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‘The team who wants it the most will win’

'The team who wants it the most will win'

For longtime Eisenhower head football coach Jim Penley, tonight's 7 o'clock game against Warren may mean a little more to him than most people.

Penley has been associated with Eisenhower football as a player and coach for 33 years, 23 coming as the head coach of the Knights. He currently sits as the third-winningest coach in Warren County history with 120 victories and his teams have won 63% of their games against region opponents.

Playoff qualifiers in 13 out of the last 20 years, Eisenhower has 14 campaigns where they have finished with a winning record. Over the course of his coaching career, his teams have earned region championships four times (2012, 2013, 2020, 2022); had two undefeated regular seasons (2020, 2022); and played in two district championship games (2020, 2022).

Those are all impressive numbers, but one that stands out is that 39 players over his 23-year tenure as head coach have gone on to play in college.

Penley is well aware of tonight's historic meeting, but he has had to prepare his team to face a bigger, explosive, more experienced Warren team.

"Warren is a talented team that is playing much better than their record," Penley said. "Coach Baum has them playing some good football right now. ... Their tailback is just a tremendous athlete and their line does a great job of opening holes for him. The quarterback is a threat to run on every play and he has some really nice receivers who go out and catch the ball. We really have to be prepared."

If the Knights want to move the ball, they will be up against a Warren defense that Penley said is "a very disciplined group that has become more physical every week. Their secondary is solid at each position; they certainly will not make it easy for us."

As a former lineman it is no surprise that Penley's keys to the game are ball control and winning the line of scrimmage.

"As with any team that wants to run the ball, whoever controls the line usually puts their team in the best position to win the game," he said.

The Knights have improved every week in different facets of the game, but will need to play their best game to put them in a position to defeat the Dragons.

"We need to limit the penalties that have hurt us, and win the turnover battle as well, to give ourselves a chance," Penley said.

Noted 89-year-old Chevy Spicer, who was a member of the very first Knights football team and will be watching the game from home tonight: "The team that wants it the most will come out with the win."