The Knights wasted little time putting points on the board when junior quarterback Shawn Pascuzzi threw a 41-yard touchdown pass down the sideline to senior wideout Keegan Eckstrom. Cole Kellogg nailed the first of five extra-point kicks to put the Knights up 6-0.

The Panthers were not bothered as they drove down to the 9-yard line, and with a first and goal, Knights junior defensive end Kris Bunk got the first of his three sacks, for a 12-yard loss. After two incomplete passes, Panthers senior quarterback Sully Zirkle found wide receiver Henry Shaffer in the corner of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass. Schaffer’s PAT kick was good, knotting the score at 7-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, Eisenhower sophomore returner Ryan Chambers set the Knights up in good field position on the Panthers’ 34 yard line. After two short runs, Knight senior tailback Benji Bauer broke loose in the middle of the field for a 24-yard touchdown run. After Kellogg’s kick it was 14-7.

Kellogg’s kickoff pinned the Panthers on their own 10-yard line, and the Knights defense stopped the Panthers with the help of Bunk’s second sack back to the 3-yard line that forced a punt.

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Benji Bauer finds running room Friday night.

The Knights scored quickly when Pascuzzi connected with Bauer over the middle on a 44-yard touchdown reception, Kellogg’s kick was good, putting Eisenhower up 21-7.

The Panthers moved the ball down field and appeared ready to strike until the Knights Wyatt Lookenhouse intercepted the pass at the 10 yard line, leaving Eisenhower in front by two touchdowns at the break.

The Knights forced a Panther punt in their first series of the second half and drove down the field, capped by junior fullback Tucker Lindell’s 3-yard TD run. After the PAT kick, it was 28-7 in favor of the Knights.

The Panthers’ Henry Shaffer came under Kellogg’s kickoff at the 20-yard line and ran down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown. The two-point pass attempt was no good, leaving the Knights in front 28-14.

Eisenhower would methodically move the ball downfield on runs by Lindell and Bauer, and short passes to Lookenhouse (7 receptions, 68 yards), until Lindell took a handoff from Pascuzzi and after dragging tacklers for what looked like a short gain, broke loose for a 33-yard touchdown run. Kellogg’s kick was good putting the Knights up 35-18.

Kellogg’s kick went out of bounds, putting the ball at the 35-yard line. The Panthers moved down to the Knights’ 6-yard line, when Zirkle called his own number for a 6-yard touchdown run. The PAT pass fell incomplete.

“My hat is off to them, they were exactly what I thought they would be,” Eisenhower coach Jim Penley said. “They were very physical, they came out ready to play. We lost our focus a little bit and made some uncharacteristic mistakes and that’s on me. We have things to work on and some things to fix before next week.”

Added Sagertown head coach James Wolfgang: “That’s a good football team over there. They played very disciplined.”