TRI-COUNTY LEAGUE Lisbon swamps Crestview in 2nd half

The win moved the Blue Devils into a tie for second place.
By ERIC HAMILTON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIANA -- After a sub-par offensive showing in the first half, the Lisbon High offense awakened in the second half, scoring three times, including twice in the fourth quarter, to post a 24-17 victory over Crestview Saturday night.
The game, originally scheduled for Friday night, was postponed until Saturday because the Rebels' field was flooded by the recent storms.
"We didn't play very well in the first half," said Lisbon coach Jim Tsilimos. "We made some adjustments at halftime and the kids responded by playing as a team in the second half.
"Coach [Dan] Hill did a great job getting our kids fired up."
Slow start
The Blue Devils' (4-1, 1-1 Tri-County League) offense, which has been putting up big numbers, wasn't clicking in the opening half. The Crestview defense held Lisbon quarterback Jay Yorty in check, forcing the Blue Devils to punt on their first two possessions. The Rebels later forced a fumble to further frustrate Lisbon.
Crestview couldn't muster much offense in the opening two quarters either. When the unit did move the ball, penalties on the Rebels stalled the scoring opportunities.
After switching to a no-huddle offense, Lisbon got on the board first with 7:15 remaining in the second quarter. Jacob Wycoff kicked a 29-yard field goal to put the Blue Devils ahead 3-0.
Running back Eric Gustafson and the Crestview offense answered on its next possession with a 10-play scoring drive. Gustafson's 30-yard run keyed the drive, which ended with a 26-yard field goal by Scott Raschilla. The score knotted the contest at 3-all at intermission.
Second half
Both offenses played well in the second half, as Lisbon scored three times and Crestview found the end zone twice. The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter.
Lisbon's score came on a 3-yard run by Yorty, after he returned a Crestview fumble 61 yards to the Rebels' 10.
David Myers raced 61 yards on the first play of Crestview's next possession, to key a 70-yard, four-play drive. Quarterback Jordan Reynolds capped the march with a 1-yard TD, tying the score at 10.
But Lisbon's offense continued to pound the ball up the middle, taking time off the clock and finding the end zone in the process. The Blue Devils took the lead for good, driving 56 yards in nine plays. Lisbon's Frank Gallo raced 4 yards for the score to give his team a 17-10 advantage with 8:40 remaining in the contest.
Injury
During the drive, Lisbon running back Jeremaine Lewis suffered a neck injury and was carted off the field as a precautionary measure. The Blue Devils‚ added some insurance on their next drive, as Josh Grafton took the option pitch from Yorty and raced 28 yards for the score. The point-after kick gave Lisbon a 24-10 lead with 3:20 remaining in the game.
Crestview wasn't finished, however. The Rebels marched 75 yards, including 58 on a pass from Reynolds to Gustafson, for a score to tighten the game. Reynolds' 1-yard touchdown pulled the Rebels to within seven at 24-17 with 2:15 remaining.
But Lisbon was able to convert on a key fourth-and-1 play with 1:15 remaining in the contest to secure the victory, and pull into a second place tie with Leetonia in the TCL standings.
"This was a big win for us," said Tsilimos. "We don't play well here. This is the first time we've won here since 1995. There's a lot of football left to be played and we need to focus on one game at a time."