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Tag: Conference

  • Crestview Lady Knights Varsity Volleyball, Win Third Straight Game

    A volleyball team huddles together in a gymnasium, wearing matching uniforms while preparing for the game, with spectators seated in the background.

    For the 2nd time is 24 hours, the Crestview Lady Knights were back on the floor. This time taking on the Delphos Jefferson Wildcats, in Northwest Conference Action.

    Just like Monday night, the Lady Knights got off to a fast start in the first set, scoring the first 6 straight points. The Lady Cats would get their third point on a long rally, and that would start a 5 point streak for the, getting the set to 8-9.

    Again, the team would trade point and mini runs, getting the score to a 13-13 tie. Crestview Head Coach Tammy Gregory would call a timeout with Jefferson up 15-14. They’d win 2 straight coming out of the TO. They’d continue trading, until finally, the Lady Knights would win a very competitive first set, 25-22.

    The 2nd set was like looking in a mirror. The Lady Knights jumped out to a STRONG start, forcing the Lady Cats to call a timeout down 9-2 quickly. Jefferson would get it to 12-7, before Crestview would win a long rally, that had a lot of saves and digs, to go up 13-7.

    It was pure domination by the Lady Knights from that point on, winning the 2nd set by a score of 25-13.

    The Lady Knights would get the first point of the 3rd set, BUT, the Lady Cats, were not going to let them get off to another hot start. Jefferson would take the lead early, at 3-1. They’d trade back and forth, before the Lady Cats would score 3 straight points and going up 9-5. That mini-run would force Knights Head Coach Tammy Gregory to call an early timeout.

    As she talked to her players, all eyes were focused on her. I don’t think any of the players actually blinked, as I watched and listened.

    The timeout worked like gangbusters. It stopped the Lady Cats momentum C-O-L-D, as the Lady Knights would win the next 7 straight points to take a 12-9 lead.

    Crestview #3 Kaci Gregory would make an incredible, one handed, diving save on the 28th point, that the Lady Knights would end up winning and going up 16-12. She is so fun to watch. More on her later.

    Jefferson would call a timeout down 19-15. The Lady Cats would not go quietly. They’d get it as close as 21-18, but the Lady Knights would get the final 3 points and win the 3rd set 25-18, sweeping the match 3-0.

    I spoke with Crestview Lady Knights Head Coach after the match.

    I asked her about the teams 3 game winning streak.

    “I’m happy. It feels good. Our girls feel good. You know, we’re playing different styles of volleyball. We played a lot of MAC opponents early, and they just come and hit at you. In our conference, it’s all different styles, so we just have to be prepared and play whatever style we need to play.”

    Delaine Balliet has been on fire, serving the last 2 games. I asked Coach, if that was something she’s been working on.

    “She’s definitely worked on it, and having to go up against our hitters everyday in practice, really helps with that.”

    I asked Coach about Kaci Gregory, and her diving and the energy she brings to table, and what that means to the rest of the team.

    “They feed off of her. They look at that and play harder for each other. She had three serving errors tonight, which is unlike her, but she went and made plays in other areas, and that shows leadership, and again, they feed off of that.”

    The timeout in that 3rd set, was very timely. I asked Coach about that timeout.

    “We had to squash that. As you know, volleyball is such a game of momentum, and they had the momentum, and we couldn’t let it get anymore out of hand. We had to get that momentum back on our side.”

    A volleyball match conclusion, with players shaking hands at the net. The scoreboard shows a final score of 25-18. Teams in yellow and red/white uniforms are visible in a gymnasium setting.

    Leading the way for the Lady Knights…..

    Serving

    Delanie Balliet 20/21 with 3 aces

    Kenadie Schwartz 11/11 with 1 ace

    Ayla Kreischer 12/12

    Hitting

    Kaci Gregory 15 kills

    Kaylee Owens 8 kills

    Ayla Kreischer 6 kills

    Setting

    Nora Perkins 17 assists

    Kenadie Schwartz 13 assists

    Digs

    Ayla Kresicher 10 digs

    Kaci Gregory & Kenadie Schwartz 7 digs each

    Blocks

    Alecta Baxter 4 stuff blocks

    The Crestview Lady Knights are now 7-5 overall and 4-0 in the NWC. Crestview will be back in action on Thursday Night, as they host LCC in another conference matchup. The JV match will begin at 5:30pm.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Tammy Gregory.

  • Knights Win a Shootout, in Conference Opener.

    A group of children excitedly watches as football players exit an inflatable knight tunnel at a field during warm late summer evening.

    It was a warm, late summer evening, with a slight breeze in Convoy, Ohio.

    Little children running around with excitement.

    The smell of salty, buttery, freshly popped popcorn permeated the air, making your mouth water just a bit.

    It was the start of Northwest Conference play. The race for the title has officially begun.

    Fort Loramie got the ball first, and couldn’t get anything started, as Knights CB Hayden Perrott got a sack on 3rd down, forcing a punt.

    A youth football game in Convoy, Ohio, featuring players in blue and black uniforms on the field during a warm summer evening, with spectators in the background.

    Crestview offense took to the field and struck quickly, as HB Braxton Leeth scored on the very first offensive play from scrimmage. Taking it 42 yards for the touchdown with 10:30 on the clock.

    The Redskins would answer back with a 32-yard touchdown from QB Tanner Heckman to Tanner Eilerman. They’d convert a 2-point conversion to make it 8-7.

