Knights get grid victory over Hicksville

Van Wert independent sports

CONVOY — The Crestview Knights got out to a 14-6 first-quarter lead and never trailed in a 41-18 non-conference win over the Hicksville Aces Friday night at home.

The Knight scored in every quarter, with two touchdowns in the first and third quarters and one each in the second and fourth stanzas.

Hicksville drew first blood, though, with a 44-yd run by Jonny Giesige with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter. The extra point try failed and it was 6-0 in favor of the Aces.

Crestview scored next at the 3:38 mark of the first period on a 1-yard run by quarterback Preston Zaleski. Kameron Grubaugh kicked the point-after and the Knights had the lead, 7-6 — a lead they would never relinquish.

Crestview got another score in the dwindling seconds of the first stanza when Malcom Oliver broke free for a 40-yard TD with just 15 seconds left on the first-quarter clock. Grubaugh kicked the PAT and the Knights were up 14-6.

The second quarter also began with a Crestview score, when Zaleski found Isaiah Simerman for a 55-yard scoring strike with 3:23 left in the first half. Grubaugh kicked the point-after and the Knights were up by 15, 21-6.

Hicksville got back in the scoring column, though, with a 12-yard pass from Giesige to Zach Yoder with 34 seconds remaining in the half. The PAT was no good and the Aces trailed by 9 point, 21-12.

The third quarter was all Crestview, as the Knights scored twice in the period. The first touchdown came with 8:23 on the clock when Zaleski ran 3 yards to paydirt. Grubaugh’s PAT kick was good and it was 28-12, Knights.

Zaleski scored again with 35 seconds left in the third quarter on a 12-yard run, but the point-after failed to make the score 34-12, Crestview.

The Knights scored first in the fourth quarter when Zaleski hooked up with Simerman on a 62-yard touchdown pass with just 55 seconds off the clock in the final period. Grubaugh kicked the point-after and Crestview led 41-12 with 11:05 to play.

Hicksville got one more score when Logen Neidhardt broke loose and rambled 56 yards for a touchdown with 2:29 remaining in the contest. The PAT again failed and Crestview got the win, 41-18.

Both teams rushed for approximately the same yardage, with the Knights getting the edge, 254-252. Oliver was the game’s leading rusher with 175 yards on 14 carries (12.5-yard average) and a touchdown, while Neidhardt led the Aces with 120 yards on 11 carries (10.9-yard average).

Zaleski completed 4 of 8 pass attempts for 133 yards and two TDs for Crestview, while Hicksville’s Giesige completed 4 of 10 passes for 29 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Top receiver for the Knights was Simerman, who caught three passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Yoder caught two passes for 33 yards and a TD for the Aces.

Crestview is now 2-0 on the young season.