allsportsfan

Author: Sean McKenzie

  • Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 3.

    Grid of college sports team logos featuring various universities in the United States.

    As Week 3 of the college football season, typically has the non-conference games being wrapped up, unless you’re SEC, it’s hard to determine which games are worth your time.

    I’m an Ohio State Buckeyes fan, but the truth is, that I’m not going to be watching a lot of their against Kent State (Noon on FOX) on my 4-way split screen TV.

    I’m not picking #7 LSU Tigers at #8 Ole Miss Rebels, (7:00 PM (EST) on ABC), because it’s too easy, and we all, already know it’s a big game.

    You gotta get through the muck, of the schedule, and that’s what I’m here for.

    Here are the Top 3 games that I’ll be paying attention to the most.

    1) #22 Houston Cougars 2-0 at Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0).

    Logos of the University of Houston (UH) and Texas Tech University (TTU) displayed side by side on a split background.

    Gametime is Friday Night, at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

    The Cougars are led by 5th year Senior QB Casey Weigman. He likes to spread the ball around, with 3 WRs already over 100 yards receiving. Against Texas Tech, they’ll need HBs Makhi Hughes and Re’Shaun Sanford to keep averaging over 5 YPC, to alleviate the pressure. On defense, they have active DBs, that get involved in pass rush, as DB Javion White leads the team with 2 sacks. That has to change. That front four needs to start getting pressure.

    The Red Raiders are led by QB Will Hammond. He’s a pure pocket passer, completing 76% of his passes. He’s also taken 4 sacks. Junior HB J’Koby Williams leads the team in rushing with 187 yards and 2 TD, and receptions, with 10 catches. Texas Tech always has smart linebackers, and that continues. Senior Jamond Mathis leads the team with 2.5 sacks. LBs Ben Roberts (15) and Austin Romaine (12) are tackling machines.

    Prediction – Everytime I picked against the Cougars last season, they won. I’d like to say that I learned my lesson, but NOPE!!! Give me Texas Tech at home 34-30.

    2) #16 SMU Mustangs (2-0) at #23 Louisville Cardinals (1-1).

    Image featuring the logos of Southern Methodist University (SMU) with a red mustang on a blue background and the University of Louisville with an angry cardinal on a red background, split diagonally.

    Gametime is Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM (EST) on ESPN2.

    The Mustangs are led by one of the best and most fun QBs in college football in Senior Kevin Jennings. He is must see TV. Jennings is completing over 76% of his passes, for 767 yards, with 8 TDs and 2 INTs. The entire offense runs through him. On defense, they’re led by Senior S Jimmy Wyrick. He leads the team in tackles (11) and sacks (2).

    The Cardinals are led by Ohio State transfer Junior QB Lincoln Kienholz. He’s completely 68% of his passes for 639 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 20 carries for 111 yards, and 3 TDs. Can he keep this pace up for an entire season? On defense, their top 3 tacklers are all DBs, in Koen Entringer, Kaleb Beasley, and DJ Waller Jr. They only have 1 sack through 2 games. That’s not good enough.

    Prediction – It’s always hard to count out Louisville. They’re a scrappy team. Kevin Jennings is the better QB and they have the better defense. Mustangs win 42-27.

    3) Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0) at Maryland Terrapins (2-0).

    Logos of Virginia Tech (VT) and the University of Maryland (M) displayed side by side on a maroon and white background.

    Gametime is Saturday night at 7:30 PM (EST) on FS1.

    Hokies QB Ethan Grunkmeyer followed head coach James Franklin to the Hokies, from Penn State. He’s completing 77% of his passes for 551 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs. HBs Jeffrey Overton and Marcellous Hawkins Jr, have rushed for over 263 yards and 6 TDs, through 2 games. On defense, they have 12 sacks through 2 games, led by DL Mylachi Williams and Cortez Harris, with 3 each. Both are also tied for the team lead in tackles (7).

    The Terrapins are led by Sophomore Malik Washington. He’s completing 73% of his passes, for 533 yards, with 3 TDs and 0 INTs. On defense, LBs Trey Reddick (12) and Carlton Smith (10) lead the team in tackles. Overall, they have 10 sacks and 3 INTs.

    The underwriting storyline of this game, is that Virginia Tech, paid Maryland $600,000 to cancel games in 2027 and 2028. This originally was supposed to be a 4 game home and home series, to renew a regional rivalry game. They will play this game, and the final game will be played in 2029.

    Prediction – Both of these defenses are off to hot starts. It simply comes down to which HC I trust more…..James Franklin or Mike Locksley??? I’ll take Franklin and Virginia Tech 21-14, in a defensive game.

    What game are you excited to watch???
    Drop a comment.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

  • Crestview Knights Loses to Rival Wayne Trace.

    It was a hot, muggy, September afternoon, in the small town of Convoy, Ohio. Home of the Crestview Knights.

    The humidity hug over the town, like a wet blanket. The Local Slice was selling their delicious pizza. You could smell the popcorn as you entered the gate. There was even a small trailer selling fruits.

    It was Military Appreciation Night. Before the game, the packed crowd, applauded and paid tribute to those who served our country in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Space Force.

    It was also a rivalry game, as they took on their neighbors to the north, the Wayne Trace Raiders.

    Crestview Knights running out onto the field.

    The Knights won the kickoff and elected to receive. They would fumble it and start at the 19 yard line. That would be a foreshadowing of the game. Knights QB Cooper Miller would pick up for 13 yards, and complete a 16 yard pass. Those would be the highlights before punting away.

    Wayne Trace would go three and out on their first possession. Crestview would return the punt for a TD, however, it was called back for an illegal blindside block penalty (that I did not see), and they’d start at the 41 yard line.

    The Knights would get a holding penalty on the next play, negating a 9 yard gain, making it 1 and 20 from the 49. Wayne Trace #0 would get called for holding on back-to-back plays, giving Crestview a first down. They’d do nothing on the drive, and end up turning it over on downs.

    Wayne Trace would take over at the 6 yard line. They’d use a timeout with 2:06 left in the first quarter. They’d fumble the snap on first down, run for 2 yards on second down, and throw an incomplete pass on 3rd down. Raiders P Reece Morehead inadvertently stepped out of the back of the endzone, giving the Knights a 2-0 lead. That would basically be it for the first quarter.

    Crestview would open the 2nd quarter with a 41 yard pass, giving them 1st and Goal at the 5. Runs of 2, 1, and 1, quickly made it 4th and Goal. The Raiders defense would step up and get the stop, causing another turnover on downs.

    Wayne Trace would get runs of 5, 3, and 5, before a Raiders pass was tipped at the line, but was still caught and for 7 yards. Runs of 9 and 5 yards, then Crestview would get a boneheaded 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which had Knights Assistant Coach Jake Harmon, absolutely livid on the sideline (understandably so). They now had a 1st and 10 at the 48. Incomplete pass, 1 yard run, and a 6 yard run, had them at 4th and 3. They’d pop off a 16 yard run, use their 2nd timeout with 4:15 left in the first half.

