Written By Dereck Acevedo Garcia
Photos By Josue Leon-Lopez
Eagles! On October 25, 2024, our annual homecoming football game kicked off. This was Eisenhower’s 8th game of the season, their 2nd league match, with playoffs on the line for the team. This game was highly anticipated by both players and fans, given what was at stake for the team and the announcement of the homecoming court at halftime (congratulations Aidan and Jennifer!). The game ended in an exciting blowout for Eisenhower, 38-14. Let’s break down the key moments and our players of the game.
The first quarter was tense, with both teams working hard to run and pass the ball. Kaiser completed several long passes but couldn’t convert on critical 4th downs, resulting in turnovers on downs. Eisenhower scored their first touchdown on a short run near the end of the first quarter, though they were unable to convert the 2-point attempt.
The second quarter opened with a bang. Eisenhower quarterback Brayden Wann launched a deep pass for a touchdown, though the team missed the 2-point attempt again. With a few minutes left in the quarter, Eisenhower completed another pass from the red zone into the endzone, securing the extra point with a PAT. Kaiser struggled on both offense and defense, scoring only 14 points by halftime. They managed a long run just before halftime that came close to scoring but ended up short.
After halftime, Eisenhower continued to dominate. Following a long run by Kaiser that cut their deficit to 5 points, Eisenhower scored again on a 25-yard pass, keeping the pressure on the Cats. Eisenhower’s defense made big plays, and running back Joseph Paulino rushed for another 6 points with 9 minutes left in the third quarter. The PAT was good, establishing a 12-point lead and boosting team morale.
In the fourth quarter, Kaiser’s offense continued to struggle, repeatedly turning the ball over on downs. Brayden capitalized, connecting with tight end Juan Madrigal for the final touchdown to secure the win for Eisenhower. The remainder of the quarter was fought in the midfield, with both teams battling it out defensively, until the game ended with Eisenhower securing a playoff spot and Kaiser dropping to a 1-8 season, final score: 38-14.
The Golden Gazette’s Offensive Player of the Game goes to quarterback Brayden Wann, who lit up the field with deep passes, totaling 257 yards and a QB rating of 142.6. His outstanding performance helped lead the team to the playoffs.
The Defensive Player of the Game is linebacker Edwin Salinas, who recorded 14 tackles, an interception, and a pass deflection, shutting down Kaiser’s passing game and helping secure the win.
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