While the defense had been steadily improving, Eisenhower got its offense clicking last week in a 44-6 win over Saegertown.

The Knights welcome another ferocious feline to the Pasture of Pain this week, and it will take a strong performance on both sides of the ball to emerge victorious over the Wildcats of Northwestern. The game will have some extra meaning as it is Eisenhower’s Homecoming.

Northwestern (2-2) is coming off a lopsided win of its own, a 49-0 shutout at Seneca. None of the Wildcats’ games have been close this season. They were shutout, 21-0, in the season opener at Greenville before delivering a shutout win of their own, 28-0, the following week at Mercer. Wilmington topped Northwestern, 42-14, in Week 3 before last week’s win got the Wildcats back even at 2-2. Northwestern might be a bit road weary Friday night, playing its fourth road game in five weeks.

Eisenhower struggled to find its footing early in the season with a 32-0 loss to West Middlesex and a 42-13 defeat at Union City. The Knights were on the verge of picking up their first win in Week 3, but a late touchdown sent them home on the wrong end of a 20-14 loss at Mercer.

Like most of Eisenhower’s early-season opponents, Northwestern is a run-heavy offense.

Austin Swift leads the attack with 298 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries (7.8 ypc). There’s not much dropoff when Frankie Valletta comes on in relief as he has gobbled up 135 yards on 22 carries (6.1 ypc) with two scores.

Quarterbacks Derek Albert and Ryan Tewell have split time this season. Albert has completed 14 of 27 passes for 149 yards a touchdown and an interception. Tewell is 8-16 for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Where they’ve really separated themselves is in the ground game. Albert has run 18 times for (-10) yards with a TD, while Tewell has taken off 10 times for 104 yards and a score.

Jarrod Glasl leads the team with five receptions for 48 yards and a score. Jake Kelley is the deep threat with four catches for 71 yards (17.75 ypc) and a touchdown while Tanner Sumner has hauled in four passes for 45 yards.

After totaling just five tackles for loss and a sack through the first two games, the Knights defense has come on the last two weeks with 20 TFLs and four sacks. Gannon Jaquay leads the team in tackles (33), while Cael Black has tallied five TFL and Jeremiah Aiken has a pair of sacks.

The Knights offense has been flying the last two weeks. Quarterback Owen Trumbull has completed 28 of 40 pass attempts for 408 yards and four touchdowns. Dillon Benson has been Trumbull’s favorite target in that stretch. He’s hauled in 13 of those completions for 238 yards (18.3 ypc) and two touchdowns.

The ground game has picked up steam recently as well. After being held to just 135 rushing yards through the first two weeks, the Knights have run for 367 yards the last two weeks. Zane Alexander exploded for 144 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries against Saegertown.

Kickoff at Eisenhower is set for 7 p.m.