Eagles look to build off bounce-back win against 7-1 Central
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Four losses can be tough to bounce back from, but the Eagles managed to do just that in last Friday's 14-0 win over Westmont Hilltop. With that monkey now off their back, they'll be looking to build on it in a much tougher matchup against Central (7-1) in Week 9.
Bald Eagle was led by a staggering rushing effort from Jack Kleisath in last week's win, with the senior previously switching from running back to tight end to start the season before switching back due to injuries. Kleisath turned 33 carries into 210 yards and 2 TDs last Friday, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
While running backs Sam Clark and Xavier Nagle could return to bigger offensive roles after returning from injury last week, expect Kleisath to maintain a role in the backfield this week.
Chase Cane should also be back to starting at quarterback after being limited over the last game-and-a-half, having played defense as well as a bit of offense last week. Injuries will still hold the Eagles back, with standout two-way player Luke Hosband out for the season and the line still beat up, but things are looking up more than weeks past.
Defensively, the Eagles forced three turnovers in last week's shutout and have held their last six opponents to an average of under 15 points per game. Against a team that's averaging nearly 28 points per outing, continued success there is vital as Bald Eagle looks to pull off the upset.
Central's offense takes on a balanced approach, with running back Semaj Musei leading the way with over 900 yards of offense (738 rushing, 180 receiving) and seven touchdowns and quarterback Jesse Muthler proving more than capable as both a runner and passer.
Muthler has completed over 62 percent of his passes for 1,002 yards, nine TDs and just three interceptions, adding 229 yards on the ground. Tight end Carter Schenk can catch, throw and run, with 11 combined touchdowns. And Bentley Dickson and Brooks Decker each have over 20 receptions and 275 receiving yards, repping six combined TDs.
All in all, it's an offense with too many tools to count, one Bald Eagle will have its hands full in stopping. It'll look to do so nonetheless, as it pushes to improve its district standing as playoffs approach.
"We've got an outstanding Central team coming to town next Friday night, so we've got to have an even better effort on both sides of the field," said Bald Eagle head coach Jesse Nagle after last Friday's win over Westmont Hilltop.