    The Knights would get a 4 yard TFL (tackle for loss), then get called for a 15 yard personal foul facemask penalty. Raiders QB Reece Morehead would throw 12 yard TD pass to WR Easton Jay. The would fake the extra point, and convert the 2 point try, giving them an 8-2 lead with 2:40 left in the 1st half.

    Wayne Trace would use their final timeout before the 1st down snap. The Knights would hit a 13 yard pass on 2nd down, to the 41. A 9 yard pass on first, then back-to-back incompletions had it 4th and 1. The Raiders would get called for DPI (defensive pass interference), and the Knights had another 1st down on the 35. 2 straight completions quickly had them down to the 6 yard line.

    Crestview QB Cooper Miller would hit WR Beau Lichtensteiger for a 6 yard TD. PAT was good, and the Knights had 9-8 lead with 1:08 left in the half.

    The Raiders would hit a 42 yard pass on 2nd down. That momentum would be quickly shut down, as Knights DB Hayden Waltmire would intercept the pass and return it 60 yards for a Crestview touchdown. PAT was no good. The Knights would take a 15-8 lead into the half.

    The Raiders would get the 2nd half kickoff, and would quickly get to 4th and 3. They would attempt a fake punt, but would come up short, giving the Knights the ball at the 37 yard line. A 17 yard pass on first down. 3 straight incompletions, including a drop on 4th down, and Crestview had yet another, turnover on downs.

    Wayne Trace would get a run of 6, pass of 5, run of 3, run of 2 yards. A high snap, would lead to an athletic QB scramble for 9 yards. Knights DL Kale Litchensteiger and LB Evin Brincefield, would combine to get a sack on 1st down. On the very next play, DL Denver McDougall would get in on the sack party, for a 9 yard loss. Raiders QB would run out of bounds at the 18 yard line. Wayne Trace would punt to the 42.

    Crestview would start with a false start penalty. They’d get a holding penalty on the next play, but it’d be declined, giving them 2nd and 15. A 7 yard pass, then incompletion, and they’d punt it away to the 42.

    The Raiders would start marching with runs of 6 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards, 5 yards, 2 yards, and 14 yards. 2 plays later, they’d run for an 8 yard TD. PAT was good, and it was now a 15-15 game with :20 seconds left in the 3rd quarter.

    CV QB Cooper Miller would be sacked by #50 for an 11 yard loss on the last play of the 3rd quarter.

    The Knights would start the 4th quarter with a 12 yard pass, to make it 3rd and 9. The Raiders would call a timeout. It worked, as Crestview QB Cooper Miller would throw an INT to #14.

    The Raiders would throw for 13 yards on 1st down, but then run for 0 yards, 6 yards, 1 yard, to make it 4th and 1. Knights LB Conner Hammons would block the pass attempt, and it’d be a turnover on downs.

    Crestview, however, could not do anything with the ball, and quickly went three and out.

    The first snap of the drive, the Raiders Carter Baumle would run a Bucks Sweep, for a 62 yard TD. The PAT was blocked. Wayne Trace now had a 21-15 lead with 7:41 left in the game.

    The Knights would get the ball at the 35 yard line. The Raiders would get a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on first down. Crestview would score on a long TD pass the next play, however, the WR ran out of bounds on the route, which is a 15 yard penalty. It was now 1st and 25 from the 46.

    They’d hit a 10 yard pass, but another 15 yard personal foul penalty by Wayne Trace, gave Crestview a 1st down at the 21 yard line. Incomplete pass, pass batted down, and incomplete pass, made it 4th and 10. They’d covert on a 12 yard pass. The Knights would score 2 plays later, on an HB Evin Brincefield 2 yard TD run. The PAT was fumbled, and no good. It was now a 21-21 game with 5:55 left in the game.

    Wayne Trace would return the ensuing kickoff to the 39 yard line. They’d get a QB scramble for 12 yard to the 50. Then, they’d pop off a big 49 yard run to the 1 yard line. Carter Baumle would run it in for a TD on the next play. The PAT was good, and the Raiders now had a 28-21 lead with 4:54 left in the game.

    The Knights start at the 32 yard line. Unfortunately, 4 straight incompletions and it was yet another, turnover on downs Crestview.

    The Raiders would go right back to the well. On the first play of the drive, they’d run the Buck Sweep, and score Carter Baumle would score 3rd TD of the game, on a 35 yard run. The PAT was good, and it was now a 35-21 game with 3:55 left in the game.

    That would be the final score, as the Knights couldn’t get anything going on the next drive, and the Raiders would kneel to end the game.

    This is the 1st time the Wayne Trace Raiders have defeated Crestview in football, since 2013, and 1st time AT Crestview since 2008.

    After the game, I asked Crestview Knights Head Coach Harting, about what positives he can takeaway from a tough loss to a rival.

    “You know, I thought we did a nice job in the first half defensively. Especially ending the half on a positive note. Offense had a nice little 2 minute drill for the score, and our defense got a Pick 6, was a really great way to end the half. But we came out in the second half and didn’t execute very well. We gotta do better there.”

    I asked him about the 2 TDs on the Bucks Sweep play, and the struggle to defend it.

    “The Bucks Sweep is one of their best plays, and we knew that coming into the game. They did a nice job getting down blocks, and we kinda got over the top of it, and they cut it back on us, and that really killed us. We got to be better up front, and not allow those nice easy runs.”

    I asked Coach about how it seems QB Cooper Miller gets in a better rhythm, when running the offense at a fast pace. Is that something they’re going to consider doing more often, as the season goes on.

    “Yeah, we see. Right now we gotta really evaluate everything. He’ll go out and throw a nice ball, then throw 3 or 4 straight incompletions. He has to string more of those completions together if we wanna have a chance.”

    The Knights are now 0-3 on the season. They take on the Spencerville Bearcats 0-3 to open up NWC play, next Friday night, September 11th.

    – by Sean McKenzie

  • Crestview Lady Knights Get Their First Win of the Season.

    The Lady Knights were back at home to start the week, taking on the Minster Wildcats, in their 3rd straight non-conference matchup.

    The teams would trade points back and forth, before the Lady Wildcats rattle off 5 straight points to make it 9-5. Both teams continued to trade points, and it would be an 11-11 tie game. 2 more even point plays, then Minster would go on another 5 point run to make it 18-13.

    The Lady Knights would go on a massive rally, winning the next 9 straight points, and jump out to their first lead of the set, 22-18. The Lady Wildcats would answer back with 3 straight points, forcing Crestview head coach Tammy Gregory to call a timeout, holding onto a 1 point lead at 22-21.

    The break worked out well for them, as they’d win the next 2 straight points, and win the first set 25-22.

