Knights picked to win NWC football title

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Northwest Conference coaches have tabbed the Crestview Knights as the preseason favorite to win the 2018 Northwest Conference football championship.

All eight NWC head football coaches submitted anonymous ballots to www.thevwindependent.com sports. Each coach ranked conference teams from 1-8, and totals were then used to determine the final rankings. A first place vote received eight points, second place seven points, third place six points, etc.

Crestview (10-2, 6-1 NWC in 2017) received four (4) first place votes, and a total of 60 points. All-Ohioans Drew Kline (3282 total yards, 41 touchdowns) and Wade Sheets ( 58 catches, 1078 yards, 14 touchdowns) are back for the Knights, led by head coach Jared Owens.

The Knights edged defending championship Spencerville in the voting. After going 9-3 (7-0 NWC) in 2017, the Bearcats received a total of three (3) first place votes, and a total of 56 points. Head coach Chris Sommers has won four consecutive NWC championships – last season at Spencerville and three at Delphos Jefferson.

After Crestview and Spencerville, things get a little murky.

Delphos Jefferson (6-4, 4-3 NWC) received the remaining first place vote and 36 points, while Columbus Grove (2-8, 2-5 NWC) also received 36 total points.

Ada (7-4, 5-2 NWC) received 29 points to finish fifth in the poll, while Allen East (2-8, 1-6 NWC) and Bluffton (4-6, 3-4 NWC) each received 25 points.

Paulding (1-9, 0-7 NWC) received nineteen points and is projected to finish eighth in the conference standings.

Full NWC preseason football poll

1 – Crestview (4 first place votes, 60 points)
2- Spencerville (3 first place votes, 56 points)
T3 – Delphos Jefferson (1 first place vote, 35 points)
T3 – Columbus Grove (35 points)
5 – Ada (29 points)
T6 – Allen East (25 points)
T6 – Bluffton (25 points)
8 – Paulding (19 points)

Wednesday: predictions for the 2018 Western Buckeye League title race