The Tigers put points on the board first after a 79 yard drive in the first quarter that was topped off with a Chevy Blake one yard run up the middle.

Down 7-0 in the second, the Knights had Maplewood at third and eleven on their own 28 yard line, when JD McFadden connected with Jesse McFadden for a 72 yard touchdown to put the Tigers up 14-0.

“They have a lot of weapons,” Eisenhower head coach Jim Penley said. “This is a team right now that realistically could be region champions. They have a really gifted quarterback. Any team with a really gifted running quarterback makes things very difficult.”

Mid-way through the second quarter, Eisenhower’s Ethan Chambers went to work, hacking away at the Tiger defense and ultimately running in a 4-yard score to pull with in 6 of the Tigers going into the half.

Times Obesrver photo by Cody Elms Riley West attempts to bring down Maplewood’s Camron Bienio.

“We were hoping to be at a point where we were a score away,” said Penley. “We were right there.”

Chambers ran 18 times for 82 yards while catching one pass for six.

The Knights wouldn’t keep momentum on their side long, as the Tigers’ Kaleb Donor returned the opening second half kick off 76 yards to put Maplewood up by two scores once again.

Maplewood added a Hunter Groger field goal and another touchdown run, this time a 40 yarder by quarterback JD McFadden to close out the third.

JD McFadden finished the game with 56 yards rushing to go along with his 185 yards passing.

“We were playing for our playoff lives,” Penley said. “We knew that with a win here and win next week we could be as high as second seed in the region, even with all the tough games. I’m an exceptionally competitive person, but at the same time is, I also know what the big goal is, and the big goal for me is developing tremendous young men.”

– – –

Maplewood 7 7 16 0 – 30

Eisenhower 0 8 0 0 – 8 First Quarter

M–Chevy Blake 1 run, (Hunter Groger kick), 3:52.

Second Quarter

M–Jesse McFadden 72 pass from JD McFadden, (Groger kick), 10:25.

E–Ethan Chambers 4 run, (Chambers run), (5:49).

Third Quarter

M–Kaleb Donor 76 kick return, (kick failed), 11:49.

M–Groger 29 field goal, 6:58.

M–JD McFadden 40 run, (Groger), 5:42.

Team Stats E M

Offensive plays 49 53

First downs 13 10

Total Net Yards 322 209

Rushes-yards 32-137 32-156

Passing 185 43

Comp-Att-Int 11-17-0 6-21-2

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-0

Penalties-Yards 7-50 4-45

——

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Maplewood, Blake 14-58-TD, JD McFadden 13-56-TD, Jordan Hollabaugh 1-17, Kaleb Donor 4-6; Eisenhower, Chambers 18-82-TD, Nate Holt 3-50, Cael Black 6-28, Owen Trumbull 3-(-1), Zane Alexander 2-(-3).

PASSING–Maplewood, JD McFadden 11-17-185-TD; Eisenhower, Trumbull 6-21-43-2INT.

RECEIVING–Jesse McFadden 6-167-TD, Levi Butryn 1-8, Ethan Wright 1-6, Blake 1-5, Camron Bienio 1-(-1); Eisenhower Garrett Head 3-16, Holt 1-15, Chambers 1-6, Alexander 1-6.