    The 2nd set would start out rough for the Lady Knights, as the Lady Wildcats jumped out leads of 7-2 and 10-4 before, once again, Crestview had to call a timeout. Points 9 and 10 for the Lady Wildcats came after the Lady Knights, committed back-to-back net infractions.

    Minster would win the next point, with Crestview making a substitution. Crestview would bring it to 13-7, before a LONG rally between the teams, which had multiple digs and saves. The Lady Wildcats would win this point, and the fans from both teams applauded the efforts of the ladies.

    Minster would get the score up to 17-11, before the Lady Knights would get rallies of 3 straight and 4 straight, to make it 19-18, and force the Lady Wildcats to call a timeout. Once again, the teams would trade points, as an ACE by the Knights would tie it up at 22-22, and Minster would call its final timeout. It would be for naught, as the Lady Knights would win the last 3 straight points and win the 2nd set 25-22.

    The Lady Knights would start off the 3rd set with 3 straight points, forcing Minster to call an early timeout. The Lady Wildcats would score 2 straight coming out of the break.

    The Lady Knights answered right back with 5 straight points of their own, making it a 9-2 lead. Both teams would trade points and small 2 point rallies, before Minster called their last timeout down 15-7.

    The break would work for them, as they scored 4 straight points, forcing Crestview to call a timeout with a 15-7 lead. The Lady Wildcats would never recover, and they would eventually lose the 3rd and final set 25-18, for a straight sets victory.

    It is the first win of the season for the Lady Knights, who are now 1-2.

    After the game, I spoke to Crestview Lady Knights head Coach Tammy Gregory.

    I asked her how she and the team felt, to finally get that first win of the season.

    “It feels good. It was really good for our confidence. You look at our schedule, and we face a state ranked team in Coldwater on Tuesday, and we played with a lot of confidence tonight”.

    I asked her about the rallies by both teams. What she says to the girls, when those momentum swings happen.

    “We practice those a lot actually. we know there are a couple of rotations that we struggle with more than others. It’ll be the same thing with every team we face. We just got to practice, and we’ll get that trust, and it’ll pop, and come up looking great”.

    Leading the way for the Lady Knights…

    Serving

    Kaci Gregory 11/11 with 1 ace

    Delanie Balliet 10/10 with 1 ace

    Ayla Kreischer 14/15 with 2 aces

    Kenadie Schwartz 17/18 with 1 ace

    Hitting

    Kaci Gregory 13 kills

    Alecta Baxter & Kaylee Owens 5 kills each

    Ayla Kreischer & Kenadie Schwartz 4 kills each

    Setting

    Nora Perkins 17 assists

    Kinley Crider 8 assists

    Digs

    Ayla Kreischer 12 digs

    Kaci Gregory 10 digs

    Blocks

    Alecta Baxter, Kaylee Owens, Kenadie Schwartz 2 stuff blocks each

    The Lady Knights have a quick turnaround, as they return to action tomorrow night at Coldwater, with JV starting things off at 5:30 PM.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Tammy Gregory.

  • Crestview Knights JV Football Loses a Heartbreaker to Minster.

    It was a warm Saturday morning, on the final weekend in August, and the Crestview Knights were taking on the Minster Wildcats, in their home opener of the 2026 season.

    The Wildcats opened the game with the football, and after getting to a 3rd and 5, they connected on a 12 yard pass to convert.

    A snap infraction penalty, had them behind the chains with 1st and 15. They ran a QB keeper and erased it all, with a 15 yard run. After an incomplete pass, another QB keeper run, took them all the way down to the 7 yardline.

    Knights LB Noah Mosier would get a big TFL (tackle for loss), for a 3 yard loss on first down. Minster couldn’t capitalize on the field position, turning it over on downs.

    Crestview would start their first drive at the 7 yardline. They get a 6 yard run, a pass to WR Wesley Wilt, and a 12 yard QB scramble. A holding penalty would erase a pass and make it 1st and 14. A quick 5 yard run, would make it 3rd and 8. A QB scramble converted for a first down. Minster would get an encroachment penalty, making it 1st and 5. An incomplete pass on 2nd down, would end the first quarter, with both teams knotted at 0-0.

    The second quarter starts with a quick pass for no gain and a -4 yard run, would have the Knights staring at 4th and 9. They’d fail to convert the pass, and like Minster on their first drive of the game, turn the ball over on downs.

    A QB keeper (they ran this play a lot in this game) for 2 yards on first down. They hit a 12 yard pass on 2nd down to convert. Another QB keeper, but they’d be stopped in the backfield by a host of Knights for a 1 yard loss, to make it 2nd and 11. A 6 yard pass would make it 3rd and 5. The Wildcats would connect on a slant pass and they’d take it to the house, for the first touchdown of the game. The PAT was blocked, and Minster had a 6-0 lead with 4:53 left in the first half.

    Crestview would get a big gain on a reverse, but it would be called back by a holding penalty. An incomplete pass on 2nd down, made it 3rd and 14. The Knights would hit a 30 yard pass downfield, and now had a 1st and down at the 39 yardline.

    A 4 yard run and a 3 yard pass would make it 3rd and 7. The Wildcats would get a big sack by #32, to make it a long 4th and 12. The Knights would call a timeout to take about it, with 1:10 seconds in the first half.

    Crestview QB #15 Calin Baliet would break a few tackles and run for a hard 12 yards, and convert the first down. He’d throw an INT on the next play. Minster fumbled the football on the recovery, however, an inadvertent whistle blew the play dead. Minster would throw 3 straight incompletions to end the first half, with a 6-0 lead.

    Crestview would get the ball to start the second half, and immediately go three and out. Minster would get the ball at the 33 yardline. A QB keeper for 6, and short run for 2, made it 3rd and 2. Another keeper would pick the first down. Back to back short runs, and an incomplete pass made it 4th and 4. The Wildcats would miss on a pass, and once again, turn it over on downs with 3:46 left in the third quarter.

    The Knights would get a 4 yard run of first down, before a bad snap would lead to a 4 yard loss on 2nd down.

    Snapping has been a serious problem for the Knights at both the JV and Varsity level the last 2 seasons.

    Wildcat DL #68 would get the sack on third down. Another high snap on the punt, but Minster run “punt safe”, so it got off safely, all the way down to the 29 yardline.

    Minster would get a false start penalty, and start with a 1st and 15. 3 straight incomplete passes, and they’d punt the ball right back.

    The Knights would get run for -3 yards to end the 3rd quarter, trailing 6-0.

    On 2nd and 13, Knights QB #15 Calin Baliet would hit #7 Bladin Scott, and he’d take it all the way for a Crestview touchdown. The PAT was good, and the Knights had their first lead of the game, 7-6, with 8:49 left in the game.

    Minster would get the football at the 35 yardline. Runs of 7 and 2, had them at 3rd and 1. They get a short run for the first down. The Wildcats would then connect on a long pass, all the way down to the Knights 7 yardline for a 1st and goal.

