The Cardinals received the opening kickoff and wasted no time behind the runs of Jack Martinec working downfield setting themselves up for a quick 36-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to Martinec. The PAT kick was good making the score 7-0 less than three minutes into the game.

The Knights could not move the ball and were forced into punts on their opening three possessions.

The Cardinals would reach the end zone on two long runs to go up 19-0 before the Knights would score.

Eisenhower’s Shawn Pascuzzi lined up in shotgun formation and threw a perfect pass down the sideline to junior Keegan Eckstrom for a 65-yard score. The PAT kick was good by senior Jake Venman making it 19-7.

Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Caleb Penley makes a tackle during Friday’s game.

The Knights would hold the Cardinals scoreless in the third quarter, but had difficulty moving the ball on the Cardinals’ defense. The Knights were forced to punt on two consecutive drives before Eckstrom, their speedy running back, weaved his way for a 35-yard touchdown run. The PAT kick was no good putting the score at 19-13 with 6:49 left in the game.

The Cardinals would quickly strike on a 50-yard run and a 2-point conversion. They then closed out the scoring on a 19-yard run and successful PAT kick.

“Cochranton is a well-coached team. They didn’t do anything that we didn’t know they were going to do,” Eisenhower head coach Jim Penley said. “It’s a senior-heavy team that has been through the battles the last couple of years.”

The Knights lost their first region game since the 2019 season.

“Our guys played really hard,” Penley said. “There are too many little mistakes that we made, but those are mistakes that will get cleaned up.”

The Knights dropped to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the region while Cochranton remained undefeated at 3-0.