Times Observer file photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Kris Bunk brings down a Cambridge Springs runner during their matchup last season.

The Eisenhower football team travels to Cambridge Springs tonight in Week Two of the season.

The Knights played the Blue Devils twice last season, winning both games, the last one a thrilling come-from-behind effort with the right to advance to the District 10 championship game.

You can be sure Cambridge Springs hasn’t forgotten.

Eisenhower will face a Blue Devil team that literally ran all over Kennedy Catholic in their opener 63-24, rushing 36 times for 376 yards and attempting only one pass for 6 yards.

The Knights also won their opener over Cochranton, showing a balanced offense with 244 yards rushing and 170 yards passing.

The Cambridge Springs may have a small team numbers-wise but field a big team physically.

How big? Their best lineman is senior Damarius Olsen (6-foot-6 270 pounds), who Eisenhower head coach Jim Penley calls “just a nasty football player.” And the Blue Devils also lined up 6-6, 190-pound senior defensive end Parker Schmidt and 6-2, 205-pound senior tight end Tristen Mazzadra.

“They are a very big, physical team up front that gets off the ball quickly,” Penley said. “they dominated Kennedy Catholic last week.”

The Blue Devils will look to 5-11, 175-pound sophomore Brett Kania to handle the rushing attack as he had a breakout game last week with 17 carries for 177 yards and four touchdowns.

“They run the ball very well, but they have an outstanding quarterback in (Morgan) Applebee who throws the ball very well,” Penley said. “I look for them to challenge us a lot as part of their game plan.”

Cambridge Springs brings back Applebee, a sophomore, who last year passed for more than 1,000 yards and has the luxury of a talented pair of twin brothers to throw to in seniors Josh and Preston Gorton.

“Both of these young men are outstanding players and are explosive once they get the ball,” Penley said. “It will certainly be a challenge for us to contain them both.”

The Knights quarterback, senior Shawn Pascuzzi, had his own breakout game last week, running for a pair of touchdowns (of 7 and 61 yards) and throwing for three scores, finishing 11 of 14 for 177 yards. Pascuzzi’s main target last week was 6-4 senior tight end Kris Bunk who had seven receptions for 109 yards and caught all three of Pascuzzi’s touchdowns. Eisenhower’s ground game was led by 5-9, 180-pound senior fullback Tucker Lindell, who had 67 yards on nine carries.

“Cambridge Springs is always one of our most physical opponents, and this year I believe we both could be among the top teams in D10,” Penley said. “This will be a huge test for us.”