    A QB keeper for 6 yards, got them down to the 1 yardline. The Wildcats would call a timeout, with 4:35 left in the game. They’d run another QB keeper, and end up losing 2 yards. Now they were staring at a 3rd and goal from the 3.

    They’d go back to the QB keeper well again, and they’d punch it in for a touchdown. The 2-pt conversion was good, and they had a 14-6 lead with 3:38 left in the game.

    Minster scores their 2nd touchdown of the game, late in the 4th quarter.

    Crestview would throw an INT on the very first play of their possession. Minster would start at the 46 yardline, and get no gain on first down. They’d run for 17 yards, and then they would fumble the football on the next play, with the Knights recovering.

    The Knights would get a pass for no gain on first down. On second down, they’d get a 10 yard pass, and move the chains. QB Calin Baliet would then throw his 2nd interception of the game on the next play.

    Minster would start at the 38 yardline. A host of Knights would stop them for a 5 yard loss on first down, and Crestview would call a timeout. Minster would run for 5 yards to make it 3rd and 10, and Crestview would call their final timeout of the half.

    The Wildcats would hit a 10 yard pass for first down, to seal a hard fought 14-6 victory.

    – by Sean McKenzie

  • Lady Knights Drop Home Opener To Lady Panthers.

    Walking into the hallway of Crestview, I was immediately greeted by the smell of popcorn and pizza. Which was such a kick in the pants, since my doctors put me on a strict diet. LOL.

    Kids were running around the hallway, full of energy adults wish they had. Parents chatting like they hadn’t seen each other since…. Friday night’s football game.

    The Crestview Lady Knights Volleyball team were opening their season at home, against the Paulding Panthers, in a non-conference game.

    With the high school gymnasium under renovation until late September, the games are being played in the middle school. Despite that, it was a full house. Old and young, even some former players stopped by for the game.

    The Lady Panthers went up quickly 3-0 in the first set, and didn’t let up at all, winning it easily, 25-13.

    The second set started with both teams at one point apiece, when the floor official stopped play, called both of the team captains over to him, and had some words. There was a lot of net entanglements, and a small bit of chatter.

    Afterwards, the teams traded points back and forth. Crestview scored 3 straight points, before Paulding called a timeout down 13-11. They continued to trade points, until Crestview called at timeout, up 19-18. The Lady Knights would end up winning the 2nd set 25-23.

    The Panthers would jump out to a 6-0 lead, forcing Knights head coach Tammy Gregory to call a timeout early.

    The two huddles were completely different. Gregory was calmly coaching her girls, using her hands to show proper bump techniques and overhands.

    Panthers head coach Emily Taylor was enthusiastic and praising her girls for such a hot start.

    Unfortunately, for the Lady Knights, the timeout did not stop the momentum right away, as the Lady Panthers promptly made it a 13-2 game. Finally, Crestview would go on their own run, as they’d score 6 straight points, forcing a Panthers timeout.

    The Knights would get the score to 16-13, before Paulding would play the Reverse Uno card, and rattle off 4 straight to make it 20-16. Nothing would work for the Knights afterwards, dropping the 3rd set 25-16.

    The 4th set would start off with more point trading. The Lady Knights would win a long rally, where both teams showed off tremendous athleticism and stamina, to make it a 3-3 score.

    Paulding would win the next point and never let up the rest of the way.

    Crestview made it close a few times, cutting the lead to 13-12, 18-16, and 20-17. The Panthers were simply too relentless. Scoring the final 5 points and winning the match 25-17.

    I spoke to Crestview Head Coach Tammy Gregory after the game. I asked her what positives, she and the team could take away from the loss.

    “We were at a size disadvantage. We were struggling with their size and aggressive attacks. I’m going to go to that third game of the match. You know, we were down, and we could’ve folded very easily, but we fought back.”

    There are only 2 seniors on this team. However, a lot of the underclassman, got significant playing time last season. I asked if she expected their continued improvement to really help the team as the season continues.

    “I think they’re going to step into their roles very well. What I like about this team, is they have good mentorship and they’re competitors. They have that team chemistry, their drive, and they’re there for each other. They’re going to get better, and they have the drive for that work.”

    Leading the way for the Lady Knights…

    Serving

    Kaci Gregory 13/14 with 2 aces

    Lainey Gardner 11/12 with 1 ace

    Nora Perkins 10/11 with 1 ace

    Ayla Kreischer 10/11 with 1 ace

    Hitting

    Kaci Gregory 16 kills

    Kenadie Schwartz 8 kills

    Ayla Kreischer 7 kills

    Setting

    Nora Perkins 30 assists

    Digs

    Kaci Gregory 12 digs

    Ayla Kreischer 8 digs

    Nora Perkins 6 digs

    Blocks

    Kaylee Owens 2 blocks

    Kenadie Schwartz 2 blocks

    The Crestview Lady Knights are back on the court this Thursday, as they travel to New Bremen, in another non-conference matchup.

    – Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Tammy Gregory.

  • Crestview Knights Lose Season Opener at Home.

    It seemed like a long winter, spring, and summer. After weeks of practicing against your own guys for summer camp, and two scrimmages, it was finally football season again, in the small town of Convoy, Ohio.

    Coming in through the north gate, you smell the buttery goodness of popcorn. The Deja Brew coffee truck was making sure to keep you awake and alert. The Knight Pride Club was selling design your own custom tumblers.

    Parents were catching up with other parents about summer break, how the team looked, how well they think they would be this season.

    The Paulding Panthers won the toss and received the ball to start the game. HB #23 Cooper had a 16-yard run on the opening play, then a 25-yard run of the third play of the drive. Knights DL #1 Beckham Putman would put an end to the drive with a sack on 4th down.

    The Knights first drive would end in a three and out, after Panthers #23 would sack QB #9 Cooper Miller for a ten-yard loss on third down.

    Both teams would have three and outs on their next possessions.

    The Knights would have a bad snap on the punt. Snapping was a big problem for the Knights last season, and it continued not just here, but the whole game.

    A defensive face mask penalty would put Paulding at the 2-yard line. An incomplete pass, then the Panthers would call timeout with 1:53 left in the first quarter. Paulding would score a touchdown, but it was negated by an offensive pass interference call, making it now 3rd and goal from the 19-yard line.

    The Panthers would drop a pass, and now had a long 4th and goal. They’d use their second timeout with 1:42 left. Knights DB #3 Jacoby Gallimore would break up the pass in the endzone, ending the drive.

    Once again, the Crestview offense couldn’t get anything going at all, and had their third straight drive stall, without a first down. That would end the first quarter, with the score knotted up at 0-0.

    The Panthers next drive would end with a Knights INT by #4 Hayden Waltmire. Crestview would take over at the 25-yard line. An encroachment penalty would give the Knights a quick five yards, and make it first and ten. After no gain on first, QB Cooper Miller would hit #24 Harper Perrott for a 20-yard gain. The very next play, the Knights would fumble the ball, and the Panthers would recover at the 46-yard line.

