Fans were still entering the facility as the teams took the field. According to Jeff White, Warren Area High School athletic director, it was the largest crowd ever at War Memorial Field with 1,141 tickets sold by 4 p.m. Saturday.

The 10-0 Knights kicked off to the 8-3 Blue Devils, but Cambridge Springs was not intimidated by the undefeated Knights and proceeded to drive 60 yards for a score on sophomore quarterback Morgan Applebee’s 6-yard touchdown run. A successful PAT kick made it 7-0 less than four minutes into the game.

It was a defensive battle as both teams were stopped on downs before the Knights drove 50 yards. Junior fullback Tucker Lindell scored the first of his two touchdowns on the night on a 1-yard dive into the end zone. Cole Kellogg’s PAT kick was good and the score was knotted at 7-7 with 10:22 remaining in the second quarter.

Kris Bunk of the Knights recovered a Blue Devils fumble on the ensuing drive, but the knights were unable to capitalize and were forced into their only punt of the game. The Blue Devils took over and took a 14-7 lead on a 17-yard pass from Applebee to Preston Gorton, followed by a PAT kick with just 1:18 left in the half.

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower quarterback Shawn Pascuzzi looks for room to run against Cambridge Springs on Saturday at War Memorial Field in Warren.

The Knights received the second-half kickoff, but junior quarterback Shawn Pascuzzi threw just his second interception of the season to the Blue Devils.

Bunk, who was a one-man wrecking crew in the game with three tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks, got to Applebee and brought him down for a 6-yard loss on third down that forced the Blue Devils to punt on fourth-and-11.

The Knights took over and drove down to the Blue Devils’ 12-yard line. Lindell then took a handoff from Pascuzzi and scored to make it 14-13.

Knights head coach Jim Penley elected to go for a 2-point conversion attempt. The initial run was good, but a penalty against Eisenhower forced another attempt from the 20-yard line. Pascuzzi’s pass attempt to Bunk fell short leaving the Knights down a point with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Blue Devils took over and Applebee hooked up with Gorton again, this time from 44 yards out for a touchdown. The PAT kick was good to put the Blue Devils up 20-13 with 9:59 left in the game.

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger The Knights’ Kris Bunk pulls down the Blue Devils’ quarterback for a sack.

It was time for the Knights to do what they do best: let Bauer run behind his line and pound on the heart of the Blue Devils. Bauer and the Knights ran the ball 57 yards down to the 10-yard line before Bauer ran behind his senior linemen Mike Vanatta, Caleb Penley and Conner Younger, and scored on a run with 5:50 left in the game.

Once again, Penley decided to go for the lead with his team down 20-19. Bauer was stopped on his attempt when a Blue Devils lineman got through the right side and stopped him.

Younger, also the Knights kicker, dropped the ball perfectly down on the 28-yard line. The Knights defense rose to the occasion and stopped the Blue Devils on downs to take over on their own 40-yard line with 3:30 left in the game.

While most teams would take to the air to move the ball, Penley chose to trust his line and his workhorse Bauer.

“We run the ball, it’s what we do, it’s what this team does. Now, yes the clock is moving, yes, we did have one timeout left, but also their defense is thinking about the past,” Coach Penley said. “Maybe they were sitting on their heels a little bit. When we get going downhill, maybe we can spring a big play. Plus, I have absolute supreme confidence in my team’s blocking and my running backs carrying the football.”

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger A large crowd took in Saturday night’s PIAA District 10 Class 1A semifinal between Eisenhower and Cambridge Springs at War Memorial Field in Warren.

Penley would not have to wait long before his line opened up a hole that sprung Bauer, who took it behind the left side of his line and moved to the outside before shaking off two Blue Devils defenders for a 58-yard touchdown run on second down.

Bauer would finish with 210 yards rushing on 23 carries with a pair of touchdowns. The 2-point attempt was stopped by the Blue Devils leaving the Knights up 25-19 with 2:39 left in the game.

Cambridge Springs went to the air to move downfield, but it was the Knights’ Garrett Jensen who had the biggest catch of the game as he intercepted Applebee’s pass with 1:38 left.

After a first down run by Bauer, the Knights were able to run out the clock.

“I’m just so proud of this team. This win was a total team effort. Obviously Benji had a tremendous game but it was also Pascuzzi and Lindell who added 132 yards on 14 carries and a pair of touchdowns,” Coach Penley said. “Our offensive line once again had a great game. I can’t say enough about the job they did opening holes for those guys.

“And on defense, I thought Bunk and senior Jeremyah Aiken had huge games, as did all of the linebackers,” Coach Penley added. “Outside of a couple of big plays, we kept them in check. Garrett Jensen just came up huge for us, as he has done all season.”

The Knights will play Reynolds in the District 10 championship game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Edinboro University.

“Obviously, it is huge to be playing in the district title game, because that is our goal every year,” Coach Penley said. “We know there are no guarantees and anyone can win, and you also know you’re going to play one of the best teams in the state because you’re always going to have to play the best team from Mercer County.”