    Knights TE Liam Putman would get a nice return on the kickoff, down to the 41-yard line. Leeth would score another touchdown, this time from 50 yards out. The PAT was no good, making it a 13-8 Knights lead with 6:41 left in the first quarter. That would be the score at the end of 1.

    Scoreboard displaying Crestview Knights 13 and Guest 8 with 12:00 on the clock in the second quarter.

    The Knights would get a TFL on first down. Redskins QB Tanner Heckman misses a wide open reciever on 3rd and 12.

    Crestview and Fort Loramie would trade stops in the 2nd quarter before the Redskins would score on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Heckman to Hoying. The ensuing 2-point conversion attempt failed. Giving them a 14-13 lead.

    Knights HB Braxton Leeth would score his 3rd touchdown of the first half, from 42 yards out. The 2-point attempt was successful, and the Knights took the lead 21-14.

    High school football game in Convoy, Ohio, with players on the field preparing for a play under a colorful sunset.

    The Redskins would convert a big 3rd and 8 on a 10-yard run with 2:47 left in the 2nd quarter. They’d score on a Ray Hoying 4-yard run, and another successful 2-point conversion, to make it 22-21 with 1:00 minute left in the quarter.

    Crestview would again answer very quickly, on a 36-yard run by WR Hayden Perrott with only 0:15 seconds left in the first half. The Knights lined up to go for another 2-point conversion, but a false start penalty, changed head coach Cole Hartings mind. The PAT was good, and it was a 28-22 Knights lead going in at the half.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights 28 and Guest 22 as the 3rd quarter ends.

    Knights QB Huxley Grose would complete a quick pass for a first down, before Leeth would score on a 46-yard touchdown run. PAT good, to make it 35-22.

    Fort Loramie would respond with an 11-yard pass, and later a big run down to the Crestview 15-yard line. HB Hoying would take it in from 6 yards out for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion succeeded, and they cut lead to 35-30 with 8:43 left in the 3rd quarter.

    Grose would hit Perrott for 9 yards on first down. Leeth would pop another big run, down to the 25-yard line, before breaking a tackle in the backfield and scoring his fifth touchdown. This time from 4 yards out. 2-point conversion fails, but it’s now a 41-30 Knights lead with 5:57 on the clock.

    Knights DE Will Sheets would get a sack and force a fumble, at the 10-yard line.

    A high school football game in progress, showing players from two teams on the field during a night game.

    Leeth would make it touchdown number 6, from 10-yards out. The PAT was good, to take an 18-point lead. 48-30, with 5:33 left in the 3rd quarter.

    The Knights would force a Redskins punt. Crestview would muff the punt, and the Redskins would recover, however, it was negated by an illegal formation penalty.

    Fort Loramie would force the Knights into a 4th and 2 from the 37. Coach Harting would go for it, handing it off to Leeth, who took it up the middle for 7 yards and a first down to the 30. QB Grose would hit TE Putman to the 22.

    It would be a 48-30 Knights lead heading into the 4th quarter.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights 48, Guest 30, with 12:00 left in the fourth quarter, down showing 3rd down and 2 yards to go.

    The Braxton Leeth show would conclude with his 7th touchdown of the game. A 5-yard run. The PAT would be good, and Crestview would take a 25-point lead 55-30, with 11:05 left in the game.

    The Redskins would get on the board, one last time on a 1-yard run by Zander Grillot. The 2-point conversion was good, and that would give us the final score of 55-38.

    Scoreboard displaying a football game between Crestview Knights and an opposing team, showing a score of 55 for the Knights and 38 for the guests with 1:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.

    Knights HB Braxton Leeth finished the night with 24 carries, for a massive 315 yards, with a whopping 7 TDs.

    The senior running back has ran for 1,046 yards, on 91 carries, for 16 TDs, and 0 fumbles, in 4 games this season.

    I spoke to Crestview Knights head coach Cole Harting after the game.

    I asked him how it felt to start conference play with a big win at home.

    “You obviously want to start league play 1 and 0. We didn’t want to start behind the eight ball with the rest of the league. It was great to come out here and establish some physicality and run the ball.”

    Two football teams shaking hands at the end of a night game on a well-lit field.

    I asked him about maybe leaning too much on Leeth.

    “You know, Fort Loramie is a good team, and they can score a bunch of points. He’s our best player and you know, you look at it, he only had 8 carries in the first half, scoring several touchdowns, it’s not really that alarming. We try to mix it up a little bit at any time when need a play, but he’s our go to guy.”

    Fort Loramie had success passing the football, using motion in the backfield, and getting open on crossing routes.

    “That’s something if you watch on film, that Fort Loramie wanted to go to #81 and #0. They didn’t really focus on throwing to anybody else, so our defense was focused on those guys, and we did a nice job of limiting them. #81 made a couple of nice plays, and #0 did a nice job, but we made them earn it.”

    A group of football players in blue jerseys huddled together on the field during a nighttime practice, surrounded by coaches and staff.

    It seemed like DE Will Sheets was always in the backfield when the Knights needed him to be. I talked to Coach Harting about that.

    “He’s put on a lot of weight. A lot of good weight. A lot of muscle, and it’s really showing up now on Friday nights. It’s been really awesome to see that transformation as a football player, so we expect big things out of him and he does so, by making timely stops for us on defense.”

    The Knights (3-1 overall, 1-0 in the NWC), travel to Harrod, Ohio next Friday night, to take on the Allen East Mustangs (1-3 overall, 0-1 in the NWC). Game starts at 7:00 PM (EST).

    Stats and information courtesy of…..Chris Lutz.