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Tag: LCC Thunderbirds

  • Knights’ 4th Quarter Comeback Falls Short, in Tough Loss on Senior Night.

    Cheerleaders with pom-poms welcoming the football team onto the field against a backdrop of a gray sky and stadium.

    It was a cold, mid autumn evening in the small town of Convoy, Ohio.

    Partly cloudy.

    The setting sun painted the sky with an orange, yellow, and purple tint.

    The condensation of your breath.

    The crispness of the air.

    A group of football players kneeling on the sidelines during a sunset, preparing for a game. The sky is filled with orange and purple hues, and a crowd can be seen in the background.

    The smell of freshly cooked popcorn, hot apple cider, and pizza from The Local Slice, filled your nostrils, tempting your stomach and your wallet.

    There was excitement in the air, as it was Senior night. The last home game of the season.

    On this night, Crestview honored the seniors from most of the fall sports, including cross country, golf, cheer, band, and of course, football.

    A group of high school seniors posing together on a football field during Senior Night, wearing team jerseys and holding flowers, with lights shining in the background.

    #15 Braxtyn Couts, #57 Aiden Helt, #0 Hayden Perrott, #51 Jace Wehner, #7 Liam Putman, #4 Huxley Grose, and #2 Braxton Leeth.

    The Crestview Knights were hosting the #4 ranked Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds.

    The Knights needed a win, and some help to make the playoffs.

    The Thunderbirds were just hoping to avoid an upset, as they had already clinched a playoff spot.

    The Knights defense dropped LCC for a 4-yard loss on the first play of the game.

    LCC answered right back with runs of 10 and 9 yards, before a false start penalty would set them back 5.

    They’d connect on a 7-yard pass, before Thunderbird head coach Colin Stolly called a timeout with 8:41 remaining in the first quarter.

    LCC went right back to the ground and pound, with runs of 5, 3, 2, 28, 4, and 0, before a 5-yard TD run by Lausen Flores. PAT was good, and it was a 7-0 Thunderbird lead with 4:41 left is the first.

    Scoreboard displaying Crestview Knights 0, Lima Central Catholic 7, with 4:41 remaining in the second quarter.

    The Knights first drive of the game, would feature their strength, the run game.

    HB Braxton Leeth would have runs of 4 yards, 1 yard, and 8 yards, on the first three plays.

    An incomplete pass, a 1-yard loss, and a WR run for 3 yards by Hayden Perrott, would put the Knights in a 4th and 7 from the 48-yard line.

    Crestview would catch LCC with an encroachment penalty, would make it a 4th and 2 now.

    The Thunderbirds would answer the call and stop Leeth for no gain, causing the Knights to turn the ball over on downs.

    On the very next ensuing play, LCC HB Xavier Pernell would take the ball 54 yards to the house. PAT was good, and the Thunderbirds were up 14-0, with :21 seconds remaining. That would be the final score of the quarter.

    Scoreboard displaying Crestview Knights 0 and Guest 14 with 12:00 remaining in the second quarter.

    Leeth would run for 3 and a first down.

    A pass for no gain, a 2-yard by Leeth would make it 3rd and 8.

    Knights head coach Cole Harting would call a timeout with 9:56 left in the 2nd quarter.

    Knights QB Huxley Grose would connect with HB Leeth for a 14-yard pass, but it was negated by a Crestview penalty (illegal man downfield), and it was now 3rd and 13.

    A 22-yard pass from Grose to Perrott would give the Knights a first down.

    A high school football game in progress under bright stadium lights, with players from two teams lined up for a play on the field.

    Leeth had quick runs of 2 and 3 yards.

    A high snap led to a big 11-yard loss on third down.

    The Knights would go for it on 4th and 15, but QB Huxley Grose would fumble the football. The Thunderbirds recovered at the 46-yard line.

    Once again, it would be a 1 play scoring drive for the Thunderbirds, as QB Brady Parker would connect with WR Mike Quatman on a 54-yard touchdown pass. PAT was good, and the lead was extended to 21-0 with 6:43 remaining in the half.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights 0 and Guest 21 during a football game in the second quarter.

    Crestview plays of 2 yards, 1 yard, 11 yards, -2 yards, 7 yards, and 3 yards, would bring it to another 4th and 2.

    Coach Harting would call his 2nd timeout of the half, with 2:29 left in the half.

