Brian Hagberg
WATTSBURG, Pa. – Eisenhower had seven first half plays of more than 35 yards, three for touchdowns, on its way to a 50-6 win at Seneca Saturday.
(Photo courtesy Steve Younger. Cael Black runs in for his second touchdown of the first half of a game at Seneca Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. Black finished with three scores and the Knights topped the Bobcats, 50-6.)
Owen Trumbull and Cael Black each had three first half touchdowns to help the Knights build a 43-0 halftime lead. The pair accounted for five of the seven big plays as well.
The Knights will find out Sunday what playoff seed they’ll have when District 10 releases its playoff brackets.
Trumbull opened the scoring with a 41-yard pass to Caleb Robinault on Eisenhower’s (6-0) first possession of the game.
A 30-yard Zane Alexander punt return put Eisenhower in Seneca (0-6) territory to start its next possession. Black sprinted 46 yards on the next play to give the Knights a 14-0 lead less than four minutes in.
Alexander took a third down handoff 47 yards on the next possession to get the Knights down to the Bobcats 14, and Black ran it in on the following play for a 21-0 advantage.
Dillon Benson made a juggling catch, then sprinted 40 yards to put Eisenhower in Seneca territory on the Knights’ first possession of the second quarter. Two plays later, Benson hauled in a 24-yard Trumbull pass to stretch the lead to 27-0.
Black got in and blocked Logan Kibbie’s punt on the ensuing Seneca possession. The ball rolled out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Black polished off the drive after the free kick with a 39-yard touchdown run.
Seneca looked primed to get in the end zone on the ensuing possession. The Bobcats took advantage of some uncharacteristic defensive penalties by the Knights to drive all the way down to the 1 yard line. The penalties were part of a theme on the day for Eisenhower as the Knights finished with 10 for 95 yards.
Seneca committed a pair of penalties that drove them back to the 11 and Gannon Jaquay stripped the ball away from Ryan Miller on the 2 to give the ball back to Eisenhower with just under 30 seconds to go in the half.
Black went 39 yards on first down to get the ball out to the 41. Trumbull scrambled 53 yards on the next play to put the Knights down to the Seneca 6. He found Alexander on the next play for a 6-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the first half for a 43-0 advantage.
(Photo courtesy Steve Younger. Eisenhower quarterback Owen Trumbull prepares to throw a pass during a game at Seneca Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. Trumbull threw for 108 yards and three touchdowns.)
Benji Bauer’s 7-yard run late in the third quarter closed the scoring for the Knights.
Eisenhower drove down to the Seneca 14 in the later stages of the fourth quarter, but decided to kneel on it and turn the ball over on downs rather than try for another score.
Ryan Miller took the handoff on Seneca’s first play, ran around the left edge and raced 86 yards to pay dirt for the lone Bobcats touchdown with 38 seconds left in the game.
Owen Trumbull finished 5-5 passing for 108 yards and three touchdowns, and added three carries for 66 yards on the ground, all in the first half.
Black had seven first half carries for 151 yards and three touchdowns, while Benson had a pair of receptions for 63 yards and a score.
Miller had 156 total yards and a touchdown to earn Jim Kelly Player of the Game powered by the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg honors. As a team, the Bobcats totaled 169 yards.
Eisenhower travels to Cochranton next week in a final tune-up before the District 10 Class 1A playoffs.
