9-82, TD; Wright 1-0; Dippold 5-(-28).

Passing: O–Ley 1 of 5 for 64 yards, TD; Stephens 1 of 1 for 21 yards, TD; Knox 0 of 1. W–Dippold 7 of 13 for 180 yards, 2TD.

Receiving: O–Knox 1-64, TD; Stahl 1-21, TD. W–Wright 3-62, TD; Senz 2-74, TD; Nyquist 1-41; Carson Farr 1-3.