Leeth-led Knights win season opener

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

CONVOY — Crestview had more of nearly everything during Friday night’s season opener against Parkway – more plays from scrimmage, more rushing and passing yards, more third down conversions and most importantly, more points, as the Knights rolled to a 49-7 win over the Panthers.

Braxton Leeth reached the end zone five times and finished with 128 yards and five touchdowns on 20 carries, while Zayden Martin accounted for 91 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, as the Knights (1-0) finished with 285 yards on the ground, all behind an offensive line with five new starters.

“Absolutely I’m pleased with them (the offensive line),” head coach Cole Harting said after the game. “Did they do everything perfect? Absolutely not but I thought they continued to improve and I think they’ll continue to improve throughout the year with the more reps they get. Even in the second half when we got to a running clock we needed them to stay in there because they have to keep gelling.”

Martin opened the scoring with a 9-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, then Leeth hit paydirt twice, scoring on runs of two and three yards, giving Crestview a 20-0 lead at the end of the period. The latter came with just 15 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The Panthers got on the scoreboard very early in the second quarter, when quarterback Brayden Bruns connected with Rhen Carpenter on a 52-yard touchdown pass, followed by a Wyatt Carpenter extra point. It was Parkway’s longest play from scrimmage of the night, as the Knights continuously kept the Panthers in check throughout the game.

“I thought our defense would be really strong for us this year,” Harting said. “We have really good defensive linemen, we have great linebackers and really good guys in the secondary. Coach (Jake) Harmon does a really good job of game planning and I thought we did executed really well.”

“Overall I thought we did a really nice job of getting pressure on the quarterback and not making anything easy,” the coach added. 

Defensively, Crestview held Parkway to just 68 total yards and four first downs, while the Knights had 27 first downs. 

After Parkway’s touchdown, the Knights answered with a pair of scores – a 23-yard scoring pass from Bryson Penix to Hayden Perrott plus a two-point conversion run by Leeth, and an eight-yard run that gave Crestview a comfortable 35-6 lead at halftime. Penix finished 12-of-17 for 171 yards and a touchdown pass. Isaiah Barton had four receptions for 56 yards and Perrott had a pair of catches for 44 yards and a score.

Leeth found the end zone twice more, one in the third quarter from four yards out, which sparked the continuous clock rule, and in the fourth quarter on a one-yard run.

“At this point this is what we have all come to expect,” Harting said of Leeth. “He’s a kid that puts in the work all year round and I love to see it pay off. It’s fun to watch him as we get deeper into the game, he seems to get stronger as the game goes on.”

Both teams will return to action Friday night. Parkway (0-1) will host Delphos Jeferson while Crestview will host McComb. The Panthers won last year’s matchup 55-13. They won their season opener, 20-13 over KIPP Columbus.

“They’re physical, they’re tough and I expect them to come in next week and give us a really good effort,” Harting said of McComb.

Scoring summary

First quarter

C 4:40 Zayden Martin 9-yard run (Hayden Perrott kick)

C 1:43 Braxton Leeth 2-yard run (Hayden Perrott kick)

C 0:15 Braxton Leeth 3-yard run (kick failed)

Second quarter

P 11:50 Brayden Bruns 52-yard pass to Rhen Carpenter (Wyatt Carpenter kick)

C 8:09 Bryson Penix 23-yard pass to Hayden Perrott (Braxton Leeth run)

C 4:34 Braxton Leeth 8-yard run (Hayden Perrott kick)

Third quarter

C 9:41 Braxton Leeth 4-yard run (Hayden Perrott kick)

Fourth quarter

C 11:20 Braxton Leeth 1-yard run (Hayden Perrott kick)