Crestview runs by Spencerville 41-28

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

SPENCERVILLE — A single play by Logan Gerardot early in the fourth quarter swung momentum in a big way during Friday’s Division VII Region 26 quarterfinal game between Northwest Conference rivals Crestview and Spencerville.

It was a historic matchup – the third one between the two teams this season, a first in Ohio high school football history.

No. 5 seed Spencerville had just tied the game 28-28 on a 27-yard touchdown run by Tyler Koenig and an extra point by Emerson Layman. The Bearcats then kicked off and the 13th-seeded Knights began the ensuing drive at their own 36. After a four-yard run by Brody Brecht, Gerardot peeled off a big 50-yard run down the sideline to the Bearcat 10 yard line. Three plays later, JJ Ward scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak to put Crestview ahead 35-28.

“Gerardot is the unsung hero of this team so to speak,” Crestview head coach Jared Owens said. “He’s as much the heart and soul as anyone we have, and I’m just really proud of him and how he’s progressed through his career.”

Crestview defense then stepped up on Spencerville’s next possession, forcing the Bearcats to turn the ball over on downs after four plays. From there, the Knights drove 55 yards in eight plays and scored on a nine-yard run by Brecht to account for the final margin, 41-28, with 2:18 left.

“They’re a good team and we needed a few more answers but we just didn’t have them,” Spencerville head coach Chris Sommers said. “Our guys played hard and they did some good things.”

Brecht finished the game with 25 carries for 174 yards and three touchdowns, while Gerardot had 12 carries for 175 yards and a score. As a team, Crestview rushed for 395 yards, which accounted for the team’s entire offensive output. The Knights threw just four passes in the game, three by Ward, but all four fell incomplete.

It appeared as though the Knights had seized control early in the third quarter. A one-yard touchdown run just before halftime gave Crestview a 21-14 lead, then after Trevon Barton recovered a Spencerville fumble early in the third, Gerardot capped off a five play, 62-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle, giving the Knights a 28-14 lead.

“When two teams like to run the ball a two score difference is huge,” Owens said. “When you get in that situation you can kind of slow things down a little offensively and be more methodical with what you’re doing and work some clock.”

However, Spencerville came back with a 12-play drive that included an 11-yard run by quarterback Dalty Prichard on fourth and eight and ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Koenig. After forcing Crestview into a three-and-out, the Bearcats tied the game on Koenig’s second touchdown run of the night.

“Anytime a team has two or three guys that are capable of taking it to the house from anywhere on the field you’re never comfortable,” Owens said.

Crestview scored the game’s first touchdown on a one-yard run by Brecht with 5:22 left in the opening quarter, but Spencerville’s Dale Smith caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Prichard to tie the game 7-7 with 24 seconds left in the quarter.

The Knights answered with a five-play, 64-yard drive that featured a 34-yard run by Gerardot and a 19-yard touchdown run on a reverse by Nick Helt on fourth and three.

Smith, who had 14 carries for 119 yards and two scores, tied the game at 14-14 with a 31-yard touchdown run with 2:29 left before halftime.

In addition to Smith, Koenig finished with 12 carries for 83 yards and Gunner Grisby had 68 yards on 18 carries. Prichard was 5-of-15 passing for 75 yards, with three completions going to Koenig for 40 yards and two to Smith for 35 yards.

Spencerville’s season came to an end at 4-4, while the Knights won their fourth straight and improved to 6-2. Crestview will face Lima Central Catholic in the regional semifinals Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

“I think we’re continuing to improve and that’s going to be the challenge next week,” Owens said.

Scoring summary

Spencerville 7 7 7 7 – 28
Crestview 7 14 7 13 – 41

First quarter

CV – Brody Brecht 1-yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)
SV – Dalty Prichard 22-yard pass to Dale Smith (Emerson Layman kick)

Second quarter

CV – Nick Helt 19-yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)
SV – Dale Smith 31-yard run (Emerson Layman kick)
CV – Brody Brecht 1-yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)

Third quarter

CV – Logan Gerardot 13-yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)
SV – Tyler Koenig 2-yard run (Emerson Layman kick)

Fourth quarter

SV – Tyler Koenig 27-yard run (Emerson Layman kick)
CV – JJ Ward 1-yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)
CV – Brody Brecht 9-yard run (PAT failed)