Season a challenging one for Crestview

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

CONVOY — There’s no getting around it – the 2026 high school football season was a rough one for Crestview.

Playing against one of the toughest schedules in all of Division VI, the Knights finished 2-8 (2-5 NWC). Just how tough was the schedule? According to fantastic50.net, it was the sixth toughest in the state. Nine of Crestview’s 10 regular season opponents qualified for the playoffs. The eight losses came to teams with a combined record of 64-20. Four of the opponents – Minster, Bluffton, Columbus Grove and Lima Central Catholic were all ranked in the top 10 in their respective divisions.

Not to be lost in all of that – the Northwest Conference was one of the stronger small school conferences in the state this season. In addition, the Knights had to replace more than 90 percent of their offensive output from the 2025 season.

“We knew our schedule was going to be difficult coming into the season, especially with so many unknowns on the offensive side of the ball,” head coach Cole Harting said. “But I can’t say enough about the resiliency of our kids. They never stopped competing and continued to prepare each and every week with the expectation that we were going to win.”

While the offense tried to find its rhythm, three different players were called on to line up behind center – Cooper Miller, Calin Balliet and Cash Hammons. All three showed flashes. Balliet was the quarterback in Crestview’s wins over Spencerville and Delphos Jefferson and because of injuries, Hammons closed out the season at quarterback, completing 38-of-64 passes for 391 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Balliet completed 51-of-75 tosses for 376 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions. Miller completed 39-of-109 attempts for 575 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions. Miller and Hammons are juniors while Balliet is a freshman.

“Ideally you don’t want to have too much movement at such a vital position but that was the hand we were dealt this season,” Harting said. “Despite the struggles and injuries, we are in a better position moving forward than where we were coming into the season. All three quarterbacks gained a ton of experience and I hope they will continue to grow and push themselves as well as each other. There is so much potential and upside with those guys, it will be fun to see what they can do next fall.”

Whichever quarterback takes snaps next season, they’ll have reliable hands to throw to. The top two targets were a pair of freshman receivers – Beau Lichtensteiger (45 receptions, 500 yards, five touchdowns) and Harper Perrott (27-342). Lichtensteiger was named honorable mention All-NWC.

One area that will see change is up front offensively and defensively, where the majority of players were seniors. Two of them – Will Sheets and Kale Lichtensteiger garnered all-conference honors. Sheets was named first team All-NWC defensive lineman and second team All-NWC offensive lineman, while Lichtensteiger was also named second team All-NWC along the offensive line. Harting noted at the line positions and across the board, the Knights will have to get stronger during the offseason.

“As a team, we have to get stronger, period,” he said. “Football is a physical game and you have to have strength in order to compete with the teams we play week in and week out. The weight room must become a priority for our guys.”

Harting lauded the nine seniors on the team – Sheets, Lichtensteiger, WR/DB Jacoby Gallimore, RB/DB Hayden Waltmire, WR/LB Kaden Gause, OL/DL Sebastian Craig, OL/DL Noah Woodruff, OL/DL Denver McDougall, and OL/DL Evan Myers.

“This group of seniors will be greatly missed,” he said. “As a group, they played a ton of snaps for us over the years. They worked hard, provided great leadership and were a fun group to be around. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in their futures.”

The coach also praised his staff – assistant coaches Jake Harmon, Dylan Hicks, Coty French, Kory Lichtensteiger, Josh Staten, Levi Orsbon, Nate Place, Colin Place and Conner Sheets.

“Our assistant coaches worked their butts off this year helping to try a find solutions to ways we could modify what we do to put us in position to compete the best we could,” Harting said. “These guys pour so much of their time and energy into our program, I can’t thank them enough for what they do for our kids on a continuous basis.”