Brian Hagberg
RUSSELL, Pa. – Benji Bauer ran for more than 180 yards and the Eisenhower defense completely stifled the Cambridge Springs running game in a 27-14 victory on Friday.
Bauer rushed 23 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns and added an interception and a sack on defense. The individual effort was part of a team performance that saw the Knights run for 337 yards.
Defensively, Eisenhower had all the answers against a team that racked up more than 380 yards a week ago as the Knights held the Blue Devils to minus-28 yards on the ground.
Kris Bunk joined the Extra Point Show with JB Graphics to talk about the win:
The Knights (2-0) opened the game with a 63-yard drive that chewed 4:48 off the clock. Bauer punctuated the drive with a 2-yard touchdown plunge.
After forcing a 3-and-out, Eisenhower went 81 yards in just three plays to take a 14-0 lead thanks to a 33-yard pass from Shawn Pascuzzi to Keegan Eckstrom.
The Cambridge Springs (1-1) defense opened the second quarter with a fourth down stop and the offense responded with a 56-yard touchdown drive capped by Morgan Applebee’s 11-yard pass to Bryce Kania that cut the lead to 14-7.
Eisenhower responded with another long scoring drive featuring a 45-yard reception from Garrett Jensen and capped by Bauer’s second touchdown of the half.
The Knights recovered a squib kick to open the second half, but the Blue Devils forced a 3-and-out. It appeared Eisenhower had forced another 3-and-out, but Eckstrom was unable to field the punt cleanly and Cambridge Springs recovered at the Eisenhower 9-yard-line.
On second down, Applebee corraled a high snap and threw a pass over the middle. Bauer came sliding in to make the interception on the 1-yard-line.
Eisenhower marched 99 yards on its next possession capped by Pascuzzi’s one-yard touchdown run.
Applebee and Kania hooked up for their second touchdown, from 23 yards, with just over seven minutes to go in the game to end the scoring.
Pascuzzi was 6-14 passing for 104 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 27 yards and another score. Eckstrom had 33 yards receiving with a touchdown.
For Cambridge Springs, Applebee was 13-25 passing for 155 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Kania finished with 52 receiving yards.
Eisenhower welcomes Union City to the Pasture of Pain next week.