    Paulding would have four straight runs of -1, 6, 6, and 13 yards, to get the ball to the 30. The Knights would get flagged for defensive pass interference, and that would give them a first and goal at the 7. Losses would send them back to the 19, before Panthers HB #23 Avery Cooper would score a TD on a 19-yard run. PAT was no good, and Paulding had a 6-0 lead with 5:22 left in the 2nd quarter.

    Knights QB #9 Cooper Miller would fumble the football on second down. The Panthers would give it back, the very next play, as Crestview LB #14 Tate Lichtensteiger would recover a Paulding fumble.

    After a 1-yard run, the Panthers would get hit with another encroachment penalty. Back-to-back runs would give the Knights a first down. The Knights would connect on a 11-yard pass on first down. A holding penalty would put Crestview behind the chains on first down. Incomplete pass on first down, then Miller would throw an INT, which was returned to the 32-yard line.

    Paulding would take a 12-0 lead with this TD pass from Ridge Hunt to Jason Manz.

    The Panthers would hit a 13-yard pass on first down to the 19. A 2-yard run and, then hit a pass all the way down to the Knights 2. Crestview would get a TFL (tackle for loss). Paulding would use their final timeout with 36 seconds left in the first half. They’d connect with 5-yard TD pass from Ridge Hunt to Jason Manz. The 2-pt attempt was no good, and the Panthers took a 12-0 lead, into the half.

    Knights WR #8 Cash Hammons would take the 2nd half kickoff back 68 yards, to the 19-yard line. That would be the highlight. A 4-yard run, a Panthers TFL, incomplete pass, and an 8-yard pass on 4th down, would end the Crestview drive.

    Paulding would take over, but a very angry Knights HC Cole Harting would have to call a timeout, as the defense was confused and not set. Crestview would get a TFL, but the Panthers responded with back-to-back passes of 12 and 10 yards. That momentum was short lived, as a holding call on Paulding would back them up 10 yards, making it 1st and 18 at the 24. Two straight incomplete passes ended the drive.

    Crestview would get runs of 3 yards, 5 yards, and 2 yards, for a first down.

    OHSAA officials would botch would should’ve been a Knights TD pass, instead, calling it a fumble and touchback (it literally happened it front of me, as I was less than 10 feet away from the play).

    The lucky break gave the Panthers the ball at the 20-yard line. A quick pass for 11 yards to the 31, followed by runs of 8 yards, 9 yards, and 8 yards, had them rolling with momentum. There was an official’s timeout (I was never told why, even when I asked them after the game). A Knights TFL made it third and long. Paulding would get a 20-yard run to convert.

    An incomplete pass, then runs of 8 yards and 1 yard, brought them to a fourth down and 1. Paulding would call a timeout to discuss strategy with 2:23 left in the third quarter. The strategy did not work, as an incomplete pass lead to a turnover on downs with 2:17 left.

    Once again, the Knights offense couldn’t do anything, and they were barely able to get the punt away, after their 2nd bad snap of the special teams.

    The Panthers took over at the 38-yard line. An incomplete pass on first down, then a long run all the way down to the 34. A 24-yard pass had Paulding quickly down to the 10-yard line. Runs of 6 yards and 1 yard, then an incomplete pass, made it another fourth down. Panthers called another timeout with 11:08 in the 4th.

    Knights DE #66 Will Sheets got a tipped INT, and returned it all the way to the 45 yard line.

    Another Miller incompletion was followed by a Knights timeout with 10:47 left.

    They’d get a short 5-yard gain, before QB Cooper Miller would hit WR Cash Hammons for a 40-yard TD pass. The PAT was no good, and the Knights were on the board, but trailing 12-6 with 10:02 left in the game.

    Another special teams blunder by the Knights, as the kickoff went out of bounds, giving Paulding the ball at the 35-yard line. Back-to-back runs would quickly have the Panthers to the 47-yard line. Knights DE Will Sheets would get a 5-yard TFL, to make it a long third down and 12. A short run made it fourth down.

    The Knights would make their 4th special teams mistake, by running into the punter, for a 5-yard penalty. The Panthers would run a fake punt and convert. Knights DB #23 Wesley Wit would get a 4-yard TFL. An incomplete pass would force a third down, and Paulding would use their final timeout with 6:03 left in the game. The fourth down attempt was incomplete, and they’d turn it over on downs.

    Crestview would have a run of 0 yards, and an incomplete pass, before Cooper Miller would hit WR Beau Lichtensteiger all the way down to the 40. HB #22 Evan Brincefield would run for 14 yards on second down, and follow it up with a 10 yard run the next play, to the 30. A 17-yard pass on second down, made it first, but the Knights had another holding penalty.

    Knights QB Cooper Miller would throw his second INT of the game, as Panthers CB #4 Emmet Barnes would return it 80 yards for a pick-six TD. The PAT was again, no good, and that would be the final score of the game, giving the Paulding Panthers a 18-6 victory.

    The Crestview Knights leading stats

    QB Cooper Miller was 10 of 22 for 180 yards 1 TD and 2 INTs.
    WR Beau Lichtensteiger had 4 catches for 96 yards.
    HB Evin Brincefield had 15 carries for 63 yards.

    I spoke to Crestview Knights Head Coach Cole Harting after the game.

    I asked him what positives he could take away from this loss.

    “That’s a really good offense, and we held our own. Holding those guys to only 12 points on offense, was a really good job, and I thought our defense did a great job. If we were to play that game again, and held them to 12 points, I’d be happy. We limited a lot of their big plays. Unfortunately, our offense turned the ball to many times, and gave them a lot of short fields. We can’t do that. If we want to win games, we can’t turn the ball over”.

    I asked him about Junior QB Cooper Millers’ first start.

    “He’s just got to play with confidence. Things didn’t go well in that first half. Things didn’t go his way early on, and he struggled to overcome those. They have a really talented secondary, so he’s just got to stay positive and keep working at it, and just play with a little bit more confidence”.

    I asked about how well the defensive line held up, made plays, giving the young secondary time to grow.

    “Absolutely. Having those guys up front, just creating havoc every single play. I wanted to create pressure with three or four guys, and we were able to do that consistently”.

    The Crestview Knights (0-1) are on the road to take on the Minster Wildcats (1-0) on Friday Night.

    – Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Chris Lutz.

  • 2026-27 College Football Predictions.

    After what has seemed like a long, long, spring and summer, us college football fans, can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    We are all still in a sense of disbelief, that the historically worst team in college football, the Indiana Hoosiers, won the College Football National Championship.

    While “recruiting battles” and keeping up with the all the coaching changes kept our appetites wet, there is nothing like seeing them clash on the field.

    I could hem and haw about all the new changes in the offseason, but, I’m going to get right to the meat of the matter (go back and read my articles).

    So, without further ado, here are my college football season predictions.

    1) Who will win the ACC, B12, B10 and SEC?

