The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

NWC preview: 7-1 Knights vs. 1-7 Wildcats

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

CONVOY — State ranked Crestview (No. 8, Division VII) took another step toward at least a share of the Northwest Conference title and a playoff spot last Friday and now the Knights are preparing for this week’s opponent, Delphos Jefferson.

During a 36-22 victory against Allen East, Crestview (7-1, 4-1 NWC) clamped down in the second half and held the Mustangs to just 52 yards, with 38 of those coming on one pass play.

Caylib Pruett (14) has become an important part of Crestview’s attack. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

“Our defensive line and linebackers did an excellent job of controlling the line of scrimmage and getting pressure on the quarterback,” Crestview head coach Jared Owens said. “We did a good job of making it difficult for them to run the ball for most of the night. Any time you can make a team a little more one dimensional it’s good for your defense.”

With an eye on the final two regular season games, Owens explained there are still areas where he’d like to see improvement.

“We have to continue to work on our technique in order to eliminate some of the penalties that we have been called for,” Owens said. “Also taking better care of the football is a constant focus.”

Owens also noted that some younger players have done a nice job filling holes caused by injuries.

“We have had several people step up and play well within their roles this year,” Owens said. “Caylib (Pruett) has done an admirable job since stepping in for Derick (Dealey), but we have had several people filling their roles well in all phases of the game.”

Drew Kline remains the second leading passer and rusher in the NWC, having completed 68 of 120 passes for 1,107 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 850 yards and 11 touchdowns on 117 carries.

Wade Sheets, Brody Brecht and Kline are the third, fifth and sixth leading scorers in the conference with 70, 66 and 66 points respectively. As a team, the Knights remain the top scoring NWC team (44 points per game) and first in terms of total yards per game (405).

Defensively, Crestview is fourth among NWC teams, allowing 270 yards per game, including 117 on the ground. Isaiah LaTurner leads the team in tackles with 43, followed by Brecht (40). Robbie Gonzalez has a team leading 3.5 sacks, followed by LaTurner (2.5), and Wade Sheets leads the Knights in interceptions (3), followed by Logan Gerardot (2).

“A very solid, well coached team in all three phases of the game,” Delphos Jefferson head coach Luke Traviano said of the Knights. “They play extremely hard and are very effective in their offensive and defensive packages and we will have our hands full the entire night.”

“But then again it is another Friday night and if our boys show up and give it their best every rep of the game throughout every whistle, we can make it a great competition. We are working the solidify our game plan and improving every day and hope to give our best effort yet on Friday night.”

It’s not a secret that Delphos Jefferson (1-7, 0-5 NWC), has struggled this season. The Wildcats are averaging 11 points per game while allowing 37, and average 112 yards of offense per game, with 85 coming through the air and 27 on the ground. Defensively, Delphos Jefferson gives up 271 yards per game, including a league-low 79 yards per game passing.

“They have a good defensive line,” Owens said of the Wildcats. “They play hard and are physical and their linebackers get to the ball really well.”

Traviano believes there is a silver lining in this year’s struggles.

“We have suffered through a lot of injuries and a number of young inexperienced players have moved into starting positions that we initially didn’t plan on but at the same time, we can look at that as a positive, those young athletes are getting valuable experience that is going to do nothing but benefit our program moving forward in the future,” Traviano explained. “I just wish we could have kept more guys healthy and posted a few more wins for our outgoing seniors, because they are an unbelievably great group of young men and they deserve to go out with a better record. They are truly class act student athletes.”

After Friday’s game, the Knights will finish the regular season at Paulding, while the Wildcats will host Spencerville.

POSTED: 10/17/18 at 1:07 am. FILED UNDER: Sports