Crestview 34, Western Reserve 0

COLUMBIANA –The Crestview Rebels are off and running.

Led by senior quarterback Jake Noling the Rebels toppled Western Reserve 34-0 on Friday to open the season.

The Rebels outgained the Devils 407 to 143.

Noling had 115 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. He also threw for 225 yards including a 57-yard touchdown to Caidyn McElhaney.

All of Crestview’s scoring was done in the first half. The second half was played under a running clock.

Crestview will travel to Lakeview next Friday.

WR: 0- 0-0-0–0

CR: 14-20-0-0–34

SCORING

CR–Caidyn McElhaney 57 pass from Jake Noling (Danny Novak kick)

CR–Noling 1 run (Novak kick)

CR–Noling 8 run (Novak kick)

CR–Wyatt Hart 4 run (kick failed)

CR–Noling 13 run (Novak kick)

——

C W

First downs 19 6

Total Yards 407 143

Rushes-yards 32-182 26-112

Passing 225 31

Comp-Att-Int 8-13-0 4-8-1

Punts 1-34 5-36

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-Yards 3-23 2-10

——

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING–Western Reserve, Noah Gonzalez 20-85; Crestview, Jake Noling 12-115, Wyatt Hart 6-38, Trevor McElhaney 7-43.

PASSING–Western Reserve, Dominic Krut 4-8-31-1 ; Crestview, Jake Noling8-13-225-0.

RECEIVING–Crestview, Caidyn McElhaney 2-91, Ethan Kane 2-47, Kyle Booth 2-44, Hayden Davis 1-27, Colton Webber 1-16.

INTERCEPTIONS–Crestview, Bo Julian.

Lowellville 40, Columbiana 28

OLUMBIANA — Columbiana lost its ninth straight opener with a 40-28 loss at the hands of Lowellville on Friday night.

The Clippers have lost 11 straight non-league games.

Lowellville leads the all-time series 14-13, winning its last seven meetings with the Clippers.

Columbiana is at McDonald next Friday.

Beaver Local 27, East Cleveland Shaw 20

CALUTTA — Beaver Local fostered in a new era Friday.

Senior Wade Foster threw three touchdowns passes in his first start at quarterback in leading the Beavers past East Cleveland Shaw, 27-20, in the season opener.

The Beavers scored on their first offensive play of the season after the defense held on fouth-and-inches.

Cowdery took a screen pass 45 yards for a touchdown and Tucker McElroy hauled in the two-point converstion pass from Foster to give the Beavers an 8-0 lead only 2:21 into the contest.

Lane Jones followed with a 15-yard touchdown run to make it 15-0 in the second quarter.

The Cardinals scored on a run with 29 seconds left in the first half to close the margin to 15-6. The Beavers marched down the field as Luke Rettos hauled in a 15-yard pass on the final play of the half to build the lead to 21-6.

After the Cardinals pulled within 21-14, Rettos hauled in another touchdown pass from 22 yards out, beating double coverage, with 4:15 remaining in the third quarter.

The Cardinals scored again to close the gap to 27-20. They recovered an onside kick at the Beaver 44-yard line. The Beavers held and neither team scored in the fourth quarter.

Beaver Local will play at Brooke next Friday.

BL: 8-13- 6-0–27

SH: 0- 6-14-0–20

BL–Peyton Cowdery 45 pass from Wade Foster (Tucker McElroy pass from Wade Foster)

BL–Lane Jones 11 run (Brayden Hall kick)

BL–Luke Rettos 15 pass from Wade Foster (pass failed)

BL–Luke Rettos 22 pass from Wade Foster (run failed)

Toronto 34, Southern 0

By AARON PETCHAL

Sports Correspondent

TORONTO — The Toronto football team has shown the ability to create big plays in the past several seasons, and that ability was once again on full display as multiple big plays enabled Toronto to defeat Southern Local, 34-0, via mercy rule Friday night at Clarke Hinkle Field.

