Crestview has churned out some great running backs over the years and Connor Morse is poised to take his place among them.
The Cougars are 4-0 for the first time since 2011 thanks in large part to the exploits of Morse, a hard-charging 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior. Through the first four games of the season, Morse has rushed for 669 yards and 12 touchdowns on 88 carries.
In last week’s 21-13 win over Western Reserve, Morse rumbled for 285 yards and all three touchdowns on 41 carries. He scored two second-half touchdowns as the Cougars overcame a 13-7 deficit.
“He runs the ball hard and the line opens up those lanes for him,” Crestview coach Steve Haverdill said of Morse after a Week 1 win at Loudonville. “Connor has got great vision and he’s able to find those holes and sneak through.”
The last time Crestview was 4-0, another prolific running back was leading the charge. Mason Minnich rushed for 2,132 yards in 2011, leading the Cougars to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the regional semifinals.
The Cougars reached the second round of the Region 22 playoffs last year before falling to Carey. That team was led by All-Ohio quarterback Ross Kuhn, who graduated last spring.
The 2021 Cougars haven’t missed a beat, averaging 388.3 yards and 40.3 points a game.
““I think we established our own identity,” Morse said after the Week 1 win. “A lot of the guys who were on the field tonight were on the scout team last year and they were pushing us and making us better. Now they are showing what they can do, too.”
The Cougars will have their hands full when they host Monroeville at Ashland’s Community Stadium on Friday.
Here is a capsule look at some games involving Ashland County teams in week five:
Monroeville (2-2, 1-0) at Crestview (4-0, 1-0): The Eagles have won two in a row after last week’s thrilling 42-39 win over previously unbeaten Plymouth. Quarterback Isaac Roeder rushed for 262 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 155 yards. Ian Schafer had three catches, scored a touchdown and made nine tackles.
The Cougars remained unbeaten with a 21-13 win over Western Reserve. Crestview’s boasts one of the most potent offenses in north central Ohio, averaging 40.3 points and 388.3 yards a game. Quarterback Hayden Kuhn has completed 23 of 34 passes for 505 yards and six touchdowns. The first-year starter averages 21.9 yard per completion and has yet to throw an interception. Running back Connor Morse has rushed for 669 yards and 12 touchdowns on 88 carries, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. Adison Reymer has six catches for 164 yards and three TDs, while Gabe Smedley has a team-high eight receptions for 124 yards and a score. Morse leads the defense with 44 tackles. Defensive end Owen Barker ranks among area leaders with five sacks.
Ashland (0-4, 0-0) at Mount Vernon (1-3, 0-1): The Arrows are still searching for their first win after last week’s 49-14 loss at Sandusky Perkins as Pirates’ running back Collin Nemitz rushed for a single-game record 402 yards. Ashland has allowed more than 200 yards rushing each of the past three weeks. Ashland trailed 14-7 at the half, but gave up three third-quarter touchdowns. Offensively, the Arrows couldn’t get much going against Perkins, managing just 10 yards rushing. Jonathan Metzger hauled in a 29 yard touchdown pass from Landon McFrederick and forced a fumble from his safety spot. Defensive back Braylen Hider led the way defensively with 11 tackles, including two tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery.
Mount Vernon had a hard time slowing down Lexington in a 40-14 loss. The Yellow Jackets gave up 356 yards, including 242 through the air. Quarterback Joel Hubbard threw for 125 yards while receiver Jonny Askew had eight catches for 82 yards. Running back Evan Owens rushed for 75 yards on 12 carries.
Hillsdale (2-2, 1-0) at Norwayne (2-2, 1-0): After struggling to find their rhythm through the first three weeks, the Falcons got the offense untracked in last week’s 52-13 win over Rittman. Hillsdale rushed for 354 yards, with dual-threat quarterback Jake Hoverstock picking up 107 yards and running for three touchdowns and completing 4 of 5 passes for 57 yards. Max Vesper added 71 yards, including a 9 yard TD run. Vesper has three interceptions and 31 tackles from his safety spot, while linebackers Ethan Goodwin and Jax Rogers have 30 tackles apiece.
Norwayne roughed up Smithville 47-13 last week. The Bobcats, who average more than 35 points a game, piled up 560 yards of total offense with 367 coming on the ground. Running back Jake Gill rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries. Quarterback Eli Stanley added 82 yards and a TD on four carries while completing 8 of 11 passes for 193 yards. Derek Berger had three receptions for 95 yards.
