Knights get easy win over Paulding

Van Wert independent sports

CONVOY — The Crestview Knights scored seven touchdowns before Paulding got its lone fourth-quarter TD as the Knights crushed the Panthers 41-7 in Northwest Conference play Friday at Crestview.

Crestview compiled 418 yards of total offense, while the Knight defense held Paulding to just 152 yards of offense to win the game. Crestview is now 6-1 in league play and 8-2 overall, while the Panthers are 0-7 in the NWC and 2-8 overall.

The Knights’ first score came at the 8:52 mark of the first quarter when Preston Zaleski connected with Malcolm Oliver for a 53-yard touchdown pass play. Kameron Grubaugh kicked the point-after and Crestview led 7-0.

Nearly five minutes elapsed before the Knights’ second score, which came on Oliver’s 6-yard touchdown run with 4:06 remaining in the first stanza. Grubaugh again kicked the PAT and it was 14-0, Crestview.

The Knights scored once in the second quarter when Jake Lippi ran the ball in from the Paulding 2-yard-line. Grubaugh split the uprights on the point-after and Crestview took a 21-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Knights scored twice in the third quarter, on TD runs of 18 yards and 1 yard by Oliver. The first touchdown came at 8:15 remaining in the quarter and the second with 3:09 left. Grubaugh kicked one of two PAT attempts and it was 34-0 heading into the final quarter of play.

Crestview scored its final touchdown on a 29-yard run by Dylan Grandstaff, while Jack Tatum kicked the PAT for a 41-0 Knight lead.

Paulding prevented a shutout with a 12-yard run by Quentin Vance with 2:46 remaining in the game. Corbin Edwards kicked the point-after.

Oliver was the game’s leading rusher with 147 yards and three touchdowns on 22 rushes (6.7-yard average). Grandstaff had 55 yards and a TD on four carries (13.8 average) for Crestview. Vance led Paulding with 63 yards on 17 carries (3.7-yard average).

Oliver also led the Knight receivers with 64 yards and a touchdown on two catches. Javier Gonzales had two catches for 24 yards, while Chazz Hahn caught three passes for 14 yards.