The 10-0 Knights earned a bye last week while the 8-3 Blue Devils defeated Mercer 21-14 in opening round last Saturday.

Eisenhower defeated Cambridge Springs at home in Week Two 27-14, but according to Knights head coach Jim Penley, ” it can be tough to play a team twice in the same season.”

He added, “Then again, for many of these teams, we play each other every year and have a pretty good idea for how we all play.”

Eisenhower’s offense keeps moving the ball on the ground with unparalleled success, led by senior Benji Bauer , who has rushed 208 times for 1,751 yards and 21 touchdowns. While Bauer gets the bulk of the carries, senior Keegan Eckstrom, and juniors Tucker Lindell and Shawn Pascuzzi have accounted for 1,223 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Ike running back Benji Bauer will be a key component to Eisenhower’s success in the playoffs. Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger

Pascuzzi has been very productive from his quarterback spot, rushing for 310 yards and eight touchdowns while throwing for 994 yards (58-for-105) and eight touchdowns. He has been sacked just twice and has been intercepted only once.

While the Knights’ offense is veteran dominated, the Blue Devils are relatively young and boast some of the top underclass men in the region in sophomore quarterback Morgan Applebee, who is 76-for-139 for 939 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has been intercepted nine times.

Applebee has a trio of receivers to throw to, with junior Preston Gorton pulling in 19 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns, senior Bryce Kania has 20 receptions for 284 yards and five touchdowns and Ethan Counasse has 15 catches for 254 yards and three scores.

Carrying the ball for the Blue Devils is senior Van Jones (135-847 yards, nine touchdowns) and junior Josh Gorton (43-322, four touchdowns.)

“Cambridge Springs is a very physical and athletically gifted team that is very well coached by an outstanding staff,” Penley said. “Van Jones is one of the most explosive ball carriers in District 10, and they also have a couple of the best young ballplayers in the quarterback and freshman running back Brett Kania. They are very good at both running and throwing the football, averaging just over 300 yards of offense per game.”

Pascuzzi, meanwhile, has his own pair of receivers that have proven to be dangerous in junior Kris Bunk (16-291, 18.2 per catch, two TDs) and speedy senior Keegan Eckstrom (more than 30 yards per reception and three TDs). Bunk has had to step up due to a season-ending injury to standout senior wide receiver Wyatt Lookenhouse.

The Knights’ defense has proven to be a ball-hawking group with 14 interceptions and six fumble recoveries, pitching three shutouts and in three other games giving up just one score each.

“The biggest thing for us is to not let the results of the first game dictate our thought process in how this game will go,” Penley said. “As always, for us to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball will be key, especially if we go further into the postseason, when weather gets a little rougher and more unpredictable. Being able to control the tempo of a game can certainly be a key to victory.”