Football preview: 2018 Crestview Knights

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

CONVOY – Coming off a record setting 2017 season, expectations are even higher for the Crestview Knights football team.

Last year, Crestview won 10 games for the first time in school history and won a home playoff game, also a first, before falling to eventual Division VI state champion Minster in the regional semifinals.

This year, the majority of Northwest Conference coaches picked the Knights to win the NWC title, ahead of defending champion Spencerville.

“We are excited that the 2018 season is officially underway,” seventh year head coach Jared Owens (50-29, seven seasons) said. We have a team that has some experience and has shown great leadership so far. We hope to play well and get better each week as we take on our tough non-league and league games”

Among the returning 11 letter winners for Crestview – perhaps the most explosive pass and catch duo in the NWC, senior quarterback Drew Kline (5-9, 160) and senior) and wide receiver Wade Sheets (6-2, 190 senior). Both were All-Ohioans last year, as Kline passed for over 2,200 yards and 27 touchdowns last year, while rushing for nearly 1,100 yards and 14 more touchdowns. Sheets, a Division I recruit, caught 58 passes for 1,078 yards and 14 scores.

Other letter winners include RB/DB Derick Dealey (5-9, 155 senior, All-Ohio in 2017); OL/DL Robbie Gonzalez (6-1, 250 senior); OL/LB Micah Snyder (5-10, 220 senior); OL/LB Korbin Hartman (6-0, 225 senior); QB/DB Kaden Short (5-7, 135 junior); TE/LB Landin Burch (6-2, 185 senior); WR/DB Riley Saylor (5-9, 155 senior); OL/LB Isaiah LaTurner (6-1, 215 junior), and RB/LB Brody Brecht (5-10, 200 sophomore).

With the graduation of Trevor Gibson, Brecht is poised to receive a number of carries at fullback. Dealey and Short will also see time in the backfield. Short also plays quarterback and lines up at receiver.

As with any football team, success at the skill positions will depend heavily on the work of the offensive line.

“We are looking at a group of seven or eight guys right now, and many of those positions are being competed for,” Owens said.

The group has good size, and includes LaTurner, Gonzalez, Snyder, Hartman, Burch, Devan Roberts (6-1, 295 senior), Kole Small (5-8, 205 senior), and sophomore Carson Kreischer (6-2, 210 sophomore). Roberts suffered an ankle injury in the Van Wert scrimmage and a timetable for his return isn’t known yet.

On the defensive side, Owens said the names up front and at linebacker will be familiar ones.

“Our defensive line will mirror many of those competing on the offensive line,” Owens explained. “We feel like we will have a solid rotation. LaTurner, Brecht, and Small will compete at linebacker for us.”

Brecht saw substantial time at linebacker as a freshman.

Sheets (45 tackles, 11 interceptions, three touchdowns) will lead the secondary, with Kline lending support, along with several others who play offense.

“Defense and special teams are a continued focus,” Owens said.

OL/DL Gavin Preston (6-1, 225 senior), WR/DB Caylib Pruett (5-8, 145 junior), RB/LB Logan Gerardot (5-9, 170 sophomore) and TE/DL Tyler Hart (6-3, 185 sophomore) are other players expected to make an impact this season.

As far as special teams, Burch will begin the season at punter, while Kole Smell and Jordan Perrott (5-11, 160 senior) are in the running for kicker.

Along with Owens, the coaching staff consists of Matt Holden, Jim Lautzenheiser, Shaun Balliet, Ben Schamp and John Rosebrock, and the coach said he’s pleased with their work.

“Coach Holden, Lautzenheiser, Balliet, Schamp, and Rosebrock bring a wealth of knowledge to share with our players,” Owens stated. “They are passionate about Crestview football, but I am most proud of their passion for helping our players grow as young men, teaching them responsibility, work ethic, and mental toughness.”

The Knights will open the season at home this Friday against Parkway. Despite struggling, the Panthers are a team that have presented a challenged to Crestview in recent years.

Parkway is 2-18 in the past two seasons combined, but the Panthers have a new head coach in Dusty Rutledge, a former player at the school in the mid 1980s.

“They appear to have good speed,” Owens said of the Panthers. “They have a talented quarterback who poses a dual threat. Defensively they really get to the football and offensively they are efficient running the option.”

After Parkway, the Knights will travel to Hicksville, then will finish the non-conference portion of the schedule at home against Wayne Trace. The NWC begins in Week No. 4 against Bluffton, followed by Columbus Grove in Week No. 5. The second half of the regular season schedule has Crestview playing at Spencerville, at Ada, home against Allen East, at Delphos Jefferson and at Paulding.