    QB Huxley Grose would run a keeper, but only gain 1 yard, and once again, the Knights would turn the ball over on downs.

    LCC would run for 5 yards, before suffering a 1-yard loss to make it 3rd and 6, from the 46-yard line.

    They’d connect on a pass (I missed the numbers). An incomplete pass and Thunderbird head coach would call a timeout with :36 seconds left in the half.

    A Knights defensive pass interference penalty (bad call, should’ve been OPI), made it 1st and 10 at the 24-yard line.

    An incomplete pass and a 5-yard loss would force LCC to call its final timeout of the half with :11 seconds left.

    Another incomplete pass, and the Thunderbirds took a 21-0 lead into the locker room.

    A high school football game in progress, featuring players in red and blue uniforms on a grassy field under night lights.

    The Knights would get the ball to start the 2nd half of the game.

    They’d start deep in their own end, after being stopped quickly on a Knights special teams mistake.

    With the ball on their own 19-yard line, Crestview would have to drive the length of the field.

    A high school football game in progress, with players on the field wearing blue and red uniforms, against a backdrop of stadium lights.

    HB Braxton Leeth would pop off, with a 59-yard run on the first play of the half.

    A penalty on the next play would make it 1st and 15.

    An incomplete pass and a Leeth 6-yard run, would make it 4th and 9, from the 29.

    The Knights would get the first down on a reverse for 11 yards.

    Runs of 5 yards and 6 yards, then a shovel pass inside to TE Liam Putman for 4.

    Leeth would run for no gain. Back-to-back runs by Leeth on 3rd and 4th down would end in no points, as the Thunderbirds stopped the Knights at the 2-yard line. Another turnover on downs for the Knights.

    A high school football game in progress, featuring players in blue and white jerseys against red and white jerseys, on a well-maintained grass field under bright stadium lights.

    With a long field of their own, the Thunderbirds would go on a long drive.

    Pass of 8 yards to start the series.

    Runs of 6 yards, 3 yards, 6 yards, 9, yards, a 10-yard pass, run of 7 yards, 18 yards, and then an 8-yard run.

    A holding penalty on LCC would negate a run, and make it 2nd and 12 from the 32-yard line.

    A 1-yard run, and incomplete pass, would make it 4th and 11, from the 31-yard line.

    A bad snap over the head of Thunderbirds QB Brady Parker, forced an interception by Knights WR/DB Hayden Perrott.

    The Thunderbirds would take a 21-0 lead, into the 4th quarter.

    Scoreboard displaying Crestview Knights 0, Guest 21 at the end of the third quarter during a high school football game.

    HB Braxton Leeth would run for 8 yards.

    A LCC penalty (personal foul) would tack on 15 more yards, and the Knights were quickly at the 42-yard line.

    A 3-yard run, followed by a 23-yard pass, had them in scoring position.

    An incomplete pass by Grose, then a 13-yard run by Leeth.

    Leeth would be hurt on the next play, after a 1-yard run.

    Crestview would finally get on the board, when Hayden Perrott took a jet sweep for 9 yards to the endzone. The PAT no was good, and it was now a 21-6 game with 8:26 left in the 4th quarter.

    A scoreboard showing the game score between the Crestview Knights and the LCC Thunderbirds, with Crestview at 6 and LCC at 21, along with the game time and down information.

    The Knights would recover the onside kick, and start on the 44 yard line.

    They’d start with a 1-yard loss, then Huxley Grose would find Hayden Perrott for a 19-yard gain, to the 25 yard line.

    Leeth would run for 1 yard on 1st down, an incomplete pass on 2nd down, and a pass for no gain on 3rd down, had the Knights facing a 4th and 9, at the 24.

    Once again, QB Huxley Grose would find WR Hayden Perrott, as he went up and over, not 1, not 2, but 3, Thunderbirds to pull in a 24-yard TD pass, his 2nd of the game. PAT was good. It was now a 21-13, with 5:59 left in the game.

    Scoreboard showing Knights 13, Thunderbirds 21 with 5:59 left in the 4th quarter.

    The Knights lined up for another onsides kick.

    The Thunderbirds knew it was coming. Everyone in the stands knew it was coming.

    We all watched, as the improbable, become reality, as the Knights recovered another onsides kick, as the ball took a high bounce on that needed second hop.

