Preview: 4-2 Knights at 5-1 Senecas

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

TIFFIN — With all due respect to other teams, it might be the most intriguing playoff game in Division VII, Region 26, and it’ll take place the day after all other games in the region are played. 

No. 13 seed Crestview (4-2) will travel to Tiffin to face the No. 4 seed Calvert Senecas (5-1), with kickoff scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The game has been bumped back a day because Frost-Kalnow Stadium will be in use Friday night, when Tiffin Columbian hosts Norton in a Division III game. 

“We have a different schedule this week for practice, but it does give us a little more flexibility and time,” Crestview head coach Jared Owens said. “We are excited about the opportunity to play on Saturday afternoon. It is an awesome facility and we look forward to making the trip.”

The Knights enter the game on a roll, having defeated North Baltimore 69-7 in last Friday’s playoff opener. Crestview churned out 452 yards on the ground in that game, including 253 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries by Brody Brecht, which put him over 1,000 yards for the season. In addition, Logan Gerardot picked up 104 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries, plus another score on a 67-yard punt return.

Defensively, Crestview held the Tigers to 171 yards of total offense, with the bulk of that coming on three plays – a 48-yard run in the first half, a 52-yard pass early in the third quarter and 34-yard run later in the game. 

“We are pleased that we executed our game plan as well as we did,” Owens said. “We looked at some correctable things this weekend and we are working on those this week in practice.”

After winning five straight to open the pre-playoff portion of the schedule, the Senecas lost to county rival Hopewell-Loudon 35-10. Included in Calvert’s victories are two three-point wins – 31-28 in overtime against Gibsonburg and 10-7 over Lakota. 

As the No. 4 seed in the region, the Senecas had an opening round bye. 

“On film, Calvert looks like they play very hard,” Owens explained. “They are a spread offense and have some very nice athletes. Their quarterback is a dual threat, so that is something we will have to be aware of.  Defensively, they try to put on a lot of pressure and put eight players in the box.”

In the loss to the Chieftans, Calvert gave up 347 yards rushing and 135 yards via the pass, while being held to 66 yards on the ground and turning the ball over twice. 

Calvert isn’t afraid to air it out. Jack Shultz has completed 118-of-186 passes for 1,468 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 419 yards on just 52 carries. Schultz’s two main targets are Nolan Beeker (43-673, six touchdowns) and Nick Seifert (39-489, six touchdowns).

The Senecas, members of the 22-team Sandusky Bay Conference (River Division), average 32.3 points per game and allow 14.6 points per outing. Head coach Steve Reser did not return multiple requests for comment.

The two teams met in the playoffs in 2016, with Crestview posting a 54-20 win.

Saturday’s Crestview at Tiffin Calvert game will air live on 99.7FM WKSD.