Columbiana vs Crestview

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Columbiana vs Crestview

Team

Crestview

Record	Div.	Conf.
6/4	Div. V	Independents

Team

Columbiana

Record	Div.	Conf.
6/4	Div. VI	Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference

By TOM WILLIAMS

williams@vindy.com

COLUMBIANA

After jumping out to a two-touchdown advantage against its archrival, the Crestview High football team was looking for a knockout blow.

Junior Adam Coppock delivered the punch, recovering a muffed kick at the Columbiana 24 to set up the Rebels’ third touchdown in Friday’s 30-7 victory.

“That was a huge momentum turn right there,” Crestview coach Paul Cusick said. “[Coppock] hustled down there.

“We’ve had some opportunities in games before where we kind of overran the ball, so we worked on our special teams,” Cusick said. “He did it perfect, he slowed down and slid right under the ball.”

Coppock, who scored the Rebels’ first touchdown with a 43-yard run in the first quarter, said he “saw the ball pop put of Mardell’s [Halas] hands and I hopped right on it.”

Coppock took the next handoff for an 11-yard gain, helping to set up Andrew Mayer’s 2-yard touchdown run three plays later that gave the Rebels (5-1, 3-0 Inter Tri-County League Tier One) a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

“This is huge, a big rivalry,” Coppock said. “We came in here jacked up and had to overcome some adversity late in the first half.”

The Rebels produced 355 yards of offensive, with 331 coming on 33 runs. Mayer gained 167 yards on 11 carries, Carter Hill 80 yards on 10 carries and Coppock had 63 on eight tries.

“Our offensive line made huge holes tonight,” said Coppock of left tackle Steven McCall, left guard Tom Rambo, center Jeff Bing, right guard Tyler Dickey and right tackle Jeff Sickle. “It’s great to run behind them.”

Mayer also scored touchdowns covering 5 and 67 yards. The latter came in the fourth quarter to ice the Clippers (3-3, 1-2).

“It was actually supposed to be an inside run but I saw the lineman seal so I bounced outside,” Mayer said. “The outside receivers did a great job of blocking.”

Defensively, the Rebels contained Columbiana quarterback Austin Barbato to 42 yards rushing on 29 carries.

“They were better tonight,” Columbiana coach Bob Spaite said. “They are extremely good at what they do. Nobody has slowed them down all year.”

Linebacker Mayer and defensive end Evan Nentwick each had two of the Rebels’ six sacks of Barbato.

“He’s a quick kid, he’s really mobile, he’s slippery,” said Mayer of Barbato. “We had inside linebacker Craig Lower spying him and he did an excellent job.”

Nick Roncone led the Clippers with 56 yards on 14 carries.

The Clippers’ score came on a 17-play, 78-yard drive late in the second quarter to reduced the Rebels’ lead to 21-7. Roncone scored on a 3-yard run.

“They can run the ball hard,” Cusick said. “Fortunately, we were able to put them into some long distance situations. Eventually we were able to come up with a sack or a tackle for loss.”

The Rebels are tied with South Range (5-1, 3-0) for first place. They’ll play each other on Oct. 15 at Crestview.