    The crowd, which had been mostly quiet during the game, was now loud as I had heard them all season long. The coaches and players on the sidelines were jumping and cheering. All the momentum had turned in favor of the Knights.

    QB Huxley Grose would find HB Braxton Leeth on a 16-yard pass to the 30-yard line.

    Leeth would take the next play 13 yards on a run, to the 17-yard line.

    Two football teams lined up on a grass field, with players in red and blue uniforms ready for a play during a night game.

    LCC would take a timeout with 5:00 minutes remaining in the game.

    A Grose incomplete pass, and runs of 5 yards, and 2 yards, put the Knights in a pivotal 4th and 2, at the 10-yard line.

    Knights head coach Cole Harting would call a timeout, to talk it over, with 3:31 in the game.

    With the momentum going against them, the Thunderbird defense took the field, knowing exactly what needed to be done.

    The Knights decided to ride with what had led them to 6 wins in 9 games.

    They handed the ball off to HB Braxton Leeth, but the LCC defense, stood its’ ground, and made the stop when they needed it the most.

    Despite the Knights using their last two timeouts, the Thunderbirds were able to run out the clock and get the hard fought 21-13 win, and clinch a 1st round bye in the OSHAA playoffs. The loss officially eliminated the Knights from playoff contention.

    QB Huxley Grose finished the game 11 of 16, for 118 yards, and 1 TD.
    HB Braxton Leeth had 28 carries, for 144 yards.
    WR Hayden Perrott had 5 catches, for 87 yards, and 2 total TDs and an INT.
    Luke Eggleston had 8 total tackles.

    Crestview Knights and Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds players shaking hands after a competitive football game under night lights.

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

    “Well, you know, it really starts with the seniors and the amount of work that they put in these last four years. I was telling them afterwards, that when I got this job three years ago, those guys were the best class we had.”

    I asked about those seniors and being honored, here on Senior Day.

    “When it came to accountability, and just showing up to workouts and the amount of work it takes, and if you’re willing to do that. They showed all of it. That’s what I really take away from this group of seniors. I’m just really proud to have had the opportunity to coach these guys.”

    A high school football team gathers together under the goalpost, celebrating and honoring their seniors after a night game, with spectators watching from the sidelines.

    (One final huddle for the 8 outgoing seniors, as family and friends gather. There were a lot of hugs and tears, as emotions were high).

    I personally saw them practice onsides kicks, when I covered the team in the summer, I asked him about those kicks.

    “Yeah, you know, there’s always a weird one, but we were fortunate. Hayden did a great job of really getting a nice bounce on those balls, and our team did a fantastic job of getting after it, and getting down there. They were willing to stick there nose in there and go get the ball.”

    A group of football players in blue jerseys walking hand-in-hand with a crowd of supporters after a game under night lights.

    (Senior captain HB Braxton Leeth leads the Knights, into the locker room, for the final time in his career).

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Chris Lutz.

  • Knights Get a Big Win on Homecoming.

    Group of high school students in football uniforms and formal attire during a homecoming ceremony on a football field.

    Homecoming is a week full of fun and celebration. The schools have spirit week. Where each day the kids dress up in a different theme. There’s a parade through town, where kids ride in trucks and in flatbeds, and fire departments from around the area get to play with their lights and sirens.

    It’s also a week where alumni return to school, to talk about “the good old days” and reconnect with their alma mater. As well as see and talk to people that they haven’t seen in a while, as they get lost in the shuffle of life.

    It all cumulates on a cool, slightly breezy, fall Friday evening, I was surrounded by mothers taking pictures on their phones, as a new king and queen were crowned, in a ceremony before a big conference football game.

    Ceremony crowning the homecoming king and queen, with crowned students standing on a football field surrounded by peers and young helpers.

    Brentyn Rodriguez and Ellie Ward were voted king and queen for 2025.

    After all the pomp and circumstance, and pregame activities, run by Coach Dylan Hicks, it was time to get down to the business at hand.

    The #14 Crestview Knights needed a win to keep their slim hopes of a playoff berth alive, against the #22 Spencerville Bearcats, in a very tough Division 6, Region 22.

    A football player wearing a red jersey with the number 2 runs through a cheerleader tunnel, with cheerleaders in black and colorful pom-poms on either side, as a large inflatable mascot looms in the background.