    NIL (name, image, and likeness), has stopped the SEC from cheating (which a lot of former players openly admit now) and has now leveled the playing field. Hence, we have Indiana winning the Natty.

    It makes the conferences deeper than ever before. We no longer just have Alabama and Georgia in the SEC. Ohio State and Michigan and the B10.

    I’ll start with the ACC, and let’s be honest here. It’s the Miami Hurricanes. They avoid the other Top 2 contenders (SMU and Louisville) in the regular season. Unless something catastrophic happens, I expect them to finish conference play undefeated.

    The most fun conference to watch every season, is by far the Big-12. Why you ask? Because they’ve had 5 different conference champions in the last 5 season. You never know who is going to win, and that makes it fun.

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    All the “experts” on ESPN, or as us fans call them, E(SEC)PN, are picking the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win back-to-back conference titles. While it’s possible, it’s certainly NOT a given. They do miss out on having to play BYU, and they do get Houston at home (Sept 18th at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX). They lost a lot of production at quarterback and on defense. Projected QB starter Will Hammond is coming off an ACL, that he suffered in October last year.

    The BYU Cougars and Houston Cougars, are returning their starting QBs, in Bear Bachmeier and Conner Weigman. Both the Cougar teams are returning the majority of their defensive starters from last season as well.

    Ultimately, I think Texas Tech makes it back-to-back, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they don’t.

    It’s an absolute crapshoot in the Big-10. Almost everyone is picking the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, or the Indiana Hoosiers. However, do not count out the USC Trojans.

    They return starting QB Jordan Maiava, HB King Miller, and all five starters along their offensive line. Five players return on defense as well. They schedule did them no favors though. They have Oregon (Sept 28th) and Ohio State (Oct 31st) at home, and travel to Indiana (Nov 14th). Do not be shocked if USC wins 2 of these games and make it to Indianapolis.

    At the end of it all, I think it’ll come down to the Buckeyes and Ducks. I think Ohio State beats Oregon on November 7th in Columbus, but the Ducks clip them in the Big-10 Championship Game, to win conference title.

    Down in the SEC, the most talented team is the Texas Longhorns. They avoid Georgia and Alabama in the regular season. They get Ole Miss at home (Oct 24th) and ARE going to get revenge, and just clobber Florida at home (Oct 17th). They do have to travel to Texas A&M to finish the regular season (Nov 27th). I think if they can avoid injuries, they’ll win the conference.

    However, you can never count out the Georgia Bulldogs, and do not sleep on Mike Elko and Texas A&M. The Aggies return starting QB Marcel Reed. If her can cut down on his 12 INTs, they’ll give Alabama (Oct 24th) and Texas (Nov 27th) a very serious scare.

    2) Notre Dame will finish inside the Top 4.

    Yes, I know that Notre Dame lost their top 2 running backs from last season in Jeremiyah Love (3rd overall pick) and Jadarian Price (32nd overall), but, CJ Carr returning at quarterback, after an impressive freshman season (2,741 yards, with 24 TDs and 6 INTs).

    The Irish went out and got former Ohio State WRs Quincy Porter and Myles Graham in the transfer portal to give him weapons on the perimeter and offset the loss of the running game. Three offensive lineman return, and Notre Dame always has good tight ends.

    They return 7 starters on defense, including quite possibly the best CB tandem in all of college football (Leonard Moore and Christian Gray), and All-American S Tae Johnson. It’s going to be a nightmare throw against them.

    They also used the portal to get better along the defensive line, pairing newcomers DE Keon Keeley (Alabama), DT Francis Brewu (Pitt), and DT Tione Gray (Oregon), with returning starters DE Boubacar Traore and DT Jason Onye.

    They two toughest games are at home, against the Miami Hurricanes (Now 7th) and SMU (Nov 21st). They do travel to play the always sneaky tough BYU (Oct 17th). Other than that, their schedule is easy.

    I fully expect them to be 11-1 or even 12-0 at the end of the season.

    3) Boise State will be the lone Group of 6 school in the College Football Playoffs.

    Last year the College Football Playoff Committee put 2 Group of Five schools in the playoff, and it went absolutely terrible with blowout losses, with Oregon beating James Madison 51-34, and Ole Miss beating Tulane 41-10.

    They’ve learned their lesson. It won’t happen again.

    Boise State is the best team in the newly reformed Pac-12 and all the Group of 6 schools (Pac-12, Mountain West, Conference USA, MAC, American Athletic, and Sun Belt).

    Starting quarterback Maddux Madsen returns after throwing for 2,334 yards with 18 TDs and 9 INTs. HB Duke Riley is also returning after turning down multiple offers from P4 teams. He ran for 1,125 yards and 10 TDs. They return 3 starters along the offensive line (C, RG, RT).

    They return 3 of 4 starters on the defensive line, for a defense that finished ranked 39th best overall in the country last season. They are going to rely heavily on them, as the “back 7” only returns 2 starters, in LB Boen Phelps and CB Jaden Mickey.

    The Broncos have an incredibly tough game to open the season, against the Oregon Ducks (Sept 9th, at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS).

    Their toughest conference games, are all at home (Utah State on Oct 3rd, Texas State on Oct 31st, and San Diego State on Nov 21st) as well.

    4) The 1st Head Coach to be fired will be…..

    With all the off the field distractions going on with Head Coach Bill Belichicks’ personal life, now GM Mike Lombardi and DC Steve Belichick have been suspended, with an external investigations ongoing, he’s already on the hot seat.

    They open their schedule against 5 teams that made a bowl game appearance, in their first 6 games.

    I am predicting the Tar Heels only win will be against East Tennessee State (Sept 12th), and he’ll be fired before Oct 24th game at home against Syracuse.

    OC Bobby Petrino will take over and lead them to wins over Syracuse, UConn, and an upset win over Virigina.

    5) Who will make the College Football Playoffs.

    First Round Byes

    Oregon Ducks
    Texas Longhorns
    Miami Hurricanes
    Norte Dame Fighting Irish

    First Round Games

    #12 Boise State at #5 Ohio State.
    #11 Indiana at #6 Texas Tech.
    #10 Ole Miss at #7 Georgia.
    #9 USC at #8 Texas A&M.

    Quarter-final Games

    #5 Ohio State vs #4 Notre Dame.
    #9 USC vs #1 Oregon.
    #11 Indiana vs #3 Miami.
    #7 Georgia vs #2 Texas.

    Semi-Final Games

    #5 Ohio State vs #1 Oregon.
    #3 Miami vs #2 Texas.

    National Championship Game

    #5 Ohio State vs #2 Texas.

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    National Champion

    Ohio State wins their 2nd national championship in 3 years, when they go on a similar run, as they did in 2024.

    What are your predictions for the upcoming college football season?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of….. ESPN, NCAA, and Lindy’s.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

  • Top 3 Under the Radar, Non-Conference Games, You Need to Watch.

    The college football season is just around the corner.

