Knights enjoy 35-20 win over Raiders

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

HAVILAND — Brody Brecht scored twice in the second half to help Crestview pull away from Wayne Trace 35-20 on Friday night.

Brecht ran five yards for a touchdown with 3:05 left in the third quarter to give the Knights, then Kaden Short’s two point conversion run gave the Knights a 26-14 lead.

After Wayne Trace quarterback Trevor Speice fired a three yard touchdown pass to Owen Manz to pull the Raiders to within six with 55 seconds left in the third, Short connected with Brecht on a 36 yard touchdown pass, followed by a Kaden Kreischer PAT with 10:10 left in the game.

Brecht finished with 23 carries for 207 yards and two touchdowns, caught the 36 yard touchdown pass and was 0-2 passing. In his first game back from an injury suffered in the Van Wert scrimmage, Short had 18 carries for 88 yards, plus the touchdown pass. Caylib Pruett had eight carries for 47 yards and a touchdown, as the Knights finished with 346 yards on the ground.

“We were able to control the line of scrimmage most of the night, which is huge for us,” Crestview head coach Jared Owens said. “Plus, Kaden is one of our captains and it was great to have his leadership and toughness on the field tonight.”

While the Knights moved the ball on the ground, Wayne Trace had some success on the ground and through the air. Trevor Speice was 11-20 for 156 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, and he carried 10 times for 82 yards. Nate Gerber as 2-5 for 34 yards, as the Raiders finished with 190 yards through the air and 125 on the ground.

“We tried to limit big plays for them and we were able to do that for the most part,” Owens said.

Crestview took a 7-0 lead with 7:08 left in the first quarter, when Brecht raced 87 yards for a touchdown, but Wayne Trace answered with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Speice to Alex Reinhart, followed by a missed two point conversion pass.

Caylib Pruett’s two yard touchdown run and Kreischer’s PAT with 9:27 left in the second quarter gave Crestview a 14-6 advantage, then Logan Gerardot intercepted a Speice pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown and a 20-6 lead.

Unfazed, Speice engineered a drive that ended with a second scoring strike to Reinhart, this time from five yards out. The two point pass from Speice to Manz was good, pulling the Raiders to within 20-14.

Crestview (1-2) will begin NWC play at home against Delphos Jefferson on Friday, while Wayne Trace (1-2) will open Green Meadows Conference play at Tinora.

Scoring

First quarter

C – 7:08 Brody Brecht 87 yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)
WT – 5:28 Trevor Speice 30 yard pass to Alex Reinhart (pass failed)

Second quarter

C – 9:27 Caylib Pruett 2 yard run (Kaden Kreischer kick)
C – 8:51 Logan Gerardot 15 yard interception return (kick failed)
WT – :24 Trevor Speice 5 yard pass to Alex Reinhart (Speice pass to Owen Manz)

Third quarter

C – 3:05 Brody Brecht 5 yard run (Kaden Short run)
WT – :55 Trevor Speice 3 yard pass to Owen Manz (pass failed)

Fourth quarter

C -10:10 Kaden Short 36 yard pass to Brody Brecht (Kaden Kreischer kick)