OLIVESBURG — Crestview is one win from authoring a new chapter during an already historic season.
The second-seeded Cougars (12-0) play No. 3 Carey (11-1) in the Division VI, Region 22 semifinals at 7 p.m. Saturday at Marion’s Harding Stadium. A win would send Crestview to the regional final for the first time in program history.
“This is what high school football is all about,” Crestview coach Steve Haverdill said. “This is the first time Crestview has gotten 12 wins in a season.
“I’m excited to see what we can do come this week.”
The Cougars have never reached a regional championship game. Crestview fell in the regional semifinals in 2000 and again in 2011.
Carey knocked Crestview from the playoffs in the second round last year.
“This is the fourth year we’re going to play them. They beat us up pretty good last year,” Haverdill said. “We know we’ve got a tough battle on our hands.”
No. 3 Carey (11-1) vs. No. 2 Crestview (12-0): The Northern 10 Athletic Conference champion Blue Devils haven’t allowed a point in two playoff games and have six shutouts in their past seven games. Junior linebacker Landen Kemmerly has 125 tackles, including a stunning 28 tackles for loss. Senior defensive tackle Trennen Stoll has 24.5 tackles for loss. Junior outside linebacker E.J. Boes has 19 tackles for loss while senior linebacker Lance Woods has 18 TFLs. Senior cornerback Bryce Conti leads the N10 with six interceptions. Offensively, the run-first Devils boast a pair of 1,000-yard backs in running back Jordan Vallejo (166 yards for 1,146 and 28 TDs) and quarterback Derek Lonsway (135 carries for 1,013 yards and eight TDs). Lonsway has completed 64 of 134 passes for 1,057 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions. Conti has 22 receptions for 524 yards and four TDs.
The unbeaten Cougars scored three times off Colonel Crawford turnovers in last week’s 28-14 win. Junior defensive back Caden Cunningham returned a fumble 25 yards for a touchdown to give Crestview a quick 7-0 lead after Connor Morse caused a fumble. Morse rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown while quarterback Hayden Kuhn hooked up with Owen Barker on a 19 yard scoring strike and Wade Bolin scored on a short run after the Eagles muffed a punt midway through the third quarter. For the season Morse has rushed for 1,868 yards and 32 touchdowns on 278 carries. Kuhn has completed 81 of 119 passes for 1,458 yards and 18 touchdowns with just one interception. Gabe Smedley has 29 catches for 429 yards and six TDs, while Adison Reymer has 25 catches for 501 yards and five scores. Defensively, Morse leads the way with 123 tackles, while Barker has 13.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.
No. 4 Dalton (10-2) vs. No. 1 Lucas (10-1): Champion of the rugged Wayne County Athletic League, Dalton is in the Division VII, Region 25 semifinals for a second straight year and has outscored its first two playoff opponents by a combined score of 102-7. In last week’s 61-7 thrashing of Independence, senior running back Jaden Schlabach broke the program’s single-game rushing record with 357 yards and four touchdowns on just 14 carries, averaging a jaw-dropping 25.5 points a game.
Fellow senior Jaiden Malone caught seven passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns and intercepted three passes. For the season Schlabach has rushed for 1,375 yards and 19 TDs on 127 carries while Tate Geiser has run for 845 yards and 16 touchdowns. Quarterback Ethan Stutz has completed 146 of 206 passes for 1,948 yards and 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Malone has 62 receptions for 961 yards and 12 touchdowns while Owen Beatty has 43 catches for 434 yards and six TDs.
Lucas didn’t attempt a pass in last week’s 37-0 win over Malvern. Five different players scored touchdowns and Aidan Culler booted a 45 yard field goal. The Cubs piled up 330 yards of rushing offense, including 251 in the first half. Running back Grant Barrett has rushed for 1,159 yards and 17 touchdowns on 178 carries and leads the defense with 100 tackles from his linebacker spot. Andrew Fanello has rushed for 826 yards and five TDs on 114 carries and caught 18 passes for 326 yards and four scores. Fanello has 11 tackles for loss among his 55 tackles.