    We get our gear out and make sure it’s washed, fresh, and ready.

    We plan our holidays and special events, around what time our favorite teams play and when the “big games” are on TV.

    It’s the time of year, where we lose our minds because our team threw an interception or fumbled the football. All the while, our wives sit on the couch thinking…..”I can’t believe I’m married to that man.” LOL.

    So, in honor of this glorious time of year, I’m here to help you get your calendar set and ready.

    Here are 3 “under the radar” non-conference games, you have to watch.

    FYI…..No, Ohio State vs Texas is not on the list, because we all know, it’s the best non-conference game this season.

    UNLV Rebels at Memphis Tigers
    Saturday, August 29th, at 10:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

    The winner of this game, COULD end up with the guaranteed college football spot, awarded to the highest ranked G6 school.

    UNLV and head coach Dan Mullen is coming off a 10-4 season and a second-place finish, in his first season at the helm. The Rebels went out and got former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback, Jackson Arnold to come in and lead the offense. Senior running back Jai’den Thomas ran for 1,036 yards with 12 TDs last season. The offense will lean heavily on him, as they lost their top four wide receivers. The defense only returns three starters, and is looking for a lot of players to step up.

    Memphis has a new head coach in Charles Huff (my 3rd favorite hire in the offseason), and he’ll have his work cut out for himself. Starting with choosing a starting quarterback. It’s between former Ohio State and South Carolina backup Air Noland and D2 West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes, who had 30 passing and 10 rushing TDs last season. They only have 1 returning starter on offense. On defense, a lot of players followed Huff from Southern Miss, and they’ll lean on that familiarity.

    Prediction – Give me the Rebels to make a statement that last season wasn’t a fluke, with a big 35-17 win.

    Mississippi State Bulldogs at Minnesota Golden Gophers

    Saturday, September 12th at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

    First, KUDOS to Mississippi State for having the “stones” to actually play a Big Ten school, in Big Ten country. The SEC has historically and still refuse, preferring “neutral site” games.

    Both teams have tough conference schedules, and need to win this game, for a chance at a .500 record and a bowl game at the end of the season.

    The Bulldog offense returns all three interior offensive linemen, and WR Anthony Edwards returns though (67 catches, 831 yards, 4 TDs). Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor played in 11 games, as a true freshman last season (629 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT, with 82 carries, for 458 yards, with 8 TDs). He’s a serious dual-threat problem. On defense, they return 5 starters. The return of DE Will Whitson(injury) and Florida State transfer Amaree Williams should improve the pass rush. The speed and depth in the DB room is vastly improved, and should be a stength.

    The Golden Gophers return their starting QB, HB, LT, LG, and C, so plenty of experience on that side of the ball. Quarterback Drake Lindsay started as a true freshman last season, and finished with 3,382 yards, 18 TDs and 6 INTs. Running back Darius Taylor had 915 total yards last season, and he’ll need to stay healthy, after missing 3 games. On defense, they only gave up 23 points per game, and were good against the run (38th overall). They struggled against the pass (83rd). Returning DB starters John Nestor and Kerry Brown, will have to step up and be prepare to lead an inexperience room.

    Prediction – Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck struggles in big games, and this will be no different. I think the Bulldogs come in and get a tough 28-24 win.

    Arkansas Razorbacks at Utah Utes
    Saturday, September 12th, 10:15 PM (EST) on ESPN.

    Utah lost its long time head coach Kyle Whittingham (21 years), and Arkansas got a hot, new head coach. It’s a game of opposites, in this clash of P4 teams, that could possibly be heading in different directions with all the turnover.

    Arkansas finally lured Ryan Silverfield away from Memphis. He brings a high octane offensive mindset. The quarterback position is unsettled, but whether it’s sophomore KJ Jackson or freshman AJ Hill (who followed Silverfield from Memphis), they’ll have some quality depth at wide receiver with former 4-star Chris Marshall, CJ Brown, and Ismael Cisse. On defense, they only return 2 starters (DE Quincey Rhodes Jr and LB Bradley Shaw). They’ll rely heavily on former 4-star transfers, DT Hunter Osborne (Virginia), DT Xadavien Sims (Oregon), and NT Carlon Jones (USC), to fix a run defense that finished 114th against the run last season. The entire secondary is new, so that defensive line, really needs to step up.

    Utah enters a new era with Morgan Scalley at the helm. They’ll have starting quarterback Devon Dampier (2,490 yards passing, 835 yards rushing, 24 passing TDs, 10 rushing TDs, and only 5 INTs) returning. The entire offensive line is new, as last season’s OTs Fano (Browns) and Lomu (Patriots) were 1st round picks in the NFL Draft. On defense, Utah is always a tough, hard-nosed defense. They were 17th in PPG allowed (18.9) and passing yards allowed (177.8). Returning starters, LB Johnathan Hall, NB Jackson Bennee, and CB Elijah Davis, will lead with all new starters along the defensive line, and new starters in the defensive back seven.

    Prediction – I think this will be a great, high scoring first half, before Utah pulls away in the second, for a 42-28 win.

    What game this season, do you think is flying under the radar?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of…..ESPN and Lindy’s.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

  • Crestview Knights 2026 High School Football Season Preview.

    As summer break draws to close all across the state of Ohio, it means that it’s time for the pads to start popping at summer camp. Here in the small town of Convoy, Ohio, it’s already underway.

    The Knights finished last season with a 6-4 overall record, 4-3 in the Northwest Conference. Just missing out on getting a playoff spot, in the final week of the regular season, in an extremely tough Division 6, Region 22.

    The first thing to comes to mind for the 2026 Crestview Knights is dichotomy.

    Why???

    Because, while they return a lot of experience on both sides of the football (17 returning letter winners out of 44 players), they lost 90% of the teams’ overall production from last season.

    Which truly shows just how good and versatile HB/DB Braxton Leeth, TE/DL Liam Putman and WR/DB Hayden Perrott were.

    I was able to spend some time at a practice and at a scrimmage, this week against the Leipsic Vikings.

    DL/OL #66 Will Sheets is the biggest returning name. The 6’5″, 235 lbs senior, had 45 tackles, 6 sacks, 13 TFLs, and 2 forced fumbles. He also starts at OT. He’s one of my favorite players to watch, as he’s so athletic. He does a great job of setting the edge on both sides of the football.

    At 6’2″ 165 lbs, junior WR/DB #8 Cash Hammons is another favorite of mine. He played a lot as a sophomore last season and immediately performed well. 35 tackles and 3 INTs. In fact, he was an allsportfan.com player of the game last season.

    6’0″, 210 lbs senior, OL/LB #55 Kale Lichtensteiger plays a hard-nosed game. As many of you know, I love playing a physical game and watching physical players. Kale is that, and fun to watch. He’ll stick his nose right into the gap and take on lineman or the back. He had 26 tackles and 3 TFLs last season.

