Friday Flashback: Knights push McComb

Note: This week’s Friday Flashback takes us back to Week No. 11 of the 2015 high school football season. 4-6 Crestview qualified for the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in Division VII, Region 24, and the Knights pushed No. 1 seed McComb (9-1, No. 4 A.P. poll) to the brink before falling to the Panthers late in the fourth quarter. Below is the game story that appeared on the Sports page of the VW independent

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

McCOMB — After struggling most of the year, it looked as if the Crestview Knights, who led McComb 26-20, would be headed for the second round of the high school playoffs. The game ended with a heartbreaking finish to the Knights’ season, though, as the Panthers rallied for one more score with a minute and half remaining for a 27-26 win over the Knights.

Drew Kline provided much of the offensive spark for Crestview, rushing for 150 yards and a 56-yard touchdown on 19 carries and passing for two more touchdowns.

The game started off well for Crestview, as Payton Knittle thrilled the Knight faithful with a 75-yard kick-off return touchdown on the opening play. Kline ran for the two-point conversion and the Knights led 8-6. Unfortunately, that was the only point-after Crestview converted on, and that stat alone led to the Knights’ defeat.

Crestview outran the Panthers, 202 yards to 133, but McComb quarterback Malachi Abbott passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns, while Kline was 4-for-10 for 119 yards, two TDs. Abbott also had two interceptions, while Kline had none.

Jake Crouse was the Panthers leading rusher with 73 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. In addition to his 75-yard kick-off return, Knittle had 32 yards rushing on seven carries.

Following Knittle’s opening touchdown, McComb came back to score when Abbott hit Caden Schroeder on a 24-yard scoring strike with 7:30 remaining in the first period. The Panthers’ point-after attempt failed and its was 8-6, Knights.

McComb added another score before halftime when Abbott hit Drew Siferd for a 20-yard touchdown with a minute left in the half to take a 12-8 lead into the locker room.

Crestview regained the lead in the third quarter when Kline threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Grandstaff with 4:25 remaining in the period. The PAT was no-good and it was 14-12, Knights.

Crestview increased the lead to eight points in the fourth quarter when Kline connected with Braden Van Cleave on a 74-yard touchdown pass with 6:53 remaining. The PAT failed and the Knights led 20-12.

McComb came back to tie the score at 20-all when Jake Crouse bulled his way into the Crestview end zone from the 1-yard-line with 5:35 remaining in the game.

The Knights weren’t done, though, with Kline breaking into the open for a 56-yard touchdown scamper with 3:15 remaining in the game and a 26-20 lead.

The lead lasted a little more than a minute and a half, as the Panthers put together a scoring drive that ended with a 13-yard pass from Abbott to Chas Shoop with 1:30 remaining in the game. Abbott’s point-after kick was the difference in the game, as it gave McComb as 27-26 lead, and the playoff win.