Knights ready for more football success

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

CONVOY — After ascending to new heights last season, the Crestview Knights are looking to go even higher in 2017.

The Knights went 7-3 (4-3 Northwest Conference) in the regular season and advanced to the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, then won back-to-back playoff games and qualified for the regional championship game for the first time in school history before falling to McComb 35-28 in double overtime. That game capped off a 9-4 season, with the four losses coming by a combined 19 points.

Now, Crestview is expected to be a prime contender for the 2017 NWC title, and a fifth straight trip to the postseason.

“We graduated an excellent class of young men that played a lot of snaps for us over the last two or three years,” sixth year head coach Jared Owens said. “We have some skill positions back and are working on solidifying the offensive and defensive lines.”

A dozen letter winners are back for this season, led by junior quarterback Drew Kline, who ran Crestview’s multiple spread option offense by rushing for 1,699 yards and 28 touchdowns, while passing for 1,642 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2016. Along the way, Kline earned 1st team all-NWC, 1st team all-District and 3rd team all-Ohio honors.

He’ll be joined in the backfield by senior Trevor Gibson, who rushed for nearly 600 yards last season. Junior Derick Dealey, senior Luke Mefferd and sophomore Kaden Short will see time in the backfield as well.

When Crestview takes to the air, wide receivers Wade Sheets and Charles Stefanek, along with tight end Grant Schlaugbaum are expected to be Kline’s main targets, with newcomers Landin Burch, Riley Saylor and Caylib Pruett also seeing playing time.

“Gibson, Sheets, Schlagbaum and Dealey have worked very hard in the offseason to improve their strength and conditioning,” Owens said.

Seniors Dylan Hicks and Brayden Sellers are expected to anchor the offensive line, along with juniors Robbie Gonzalez, Micah Snyder and Korbin Hartman.

Many of those same players will play on the defensive side of the ball.

Kline and Dealey are back in the defensive secondary, along with Sheets and Stefanek. Gibson returns at linebacker, and will likely be joined by Schlagbaum, Snyder and Hartman. Hicks will lead the defensive front, and will receive help from Sellers and Gonzalez.

Hicks will handle kicking duties, while Schlagbaum will begin the season as the punter

Owens assessed his team after two-a-day practices and scrimmages against Celina and Van Wert.

“We are a team that plays extremely hard together and for each other,” Owens said. “We need to continue to work on execution of our plays, blocking and tackling.”

“We look to compete week in and week out in both our non-conference games and the NWC,” Owens added.

Crestview will open the season Friday at Parkway, then will play two more non-conference games — home against Hicksville and at Wayne Trace. NWC play will begin in week four, at Bluffton.