Knights beat ‘Grove in NWC contest

Van Wert independent sports

CONVOY — The Crestview Knights and Columbus Grove Bulldogs scored a total of five touchdowns in the first quarter alone, with Crestview overcame a 21-14 deficit to beat the ‘Dogs 41-28, thanks to three unanswered third-quarter scores.

Grove got on the scoreboard first when Bulldog quarterback Riley Brubaker lofted a 23-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Fortman with 6:28 left in the first quarter. Mason Smith kicked the point-after and it was 7-0, Columbus Grove.

The Knights struck 15 seconds later when Jordan Miller took the kick-off and raced 84 yards for a TD. Seth Mosier kicked the PAT and it was all tied up at 7 apiece.

But not for long.

On the ensuing kickoff, Bulldog Baily Clement turned the tables on the Knights with a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 13-7 Grove lead. Smith split the uprights on the point after attempt and it was 14-7, Bulldogs with 5:57 left to play in the first quarter.

Again, Crestview responded with a big play, this time a 54-yard TD run from quarterback Preston Zaleski. Kameron Grubaugh kicked the PAT and the score was knotted at 14-all with 5 minutes even remaining.

Columbus Grove maintained its momentum with a final score with 50 seconds left on the first-quarter clock as Brubaker found Smith open at the Knight 6-yard-line and he ran the ball in for a score. Smith also kicked the PAT and the Bulldogs led 21-14 when the first quarter ended.

The teams traded scores in the second quarter, with Crestview again tying the game on a 26-yard run by Malcolm Oliver with 5:40 remaining in the quarter. Grubaugh kicked the extra point and it was 21-all.

Columbus Grove responded four minutes later when Brubaker hit David Bogart on an 18-yard scoring strike. Smith hit the PAT and the Bulldogs took a 28-14 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The third quarter was the key to the game, though, as the Knights scored three times, the first on a 50-yard run by Zaleski and the last two TDs on 1-yard runs by Oliver. Grubaugh kicked two of three extra-point tries and Crestview won 41-28.

The Knights compiled 339 yards of total offense, 296 of that on the ground, while Grove had 288 yards of offense, 155 passing and 133 rushing. Brubaker was 17 of 29 through the air, with three touchdowns and one interception, while Zaleski threw only six times, and completed two of those for 43 yards, no TDs and no interceptions.

With the win, the Knights are now tied for second place with Delphos Jefferson at 5-1 in the Northwest Conference, and are 7-2 overall, while Columbus Grove falls to 1-5 in the league and 2-7 overall.