    There is absolutely no way to replace the production of All-State, All-Northwest Conference, and Division 6 Ohio Offensive Player of the Year HB Braxton Leeth (incredibly polite and well-spoken young man as well).

    Knights Head Coach Cole Harting told me that they will use a committee approach this season (interview below).

    #14 Tate Lichtensteiger and #22 Evin Brincefield will probably get the bulk of the carries this season, but they will ride whoever has the hot hand that game, regardless class.

    6’1″, 185 lbs junior, #9 Cooper Miller will be the new starting quarterback.

    I covered every JV game last season. He has a big arm. He’s tough (played with a broken arm), isn’t afraid to take on defenders when running the ball, and has no qualms about throwing it up and trusting his WRs to make a play.

    I spoke with Knights Head Coach Cole Harting about the upcoming season, and what to expect.

    My first question was about the loss of team production, especially on the offensive side of the football.

    “Braxton had an incredible career, and we relied on his running ability. We had a couple good receivers with Hayden Perrott and Liam Putman, and if you look at that, that’s 90% of our yards gone. We’re looking for guys to step up and fill those voids. Fortunately for us, we’re returning four out of five starters on the offensive line. We’ve got good players to protect us up front and create some running lanes, and that’s a good spot to be in.”

    The biggest issue on the offensive line last season, was center. There were problems with the snaps. I asked Coach Harting about that specific position and issue.

    “Right now, our center position is not settled. Obviously, getting the snap back there is important, and we work on that everyday in practice. Last year, we had some snaps there were untimely, and those snaps came at crucial times in the game, and they cost us some possessions. I look to have that settled here in the next couple weeks.”

    The loss of Braxton came up, and that’s were Coach spoke about the committee approach.

    “Braxton had a once in a generation season. That type of season and career doesn’t just happen all the time. He was a phenomenal player, and I think it’s a hard ask for our kids to go and make a run at that type of season. Our kids will do a nice job of stepping up. We have a couple scrimmages coming up, and I think we’re going to figure out who can run the ball, the most effective. Throughout the year, we’re going to give all those guys opportunities. I’m going to play the hot hand, and that may change from game to game.”

    I asked about the defense. How Will Sheets and Cash Hammons bring back experience, production, and how they’ll step into the leadership role now.

    “Those guys have shown tremendous leadership so far. Cash is in our secondary and makes sure everyone is lined up in the right spot. Will does a nice job leading guys up front, and he causes havoc every single play. I expect those guys to have big years for us, and get our defense in a spot where we’ll be making plays and stops on a consistent basis.”

    The Knights finish the season against three straight playoff teams from last year. Bluffton and Columbus Grove at home, then the season finale at Lima Central Catholic. I asked Coach Harting about the tough finish to the upcoming season.

    “Well, that’s just how it worked out. Those were three very good teams and will be very good again this year. You just have to play them when you play them, and this year, it fell that we have to play them at the end of the season. I think our non-league schedule will prepare us well. We open up with Paulding, they were a good team last year, and I look for them to be good again. We play Minster in Week 2, and they’re going to be a very good football team. Wayne Trace is always a good opponent for us. So those teams are going to test us early.”

    Coach Harting spoke about the improvement he expects to see from the NWC (Northwest Conference) as a whole.

    “You look at Week 4 with Spencerville, Week 5 with Fort Loramie, and Allen East is a very solid team, I think Delphos Jefferson will be better compared to where they were last season. They had a really good defense last year. I think just overall our league is very good, and we’re going to have to be competitive every single week, and hopefully, by the end of the season, we’ll be playing our best football, and that’s where you want to be playing your best.”

    It’s going to be a rough season for the Knights, as they play 5 teams that made the playoffs last year. The Paulding Panthers, Minster Wildcats, Bluffton Pirates, Columbus Grove Bulldogs, Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds.

    I think they can beat Paulding, but if they want a chance to make the playoffs this season, they’re going to have to sweep Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and then find a way to pull at least one upset against Minster, Bluffton, Grove, or LCC. That’s a tough ask. Matching last seasons record would be a great accomplishment.

    The Crestview Knights open up the 2026 football season on August 21st, at home, against the Paulding Panthers.

    by Sean McKenzie.

  • The Top 3 Head Coaching Changes, Heading into the 26-27 College Football Season.

    It was an extremely busy coaching offseason, that really started halfway into last season.

    UCLA fired DeShaun Foster after only three games.
    Oklahoma State fired Mike Gundy before the end of September.
    Penn State fired James Franklin on October 12th.
    Then LSU fired Brian Kelly just a weeks later on October 26th.

    It was absolute madness, how everything spiraled out of control so quickly in the coaching world.

    It left a lot of fans, not just of the teams effected, but also just college football fans in general, feeling a mixture of “WTF is going on”, and excitement at the chaos. I know that I certainly was. LOL.

    33 teams have new head coaches coming into the season, and I’m going to give you the best three of these hires, in order.

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    1) James Franklin to Virginia Tech.

    This was an ABSOLUTE STEAL by the Virginia Tech Hokies. They got a Top 10-15 head coach in football.

    Penn State suffers from elitist syndrome. They think they’re better than they really are, and it cost them dearly.

    Franklin went 104-45 at PSU, and took them to the College Football National Semi-Finals in 2025.

    The Hokies are getting a head coach that knows how to rebuild programs from the ground up, have success, and he’s a coach that players love.

    11 recruits flipped their commits from Penn State to Virginia Tech, including #13 ranked HB Messiah Mickens, and 4-star WR Davion Brown.

    2) Jim Mora to Colorado State.

    What a hire by the Colorado State Athletic Program!!!

    Mora took over a horrible Connecticut football program, and made them respectable.

    He went 27-23 in 4 seasons at the helm, including having back-to-back, 9-win seasons, in his final 2 seasons in Sturms.

    He takes over a program that only won 2 games last season.

    His proven track record in college and the NFL, bodes well for a Rams program looking to change their trajectory, in the newly revamped Pac-12 conference.

    3) Charles Huff to Memphis.

    Never heard of Charles Huff? Well, get used to hearing his name. I fully expect him to be coaching at a Power 4 school within the next few seasons.

    Replacing Ryan Silverfield (left for the HC job at Arkansas, who almost made this list) isn’t going to be easy, but Charles Huff is a guy who can do it.

    He went 32-20 in 4 seasons as the head coach at Marshall, and went 7-5, as the head coach at Southern Mississippi last season.

    He’s a coach that players love, as 17 Southern Miss players followed him north to play for Memphis.

    One of those players is HB Jaylen Carter who is expected to start, and share carries with former Ohio State/Colorado HB Dallan Hayden, as they sort out who is going to start at QB.

    Will it be former 4-star recruit and Ohio State/South Carolina transfer Air Noland or West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes (30 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs last season)?

    Who do you think was the best head coaching hire, in this last cycle?

    Drop your answer below or on my X/Twitter…..JoeAmerican6771.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..sports-reference.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, USAToday, kunc, and wreg.