ITCL has marquee game tonight

By John Kovach

COLUMBIANA — It will be a battle of the unbeatens tonight when powerhouses Crestview and East Palestine collide in a midseason showdown at Rebel Stadium at 7.

The Rebels and Bulldogs, both 5-0, are coming from opposite directions after the last two seasons. At 2-0 in league play, the stakes will be high when they battle for first place in the Inter-Tri County League Tier One standings.

Crestview, under 11th-season coach Paul Cusick, is determined to guard its success and championship domain. The Rebels went 9-1 last year, won the league title and made the Division V playoffs.

In 2007, the Rebels were 7-3. They have compiled a 21-4 record over the three-year span to date.

Cusick also guided Crestview to Tri-County League titles in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. He is 77-36 for his Rebels tenure.

East Palestine, meanwhile, has regrouped from a 0-10 record in 2006. The Bulldogs have improved under third-year coach Jeff Sharkey by posting 4-6 records in each of his first two seasons before opening up this year to 5-0 to break over the .500 mark under the coach at 13-12.

Now, the Bulldogs are eager to climb up and knock Crestview from the mountain top.

A real turf battle is brewing.

“They definitely have a program on the rise,” said Cusick of East Palestine’s comeback. “They have kids who have been playing since they were sophomores and they have a lot of talent. This could be the year that they challenge us.”

Sharkey conceded that East Palestine does have a lot of veterans (21 lettermen) but that the team has been able to make the most of what talent it has to improve every year.

“We have 19 seniors. That is the biggest reason for our success so far, and our work ethic,” said Sharkey, who also emphasized the importance of building quality players “with what you have.

“You have to make the most of what you have, and fill in with the talent and adjust them to fit your schemes to fit them personally.”

Tonight’s rematch is being viewed as a tossup after Crestview managed to outlast East Palestine last year, 34-28.

“We have very similar offenses,” said Cusick, referring to the duel shaping up between super quarterbacks Carter Hill of Crestview and Shane Peterson of East Palestine, a pair of prolific passers and runners returning from last year.

Hill is 33-for-74 passing for 525 yards and five TDs and has rushed for 502 yards in 69 carries and seven TDs.

“We do spread the ball around,” said Cusick, referring to receivers Adam Coppock, Adam Britton and Tristan Reynolds.

Coppock has 10 catches for 205 yards and one TD. Britton has two TD receptions.

On the East Palestine side, Peterson and ace receiver Austin Cope have been an unbeatable combination.

Peterson has 635 yards rushing in 69 attempts and is 24-for-41 for 475 yards and six TDs and no interceptions in four games. He was out the first game with an injury.

Cope has 18 catches for 324 yards and five TDs.

“Peterson and Cope have been playing together and have been close friends for a long time,” Sharkey said. “They have good rapport and can make adjustments on the field on their own, and because of that I give them a lot of freedom to do that.”

They also get help from Corey Barnhouse and Ryan Dilworth, who both have rushed for more than 300 yards.

But despite all of the expected offensive fireworks, a battle in the trenches could decide the outcome.

Crestview is ready to unleash linemen Aaron Bussard, Jeff Sickle, Logan Cope, Payton Elwonger and Tyler Dickey.

East Palestine will counter with Ben Gysin, Shane Jurjavcic, Ricky Mercer, Tom Muir, Jake Guzzetti and C.J. Sokolick.

kovach@vindy.com