Crestview clinches NWC co-championship

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — Crestview can add more numbers to the NWC boys basketball championship banner that hangs in Ray Etzler Gymnasium.

The Knights clichéd a 2021-2022 conference co-championship with Bluffton by defeating Leipsic 64-52 in the regular season finale on Friday. It’s the 19th time Crestview has won at least a share of the NWC basketball championship, tops among all conference teams.

“I don’t think many people outside of our program would have given us a chance to win the conference this year but our guys bought into playing as a team and believing in each other and they were able to get it done,” Crestview head coach Doug Etzler said. “We don’t have one go-to guy but we have really good group that plays unselfish basketball and doesn’t care who scores as long as we get good shots. I’m very proud of this group.”

Crestview (15-6, 7-1 NWC) led 9-4 after the first quarter, with Gavin Etzler scoring five points and University of Findlay commit Mason Brandt scoring all four of Leipsic’s points.

The second quarter was a different story. The Knights drained six treys in the quarter, including three by Etzler, two by Rontae Jackson and one by Nate Lichtle and Crestview exploded to a 29-16 halftime lead. Etzler went on to finish with 15 points, while Jackson tallied 12.

“Once again we were very balanced tonight and that is what it’s going to take for us to be successful,” the elder Etzler said.

Brandt scored seven of Leipsic’s nine third quarter points but Crestview led 40-25 entering the final stanza. Wren Sheets scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including four buckets and Mitch Temple went 5-for-5 at the foul line. Meanwhile, Brandt exploded for 16 of his game high 31 points in the final period and Paul Maag put in seven of his 13 points.

“Defensively I thought we did a good job of making Brandt work for his baskets,” Etzler said. He’s a great player and he showed it again tonight.”

Crestview was 20-of-45 shooting and 18-of-23 from the free throw line, compared to 17-of-45 and 16-of-18 by Leipsic (14-8, 4-4 NWC). The Vikings finished with a slight rebounding advantage, 23-21.

The No. 1 see Knights have a first round bye at the Division IV sectionals at Van Wert, and will face Fort Jennings or Patrick Henry in the sectional title game at 5:30 on Friday.

Box score

Knights 9 20 11 24 – 64
Vikings 4 12 9 17 – 52

Crestview: Gavin Etzler 5-2-15; Rontae Jackson 4-2-12; Mitch Temple 0-5-5; Carson Hunter 1-3-5; Wren Sheets 6-2-14; Nate Lichtle 1-0-3; JJ Ward 1-4-6; Nasir Easterling 2-0-4

Leipsic: Mason Brandt 10-9-31; Quin Schroeder 0-2-2; Caleb Ellerbrock 1-0-2; Paul Maag 4-5-13; Estevan Carillo 2-0-4

JV: Crestview 43-33