Grove victory mars Knight Homecoming

Van Wert independent sports

CONVOY – It wasn’t a great homecoming celebration for the Crestview Knights, who lost 46-20 to perennial grid power Columbus Grove in a Northwest Conference contest played Friday at Crestview.

The Knights were outscored 27-13 in the first half and just couldn’t stop the balanced scoring attack of the Bulldogs, who amassed 247 yards on the ground and another 178 yards through the air. Crestview had 255 yards of total offense, including 196 yards of rushing offense.

The Knights actually ran more plays (56-51) than Columbus Grove and had the ball for more than seven minutes more, but four fumbles (although only one was lost, others contributed to stalled drives) and two interceptions were the bane of the Crestview offense.

The Knights did break the scoring plane first on a 23-yard run by Matt Holden at the 11:07 mark of the first quarter. Nate Mladenovic kicked the extra point and it was 7-0, Crestview. Grove didn’t lose heart and marched down the field to score on a 33-yard pass from Jordan Travis to Zach Barrientes with 8:08 remaining in the stanza. Connor Kohls make the PAT kick and it was knotted up at 7-7.

The Bulldogs stopped Crestview on its next possession and then scored on a 5-yard TD run by Collin Grothaus at the 3:41 mark. The PAT was no good and Grove led 13-7.

The second quarter also began with a Knight score. This time Jacob Harmon scampered for five yards to tie the score at 13-all at the 8:42 mark. That’s how it stayed when the PAT kick failed.

The Bulldogs came bounding back with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Travis to Barrientes with 7:47 remaining in the half. Kohls kicked the PAT and it was 20-13, Columbus Grove.

Following halftime, both teams had some trouble getting on the scoreboard, but Grove finally broke the plane with 33 seconds left on the clock when

Grove added one more score before the half when Trent Kerns scored on a 1-yard run with just 41 seconds left in the half to make it 27-13 following Kohls’ PAT kick.

The lone third-quarter score came when Travis lofted an 8-yard pass to Aaron Vorst for a 33-13 Bulldog lead.

The final quarter also began with a Bulldog score, the fourth for Grove without a Crestview response. Kerns ran 14 yards to score with 9:12 left on the clock and a 39-13 lead for Grove. The PAT kick failed.

The Knights responded with their own drive as Malcolm Oliver ran it in to paydirt from six yards out to make it 39-19 with 5:45 left in the game. Mladenovic kicked the PAT to make it 39-20.

The Bulldogs got the final score on a 5-yard run by Grothaus with 2:05 remaining. Kohls again kicked the PAT to make it 46-20.

Although he didn’t score, Wade Heffner was the workhorse for Columbus Grove’s running attack, rushing the ball for 97 yards on 14 carries. Kerns had 89 yards on 16 carries and two TDs, while Grothaus added 57 yards and two touchdowns on six rushes.

For the Knights, Holden compiled 72 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, while quarterback Preston Zaleski rushed for 57 yards on nine carries. Zaleski completed 5 of 12 pass attempts for 59 yards, but threw two interceptions. Travis was 9 of 13 for Columbus Grove for 178 yards, three TDs and no interceptions.

Barrientes was the Bulldogs’ top receiver with four catches, 84 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Rieman hauled in two passes for 56 yards, Grothaus had one catch for 24 yards and Vorst caught just one pass, an 8-yarder for a touchdown.

Oliver was Crestview’s top receiver with two catches for 29 yards.

With the loss, the Knights are now 3-4 in the Northwest Conference and 4-5 overall. Grove is now 4-3 in league play and 6-3 overall. Crestview will finish out the season against winless Paulding this coming Friday.