A road rivalry win over Eisenhower – 45-30 on Friday night – secured the Eagles a winning record in just their 15th game of the season.

The Eagles set the tone early, jumping out to a quick 7-2 lead while giving up just nine points to the Knights in the first half.

Two Gage Hendrickson buckets to start the third pushed the lead to 18 but the Knights then went on a run of their own, scoring quick six points – to bring the lead down to 12. The spread hovered in that area until late in the third when Drew Williams connected for a triple that cut the lead to 10 at the end of the third.

After exchanging baskets to start the fourth, Luke Smelko cut the lead to eight but that was as close as the Knights would get.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Eisenhower’s Curt Darling goes up for a shot against Youngsville on Friday night.

Hendrickson and Ethan Kesterholt combined to rattle off the Eagle’s next eight points, stretching the lead out to 15.

While the Eagles struggled to close the game out at the line – missing the front end of consecutive 1-and-1s – Austin Peterson came down with the offensive board each time to allow the Eagles to hold the possession and ice the ballgame.

Youngsville finished the night with 11 offensive rebounds and Head Coach Jessie DeLoof specifically cited Peterson and Kesterholt’s efforts in that regard.

DeLoof described the win – which pushes the Eagles to 12-3 – as a “professional performance.”

Hendrickson finished with a game-high 14 while Brady Olewine added 9 and Kesterholt chipped in eight in the victory.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Gage Hendrickson fires a pass between two Eisenhower defenders on Friday night in the Eagles 45-30 win.

DeLoof acknowledged his squad was “excited for the rivalry game” but knew there was a job to be done and treated the game like a “business trip.

“It’s a road region win and those are always good.”

Friday marks the Eagles first time through their region, finishing 5-1 in those contests.

DeLoof said the team’s approach has been “one game at a time the whole way through.”

But he said there was “one goal we did have accomplished tonight.”

That goal is securing that winning season.

“These kids took that upon themselves and put in the work,” he said.

Eisenhower – which falls to 3-9 with the loss – was led offensively by Jared Martone’s nine points along with eight from Drew Williams.

Youngsville (45)

Gage Hendrickson 7 0-2 14, Owen Proctor 0 0-0 0, Timber Bower 2 0-0 4, Joe Mack 3 0-0 6, Brady Olewine 4 0-1 9, Ethan Kesterholt 4 0-0 8, Austin Peterson 1 1-3 4. Totals: 21 1-6 45

Eisenhower (30)

Drew Williams 3 0-2 8, Curt Darling 1 0-0 3, Zane Alexander 0 1-2 1, Luke Smelko 2 0-0 4, Jared Martone 4 1-4 9, Wyatt Lookenhouse 2 0-0 5. Totals: 12 2-8 30

By Quarters

Youngsville 12 11 12 10 – 45

Eisenhower 5 4 16 5 – 30

3-point FGs: Youngsville – Olewine, Peterson; Eisenhower – Williams (2), Darling, Lookenhouse.

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Junior Varsity

Youngsville (36)

Alex Hill 4 0-0 8, Keegan Mesel 0 0-0 0, Xavier Mowrey 6 3-6 16, Koby Hendrickson 2 2-6 6, Dominic Dell 2 2-2 6, Blake Myers 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 7-14 36.

Eisenhower (45)

Jake Venman 1 1-2 3, Garret Jensen 0 0-0 0, Kael Hunt 3 3-5-10, Wyatt Lookenhouse 5 8-10 18, Keagan Eckstrom 4 0-0 9, Garret Cofer 2 0-0 5, Dom Benson 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 12-17 45.

By Quarters

Youngsville 11 9 11 5 – 36

Eisenhower 9 16 4 16 – 45

3-point FGs: Youngsville – Mowrey; Eisenhower – Hunt, Eckstrom, Cofer.