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Knights look to tackle Saegertown

After coming oh so close to picking up win No. 1 on the season at Mercer last week, Eisenhower returns home with a great chance to get in the win column this week.

A touchdown run with just under two minutes to go in the game sent the Mustangs home with a 20-14 win over the Knights. The second straight 6-point win for Mercer over Eisenhower.

The Knights will welcome the Saegertown Panthers to the Pasture of Pain tonight. While the Knights are looking for their first win of 2019, the Panthers are in the midst of a 32-game losing streak.

Saegertown’s last win was 28-7 over Youngsville on Oct. 30, 2015. Not only have the Panthers lost 32 straight, they’ve been outscored 1,533-295 over that span for an average score of 47.9-9.2.

This year’s team may be the one to finally end that streak. In Week 2, they hung tough with Cambridge Springs until the fourth quarter when the Blue Devils scored a pair of touchdowns to grab a 20-6 win.

Offensively, the Panthers are led by all-purpose running back Jacob Reisinger. Through three games he’s had 38 carries for 238 yards (6.3 ypc) and a score. He’s also pulled in three receptions for 90 yards. Ethan Hayes will spell Reisinger and has 22 rushes for 76 yards (3.5 ypc) and a pair of catches for 36 yards on the year.

Quarterback Alex Kightlinger hasn’t been overly efficient through the air, having completed just 11 of his 30 pass attempts. But when he connects, it’s typically for a big gain as he has 223 yards on those completions. He hasn’t thrown a TD pass yet this year, but only has one interception. Kightlinger can also get it done with his feet. He’s run the ball 32 times for 105 yards (3.3 ypc).

The Eisenhower defense took a big step forward last week. The Knights came into the game with just five tackles for loss through the first two games. They picked up seven against Mercer.

Eisenhower also started to find itself offensively a week ago. The Knights had a balanced attack, throwing for 175 yards and running for 141.

Quarterback Owen Trumbull and receiver Dillon Benson have found a connection over the last two weeks. After grabbing three passes for 98 yards and a pair of scores two weeks ago, Benson hauled in six catches for 122 yards and a touchdown at Mercer. Trumbull was also able to make some plays on the ground as he ran 8 times for 60 yards.

The running game as a whole started gaining traction as well. Zane Alexander had 12 carries for 47 yards while Cael Black ran nine times for 46 yards.

That kind of balance against the Panthers could lead to a big win for the Knights.

Kickoff at Eisenhower is set for 7 p.m.

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