KENDALLVILLE — Only during the first game of the season can an excuse like jitters be accepted. At East Noble, it seemed as though the only people who were nervous were the officials and the Knights’ opponent, Northrop. During the opening drive, the Knights blocked a field goal and returned it 89 yards for what seemed to be a touchdown. However, an inadvertent whistle at the beginning of the runback erased it. “I talked to the kids before the game about the fact that things won’t always go your way,” EN coach Luke Amstutz said. “That blocked field goal in the beginning of the game brought that to the front. It was a negative we later bounced back from.” That mistaken whistle only slightly shook the Knights. A turnover after the call was one of a few hiccups as the hosts looked like they were in mid-season form. East Noble easily defeated Northrop, 40-7, Friday night.