Knights down Hicksville for second win

Van Wert independent sports

HICKSVILLE — The Crestview Knights scored the first 28 points of their game against Hicksville and then held on for a 34-21 non-conference victory over the Aces on Friday.

The Knights used the run nearly exclusively to beat down Hicksville’s defense, compiling 290 yards of offense on the ground, compared to just 50 yards for the Aces. Crestview also had the ball more than six minutes longer than Hicksville.

Neither team could mount a scoring drive in the first quarter, but the scoring took off from there, with the teams combining for eight touchdowns in the final 36 minutes of play.

The Knights got on the scoreboard first when quarterback Drew Kline threw a 35-yard TD pass to Chase Clark with 10:44 remaining in the second period. Dylan Hicks kicked the point-after and Crestview led 7-0.

Crestview then scored the next three touchdowns, with the next coming at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Payton Knittle to paydirt. Hicks kicked the PAT and it was 14-0, Knights.

The next Crestview score came less than four minutes into the third quarter as Kline broke loose and scampered 59 yards for a score at the 8:28 mark of the quarter. Hicks again split the uprights and the Knights were up 21-0.

Crestview got what would prove to be the winning TD with 5:50 remaining in the third quarter when Kline threw an 11-yard scoring strike to Clark. Hicks kicked the point-after to make it 28-0, Knights.

Hicksville finally got its offense on track in the fourth quarter, scoring three times, with the first coming on a 4-yard pass from Jacob Greer to Payton Tunis with 11:11 remaining in the quarter. Caio Favoretto kicked the PAT and the Aces trailed 28-7.

Greer created the next Hicksville score with his legs, running 6 yards for a touchdown at the 7:23 mark of the final stanza. Logen Neidhardt kicked the point-after to make it 28-14.

The Knights then got a clincher when Knittle took the kick-off and ran 75 yards for a score with 7:08 remaining on the clock. The PAT was no good, but Crestview had a commanding 34-14 lead.

The Aces got the final score of the night when Greer hit Tunis for a 25-yard TD with 1:45 remaining in the game and a 34-21 final score.

Two Knights rushed for more than 100 yards in the game. Knittle cruised for an impressive 181 yards on 23 carries (7.9-yard average) and two touchdowns, while Kline rushed for 129 yards on 13 carries (9.9-yard average) and a TD. Greer was Hicksville’s top rusher with 42 yards on 18 carries.

Greer did better through the air, completing 12 of 22 passes for 119 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Clark was the game’s top receiver with 46 yards and two TDs on two receptions. Tunis caught four passes for Hicksville for 43 yards and two touchdowns, while Parker Thiel had three catches for 39 yards.