    On the first play of the game, HB Braxton Leeth ran the ball for 24 yards to keep the crowd cheering loudly. QB Huxley Grose hit TE Liam Putman on a shovel pass, that went to the 1-yard line. Spencerville defense held strong and stopped Leeth for a loss of 3 yards.

    On third down, the Bearcats held strong again, and dropped Leeth for 2 yards. It was now fourth and goal from the 6-yard line. Crestview head coach called his first timeout of the game with 8:24 left in the first quarter.

    Instead of attempting a field goal, the Knights went for it. QB Huxley Grose dropped back to pass, but there was nothing open. He scrambled around the left side, and took it into the endzone for the first touchdown of the game.

    A football player in a black jersey is attempting to tackle an opponent in a red jersey while other players are engaged in the play on a grass field under dim lighting.

    The PAT was no good. The Knights had a 6-0 lead early.

    The Crestview defense had a good first series, as DE Will Sheets had a TFL on second down, to force a third and long for the Bearcats. DB Cash Hammons (more on him later) got the interception on the pass in great field position.

    Leeth had a 12-yard catch from Grose on first down. He’d hit WR Hammons for 8 yards, and then Leeth would take it in for a 3-yard touchdown run. A bad snap (something the Knights have struggled with all season), led to another missed PAT, making it a 12-0 Crestview lead, with 6:07 left in the first quarter. That would be the last score of the first.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights leading 12-0 against the guest team during a football game.

    The Bearcats would not go quietly, as they proceeded to eat away at the clock. Runs of 5, 4, 3, 8, 4, and 4 just tired out the Knights and defense. They’d get a 10-yard run on a very nice QB scramble by Grady Smith. They’d finally get on the board, on a beautiful play action fake, and a wide-open touchdown. PAT was good, to make it a 12-7 Knights lead.

    Knights TE Liam Putman would return the squib kick for 30 yards. He’d drop a pass from Grose on first down, and Crestview would end up turning to the ball over on downs, after another missed connection by Grose and Putman.

    Once again, the Bearcats would just march the ball down the field. Runs of 12, 2, 2, 13, 9, and 15 yards, would force Knights head coach Cole Harting to call another timeout with 4:01 left in the half, as the defense was completely gassed. A Knights facemask penalty would setup a Bearcats touchdown on a QB sneak. PAT was good and Spencerville had a 14-12 lead with 2:15 left in the first half.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights with 12 points, Spencerville Bearcats with 14 points, in a high school football game.

    It would be a VERY SHORT lead for the Bearcats, as Knights WR/DB/K Hayden Perrott took the ensuing kickoff up the middle, before cutting to the right, and breaking tackles, all the way to the endzone for an 85-yard touchdown, to get the crowd back into the game.

    The Knights would go for the two-point attempt, and it would be no good. Crestview would take an 18-14 lead into the locker room, as the Bearcats couldn’t do anything before the half.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights 18, Guest 14, 2 minutes left in the second quarter.

    Spencerville would receive the kickoff, and it was the same old story. Run the ball and wear the defense out. Runs of 1, 28, and 12 yards, before another Knights penalty (encroachment) would help them even more. They’d score on an 8-yard run. PAT was no good, but the Bearcats had the lead again, 20-18 with 10:06 left in the third.

    Football players in red uniforms prepared for a play on the field, with a scoreboard in the background and a clear night sky.

    The Knights were backed up after the kickoff, but Leeth would take over the drive. Runs of 27 yards, 13 yards, 8 yards, a Bearcat penalty (encroachment), would all lead to a 23-yard touchdown run by Leeth. The 2-point attempt was successful.

    Crestview regained the lead 26-20 with 7:07 left in the third quarter. That would be it for the quarter. A bone-headed unnecessary roughness penalty by Crestview, was the only real highlight after the score.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights 26, Spencerville Bearcats 20, with 12:00 left in the game.

    Leeth had runs of 6 and 3, before a Spencerville penalty (encroachment). Leeth would continue to run, and ultimately score from 6 yards out. PAT was good, giving the Knights a 33-20 lead with 11:55 left in the game.

    Scoreboard showing Crestview Knights 33, Guest 20, with 11:55 left in the fourth quarter and 2nd down.

    The Bearcats got stuffed on the ensuing kickoff, getting tackled at the 15-yard line. Spencerville runs of 8, 17, 2, 3, and 4 yards, had them quickly down the field. A Bearcat pass of 14 yards took them to the 32-yard line. Knights LB #55 Kale Lichtensteiger had a 3-yard TFL, hoping to stop the momentum.