“Our guys came out and executed the gameplan,” Toronto (1-0) head coach Jaret Aubiel said. “It was nice playing in front of our home crowd. It was a good night.”

The Red Knights created big plays on the ground, through the air and on special teams, while the defense came up with multiple stops on fourth down en route to pitching the shutout.

“They played physical,” first-year Southern Local head coach Zack Almy said. “They came out and punched us in the mouth.”

Both teams punted on their first possession of the game, and a good punt return set the boys from the Gem City up at the Indians’ 47. Two plays later, running back Drake Bouscher broke through the Southern defense on his way to a 42-yard touchdown. The hosts attempted to run for the 2-point conversion, however, the play was not successful keeping the score 6-0 with 7:06 remaining to be played in the first quarter.

The Indians drove down to the Toronto 21 on their next possession. Unfortunately for the visitors, a bad snap resulted in a loss, and Southern ended up turning the ball over on downs at the 23.

The Knights then marched 73 yards for their second touchdown of the night. Michael Henry, who was making his first varsity start at quarterback, plowed his way in from the 1, and he kicked the extra point to give Toronto a 13-0 lead with 9:25 left to play in the second.

The score was set up by a 37-yard completion from Henry to Colt Joynson.

The Red Knight defense stood tall on the Indians’ next possession, as the boys in red forced Southern to put for the second time. This time, Brady Fair caught the punt at the Indians’ 47, and Fair weaved his way through the Southern defenders on his way to the victors third touchdown of the game. Henry once again booted the PAT to give Toronto a 20-0 lead with 7:42 left to play in the half.

A 23-yard run by Southern’s Landen Heffner on 4th-and-9 of the Indians’ 21 gave the boys in the white jerseys some life, however, the drive quickly stalled after that as Toronto forced another turnover on downs — with this one coming at the Southern 45.

The Red Knights took advantage of the good field position as Bouscher hauled in a 29-yard touchdown reception from Henry, and Henry split the upright’s on his third extra point of the night to give the winning side a 27-0 advantage with 1:33 left to play before halftime.

“I think we have some weapons on offense,” Aubiel said.

The Toronto defense came up with a number fourth down stop on Southern’s first possession of the third, and the Red Knights drove down into the red zone. It appeared as if Toronto was going to score another touchdown, however, a running play from the 3 resulted in a fumble, and the Indians recovered preventing the running clock from coming into play.

Southern was unable to move the ball, and it was forced to punt the ball away to Toronto, and the Red Knights took over at the Indians’ 47. Henry and Fair hooked up for a 30-yard completion, and Caden McGrath scampered around the end en route to a 17-yard score to bring the run clock into play. Henry’s extra point came with no time showing on the clock enabling the Red Knights to take a 34-0 lead into the fourth.

The Red Knights’ defense forced another turnover downs in the fourth, and Toronto ran out the clock on their final drive to bring the game to an end.

“They have got some real strong guys up front,” Almy said. “They have some good linebackers that are able to get downhill. They were able to get into the gaps.”

Southern had zero yards passing in the game as the Indians failed to complete a pass.

“Our defense played well,” Aubiel said. “The Wing-T is tough to stop, and Southern does a good job running it. We did a nice job against it.”

The shutout was Toronto’s third straight in a season opener. The Red Knights have now won five-straight Week 1 games.

Toronto is slated to play Lowellville Friday night on the road. The Red Knights defeated the Rockets, 57-26, least season at home.

“We are going to enjoy this win tonight, and then we are going to get back at it at 9 a.m. tomorrow,” Aubiel said. “We are going to start to get ready for Lowellville. Lowellville has been a good consistent team the last few years. We’re going to be looking to get our first road win of the season.”

Southern Local will host Shadyside next Friday.

“We have got to get ready for Shadyside,” Almy said.

SL: 0- 0-0-0– 0

TO: 6-21-6-0–34