Tied at halftime 14-14, the Raiders scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to claim their third straight title.

“I am just so proud of this team,” Eisenhower coach Jim Penley said. “We came into this game knowing we were playing the number-four team in the state and we were tied going into the fourth quarter. We did such a good job at limiting their big plays, but with them getting two of them in the fourth quarter it was just too much for us to absorb.

“(Reynolds) played like they deserved to be ranked as one of the top teams in the state.”

Not surprisingly, tailback Jayden Wagner played a big role, rushing for 255 yards on 37 carries and three touchdowns. For the season, the senior has amassed 2,530 yards on the ground and scored 35 TDs.

Times Observer Photos by Steve Younger From the left, Knights’ running back Benji Bauer eludes a Reynolds’ defender on his way to a 65-yard touchdown run.

The victory raised the Raiders’ record to 11-1, while the Knights ended their outstanding season 11-1.

Eisenhower seized the momentum early, however, when the Raiders fumbled on the Knights’ 2-yard line and Garrett Jensen recovered in the end zone for a touchback. But defensive end Mikey Beaver was hurt on the play — he was the first of two Eisenhower players sidelined — and did not return to the game.

The Reynolds’ defense forced Eisenhower to punt and senior Benji Bauer launched a career-high 64-yard boot, pinning the Raiders on their own 4-yard line. The Knights’ defense stood tall and forced a punt, which traveled only 20 yards, giving Eisenhower good field position on the Reynolds’ 32-yard line.

The Knights handed off to their workhorse tailback, Bauer who worked his way down to the 13-yard line. On the second play of the second quarter, junior fullback Tucker Lindell took a handoff and dragged a couple of Raider defenders into the end zone for the touchdown. Cole Kellogg’s extra-point kick was good and Eisenhower led 7-0.

Reynolds took over on its own 27-yard line and needed four minutes to score, courtesy of Braydon McCloskey’s TD on a 2-yard sneak. The PAT kick was no good, leaving the score 7-6 in favor of the Knights.

Times Obserever Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s defense forces a fumble early in the game.

Eisenhower needed only 16 seconds to increase its lead when Bauer took a handoff, cut to his left, found a hole and raced 65 yards into the end zone for the score. Kellogg’s kick was good, and the Knights led 14-6 with 6:59 left in the first half.

Eisenhower’s defense stood tall and forced a punt, but a roughing-the-punter penalty against the Knights gave the Raiders the choice of punting again or taking the results of the play. Reynolds chose the latter, pinning Eisenhower on its own 16-yard line.

The Knights were forced into a third and long, and on third down, quarterback Shawn Pascuzzi was intercepted for just the third time this season when Reynolds free safety Haydin McLaughlin made a diving catch of Pascuzzi’s pass to put the Raiders in good field position at the Knights’ 39-yard line.

Reynolds took over with 1:41 left in the half and running back Jaylen Wagner needed one play to score on a 29-yard run down the sideline. The two-point conversion attempt was good when McCloskey narrowly crossed the goal line to tie game 14-14 at the half.

The third quarter was a defensive battle as neither team threatened to score, but on the first play of the fourth quarter the Wagner found paydirt on a 43-yard run down the left sideline for a touchdown. McCloskey was successful again on the two-point conversion to put the raiders in front 22-14 with 11:46 remaining in the game.

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Tucker Lindell dives into the end zone to complete a 13-yard touchdown run against Reynolds on Saturday.

The Raiders forced an Eisenhower punt and Bauer got off a booming 50 yarder that pinned the Raiders on their own 3-yard line. Reynolds used Wagner to work its way downfield and on a fourth and 7, with just 2.35 left in the game, McCloskey connected with Haydin McLaughlin on a 31-yard touchdown pass. The PAT kick was no good, leaving the score at 28-14, which would turn out to be the final score.

The respect that both teams had for one another was evident as an emotional Eisenhower team stayed on the field when the Raiders received the championship trophy, a display of class and respect that was not lost on Reynolds head coach Josh Mull.

“That is one heckuva team over there,” he said. “It’s a shame that one team had to lose today. Our team has nothing but respect for them. They came in ready, they wanted it. We just had a couple more breaks than they did. My hat is off to that team and Jim Penley and his program. They are a class act and I know one day they will be a district champion.”

Noted Penley: “We hope the team of underclassmen can take all the lessons learned from this season and can continue to grow next year. We bring back a lot of starters and talent and we hope and plan to work to be back here again next year.”

One shining moment for the Knights was when Bauer, who finished the afternoon with 106 yards on 14 carries, went over the 2,000-yard rushing mark for the season on his 65-yard TD run.

“It was an amazing accomplishment for Benji to cross 2,000 yards in a season and to become Eisenhower’s career rushing leader and set numerous records over his career, but something like that is a true team achievement. Having one of the best offensive lines in school history and a talented set of skill players all getting downfield to make blocks is what allows for an individual to achieve that much. It’s just another example of how close this team is and like a family they always will be.”