After playing most of the season in the Elementary/Middle School gymnasium, the Crestview Lady Knights, finally got to play on their newly renovated home court.
The Lady Thunderbirds would get the first point of the game. LCC would win the 13th point, on a long rally between the two teams. They would trade points back-and-forth, all the way to an 8-8 tie. LCC would go up briefly 9-8, before the Lady Knights would score 6 straight points to take a 14-9 lead, and force a Thunderbirds timeout. It would all be for naught, as the Knights would dominate the first set, winning 25-12.
Crestview would get the first point of the second set. Like in the first set, the teams would trade points. The Lady Thunderbirds would take a 6-5 lead, and would keep the lead for most of the set. Crestview head coach Tammy Gregory would call a timeout, after losing the 23rd point of the match, down 13-10.
The Lady Knights would take the lead at 14-13. LCC would retake the lead, getting it to 20-18. Crestview would score 2 points, and force a LCC timeout. Like in the first set, it wouldn’t work out for the Lady Thunderbirds, as the Lady Knights would win a hard fought second set, 25-22.
The Lady Knights would get out to a fast start in the third set, jumping to a 4-1. The Lady Thunderbirds would fight back and get it to a 6-6 tie. Crestview would take an 8-6 lead, before the teams trade single points back-and-forth, all the way to a 11-10 game. The Lady Knights would score 4 straight points getting it to 15-10.
They’d get it to 19-14, and once again, the Lady Thunderbirds would fight back, and take a 20-19 lead. That would force a Crestview timeout. The Lady Knights would take the lead, and never relent, winning the third set 25-23, and sweeping the match 3-0.
After the game, I asked Lady Knights Head Coach Tammy Gregory about their 5 game winning, and how they’ve kept this energy up, after playing 3 games this week alone.
“Yeah, it’s a quick turnaround, but the girls know what it takes, and they’re gonna keep battling. We’re back at it Saturday, and we know what we face Saturday is gonna be completely different from what we’ve seen this week. The tempo and the level of play. It’s gonna open our eyes, and it could be a long Saturday. We love the competition, and it’s gonna make us better down the road.”
I asked her with the regular season coming to an end this month, what does she, the staff, and the girls, need to do, to keep this momentum going.
“First off, we need to stay healthy. With the change in the weather, we have a couple girls actually dealing with illnesses. We also need to just focus on the little things, and the basics. We can never get enough practice serving. All those fundamental things, the comeback, the backcheck, we know that we gotta be stronger in every area on the board.”
I noticed that in the first 2 sets, nobody was on the backline. In the third set, there was. I asked if that in-game adjustment was her call.
“No. A lot of their balls were going long, and the girls read the hitter.”
Leading the way for the Lady Knights…..
Serving
Delanie Balliet 20/20 with 5 aces
Nora Perkins 10/10 with 3 aces
Ayla Kreischer 14/14 with 1 ace
Hitting
Kaci Gregory 13 kills
Kaylee Owens 9 kills
Kenadie Schwartz 9 kills
Setting
Nora Perkins 23 assists
Digs
Kaci Gregory & Delanie Balliet 7 digs each
Ayla Kreischer 6 digs
Blocks
Kaylee Owens 2 stuff blocks
Serve Receive
Kaci Gregory 29/29
The Crestview Lady Knights improves to 5-0 in the NWC and 8-5 overall. They will be back in action on Saturday, as they host The Lady Knight Invitational, and will compete in three matches on the day with their first match being the second one at approx. 10am vs Fairbanks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.”
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.
“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).
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats courtesy of…..Chris Lutz.
Pictures courtesy of…..Wyatt Photography and myself.
Nothing like a good rivalry game, on a warm Tuesday afternoon, to get the blood flowing.
That’s exactly what we saw in as the Lincolnview Lancers made the trip across Van Wert County, to take on the Crestview Knights.
The Lancers were coming off back-to-back losses, and the Knights had won two straight matches.
Lincolnview opened the scoring, before going down 13-8 and calling a timeout. The Lancers then won a long rally to make it a 15-13 game. The Lancers and Knights traded timeouts at 16-15, and 20-18. The girls would trade points and rallies back and forth, before the Knights finally put them away, winning a hard fought first set, 28-26.
Knights #7 Emily Lichtle opened the 2nd set with an ace. Crestview would force a timeout by Lincolnview up 3-0.
There would be a long discussion at the net by two officials and players from each team, as nobody saw which side of the net, the ball fell, on what was supposed to be the 7th point of match. They finally decided to simply replay the point, and eventually the Knights won. (The two officials would not answer when I asked about it after the game).
They would once again go back and forth, with ties at 7-7, and again at 13-13. Crestview would go on a 4-point streak and force another timeout at 18-14. The Knights would call a timeout at 21-19.
The Knights would win the second set, the same way they started. Another ace by #7 Emily Lichtle iced it, 25-20.
She had a big game, going 17/17 on serves, with 2 aces, and a whooping 20 sets.
The Lancers would get the 1st point of the third set, before the Knights would answer with 4 straight. There would be great saves by Knights players #5 Lydia Grace and #3 Kaci Gregory, to get the ball back in play. Crestview would end up winning the point and going up 8-7. The Lancers didn’t go down easy, forcing a Knights timeout, with the Lancers up 11-9.
They would trade leads, before getting to a 15-15 tie. There was a miscommunication between Grace and Gregory on play, and the Lancers got the point to go up 16-15. Crestview would take the lead back at 17-16, and #20 Nora Perkins would get a big ace at 19-16. Forcing a Lancers timeout at 21-18. Perkins would finish going 16/16 on serves, with 1 ace, and 13 sets.
The Lancers had one last fight in them, tying it at 22-22, before the Lady Knights would win the 3rd and final set of the match, in straight sets (28-26, 25-20, 25-22).
#21 Haley McCoy led the team with 12 kills and 4 blocks. Kaci Gregory and Lydia Grace each had 19 digs for the Knights. Grace also went 9/10 on serves with an ace, as well.
I spoke with Crestview Knights girls volleyball head coach Tammy Gregory after the game.
I asked her how she and the team were feeling after getting a big conference win.
“I’m just so proud of the girls. You know, we put it together. We made some changes down the stretch, and they just trust each other. They’re becoming more confident every game. Winning the conference is a goal of ours. They had a game last night, and the girls stepped up and did what they had to do.”
It was a game of long rallies, with both teams going on long runs of 5 and 6 straight points. I asked how she kept the girls focused when momentum changes like that.
“We talk about that because your right. You know, our goal is to never let somebody score more than two points, but you know, that stuff happens. You have to stop it. Whether that’s a timeout, or changing something on the court, so that it looks different to the serving team. Once you get the momentum, you have to keep it going.”
The Knights are coming up on a stretch of 5 games in 9 days. I asked about that upcoming calendar.
“We’ve got another conference game on Thursday, and the girls know that we cannot overlook any team, at any given night. Some things are going well for us, some things aren’t, but we’re going to continue to gel and believe in one another.”
The Knights are now 6-3 overall, and 2-0 in the Northwest Conference.
The Lady Knights will host the Allen East Mustangs (3-8 overall, and 0-2 in conference play), on Thursday afternoon. JV starts at 5:30 PM (EST).
Knights JV girls volleyball team was also victorious, winning 2-1.
– by Sean McKenzie
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Stats courtesy of…..Knights Head Coach Tammy Gregory.
