Preview: 3-1 Crestview at 1-3 Allen East

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — After finally playing at home last Friday, Crestview will gas up the buses again for a trip to Harrod and a game against Allen East.

Friday’s game will mark the halfway point of the regular season for both teams, who have differing records. The Knights enter the game 3-1 (1-0 NWC), with the only loss coming to No. 4 McComb, while the Mustangs are 1-3 (0-1 NWC) against a challenging schedule that also includes McComb and No. 15 Leipsic, plus 3-1 Indian Lake.

“Of the teams in the NWC, they have had one of the more difficult schedules to start the season,” Crestview head coach Cole Harting said of the Mustangs. “They are also replacing some very good players from last year. I think they will continue to improve as the season goes along.”

The challenging schedule has led to a slow start offensively for Allen East. The Mustangs enter Friday’s game averaging 15.5 points and 211 yards of total offense per game, seventh among NWC teams, including 125 yards rushing, also seventh. Running back Jacob Pinks leads the ground game with 26 carries for 194 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Jackson Thompson has 52 carries for 184 yards and three scores. Through the air, Thompson has completed 27-of-67 passes for 344 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Defensively, Allen East is allowing 23.5 points and 244 yards per game, fourth among NWC teams.

“During the first four games there have been a lot of highs and lows, but overall our team is trending in a positive direction,” Allen East head coach Joel Billings said. “We need to be more consistent, eliminate turnovers, and develop a rhythm offensively. Defensively, we have a lot of new faces and they have worked hard to improve week to week.”

“Defensively, they are very physical and active,” Harting said. “They do a great job of getting off blocks and flying to the football. Offensively, they have the ability to run and throw the ball. We will have to be sound on our assignment in the secondary and control our gaps up front.”

“They also do a good job of creating big plays, so we need to limit those and make them drive the field,” he added.

Despite missing all but one play of the second game, the Knights have the NWC’s leading passer in Bryson Penix, who has completed 39-of-61 tosses for 549 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions. His favorite targets so far have been tight end Beau Eggleston (15-140, four touchdowns), and Kellin Putman (10-119, two touchdowns). He’s also been backed by a ground game that has the No. 4 and 5 rushers in the conference. Jaret Harting has 46 carries for 368 yards and four scores while Braxton Leeth has 53 carries for 279 yards and a pair of touchdowns. As a team, the Knights average 337 yards of total offense per game, second among NWC teams, while giving up 273 total yards per outing, fifth among conference teams. Overall, Crestview is averaging 30.5 points per game while allowing 27.8 per game.

“Each week our offense continues to make strides in the right direction,” Harting said. “Early on, our run game has been very good. Our line has done a great job at executing their assignments and our backs have been very explosive.”

“We still need to improve our downfield passing,” he added. “That is something that we will continue to work on at practice.”

“Crestview is very big at the skill spots, and we will need to play with great speed and tackle well in open space,” Billings said.

Dating back to the 2019 season, the Mustangs have won three straight against Crestview, including a 29-12 victory last season. The two teams did not play during the 2020 COVID-19 season.