    The Bearcats answered right back the next play with a 14-yard run. The Knights answered that with a 1-yard TFL (missed the number), to bring up a big fourth down and two. Spencerville ran the ball up the gut, to get the first down, on a generous spot, that the side judge was overruled on.

    A competitive moment during a high school football game, with players from both teams engaged in a pile-up on the field under night lights.

    Runs of 7 yards and 10 yards, got the Bearcats into a first and goal from the 6-yard line. Back-to-back runs of 2 yards each made it third and goal. Knights LB #28 Conner Hammons was hurt on the play, but walked off under his own power.

    Spencerville scored the next play, with a 2-yard touchdown run. The PAT was good, cutting the lead to 33-27, with 4:46 left in the game.

    Scoreboard displaying the final score of a football game, Crestview Knights 33, Spencerville Bearcats 27, with 4:46 remaining in the fourth quarter.

    The Bearcats recovered the ensuing onsides kick, after the Knights special teams, looked scared to go after the ball. There was an almost 5-minute delay of the game, because the officials had another pow-wow, to discuss where the ball should be spotted.

    By rule, the ball cannot be advanced by the runner, on an onsides kick. The Bearcats recovered it on the bounce and returned it almost to the 30-yard line. The officials finally did get it right, and moved the ball back to the 41-yard line.

    The Bearcats quickly had runs of 1 yard, 3 yards, and 4 yards, to make it fourth and two. A false start penalty, pushed it back 5 more yards, and it was now fourth and seven, from the 38.

    Knights WR/DB sophomore Cash Hammons would grab his 2nd INT of the night, and stop the comeback attempt in its’ tracks.

    A football player wearing a red jersey with the number 2 is evading a tackle from a player in a black jersey during a nighttime game, while additional players from both teams are visible in the background.

    HB Braxton Leeth had a long touchdown run negated by a very controversial holding penalty, that was discussed by the officials for over a minute.

    It literally happened right in front of me at the 15-yard line. It was a bad call.

    Leeth came back to the huddle, quite unhappy, and proceeded to have an ANGRY ten-yard run on the very next play, where he absolutely TRUCKED a Bearcat defender, and got the Knights sideline jumping around.

    The Bearcats called their final two timeouts, after runs of 5 yards, and 11 yards, by Leeth. Crestview would take a knee to run out the clock, and get a big 33-27 win on homecoming,

    A football player wearing a red jersey and pants stands on the field, smiling and holding up an award certificate.

    WR/DB Cash Hammons was the allsportsfan.com Player of the Game.

    He had 2 big INTs, that stopped the Bearcat offense dead in their tracks, when they had all the momentum.

    HB Braxton Leeth had 23 carries, for 238 yards, and 3 TDs to lead the offense.

    I spoke to Crestview Knights Head Coach Cole Harting after the game, about getting this big win after a 2-game losing streak.

    “Yeah, I mean coming off our last two weeks, you look at those teams, and they are excellent football teams. It’s definitely good to get back into the win column. Hats off to Spencerville, but our guys made enough plays down the stretch and seal it up.”

    High school football players in red and white uniforms walk across the field after a game, shaking hands with opponents.

    I asked coach, about need to get the upset win against LCC next Friday on senior night, at a chance to make the playoffs.

    “You know, we just got to play with a little bit more physicality all the time. Right now, it’s coming in spurts. Every single man. We have to play physical, and if we do that, I think we can really be in that game next week.”

    I spoke to him about Cash Hammons big game.

    Two football players in red uniforms, one (#28) facing away and another (#8) holding a football while looking determined, set against a night game backdrop.

    “We talked about it all week. We have to stop them on first and second down, and get them into third and long situations. Cash came up with a great play to setup our second touchdown, and another great play to seal the game for us. The really great thing is he’s only a sophomore, and he’s going to continue to learn.”

    The Crestview Knights (6-3, 4-2 NWC) play the Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds (8-1, 5-1 NWC) at home for Senior Night. Game starts a 7:00 PM (EST).

    Three students at a football game, wearing matching black shirts with pink lettering supporting breast cancer awareness, smiling and posing for the camera.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats courtesy of…..Chris Lutz.

    Pictures courtesy of…..Wyatt Photography and myself.