South Range at Crestview

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South Range vs Crestview

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Photos by Nick Mays

By Tom Williams

Cameron Reynolds kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired for a 31-28 Rebels’ victory Friday night.

COLUMBIANA — The Hills are alive with the sound of an actual championship race in the Inter Tri-County League’s Tier One.

Cameron Reynolds kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired, and Crestview brothers Corey and Carter Hill had significant roles in the Rebels’ 31-28 victory Friday over South Range.

The Raiders (4-2, 2-1), ITCL champions in 2006 and 2007, hadn’t lost a league game since October 2004.

The Rebels (5-1, 2-1) overcame a 14-point deficit to snap a nine-game losing streak to the Raiders, including five losses in the past three seasons.

“This is great, man,” said Rebels senior Jakob Leon, who made two key plays in the fourth quarter. “This is the greatest victory of my career.”

Trailing 28-21 in the fourth quarter, the Raiders were driving for another score when Leon intercepted quarterback Jack Dawson’s third-down pass and returned it to the Crestview 47.

Senior Corey Hill powered the Crestview attack by rushing for 156 yards on 30 carries. All but 33 of those yards came in the second half as the Rebels wore down the South Range defenders for two fourth-quarter scoring drives.

“This is just awesome to come back and beat them in our stadium, and show them what we are made of,” Hill said.

“The line blocked great and getting it from my brother was awesome,” Hill said. “They [should] get all of the credit — all I do is run through the holes that they make.”

Hill’s brother, sophomore Carter Hill, completed 11-of-21 passes for 147 yards. He saved his two best completions for late in the game.

Facing third and goal at the South Range 19, Hill threw a strike to wide receiver Dave Drinnon in the center of the field to reduce the deficit to 28-27. Reynolds’ conversion kick tied the game with 4:18 to play.

Two minutes later, Dawson’s punt had the Rebels back at their own 27. Three straight runs by Corey Hill put the Rebels in Raiders territory.

Carter Hill then threw a high pass that Leon, a high jumper and basketball player, leaped to pull down at the 15.

“Luckily, my jumping was good enough to catch the ball,” Leon said. “I knew he was going to throw it up there.”

That set the stage for Reynolds’ heroics.

“I’ve been waiting for this kick for the four years I’ve been in high school,” Reynolds said. “I was ready, I was clear-minded. As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going [through the uprights].”

That Reynolds received the chance to win the game was impressive in that twice the Rebels overcame two-touchdown deficits to get back into the game.

“You have to play your best all the time,” South Range coach Dan Yeagley said. “We had them and we relaxed a little bit. And you can’t relax against a very good ball team.

“Corey Hill is a great running back and he showed it tonight. He runs hard and his offensive line created some seams for him.”

The Rebels had the Raiders’ attention early on when Carter Hill hit Leon with a 10-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.

The Raiders responded with three second-quarter touchdowns. Hunter Spitz’s 6-yard run helped erase the Rebels’ lead. Nick Golec added two 2-yard scores for a 21-7 halftime edge.

Momentum swung back to the Rebels in the third quarter when Carter Hill hit Reynolds with a 27-yard scoring toss.

The joy evaporated almost immediately when Reynolds’ kickoff eluded the Raiders until James Nell picked it up at the 2. Nell dodged several Rebels then burst down the sideline for a 98-yard return.

williams@vindy.com