Allen East’s Keaton Lehman looks to get past Crestview’s Isaiah Barton during Friday night’s game at Crestview.
CONVOY – Allen East established the running game, early on.
The result was two early touchdowns by the Mustangs, which seemed to set the tone in a key Northwest Conference football opener Friday night at Crestview.
Allen East never trailed, en route to a 29-12 victory over Crestview.
With the win, Allen East improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Northwest Conference. Crestview slips to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
For the game, Allen East rushed for 248 yards. In the passing department, Allen East senior quarterback Jacob Hershberger was 7 of 15 passing for 118 yards with one interception. Keaton Lehman was Hershberger’s favorite target on the night. Lehman hauled in four passes for 87 yards.
Junior running back Jack Hoel led Allen East, and all rushers, with 171 yards on 25 carries and had three touchdowns.
“We ran the ball really well,” Allen East head coach Joel Billings said. “Moving forward, we’re going to have to throw it better. But I thought we were really dominate up front, tonight. … That really took care of the game.”
The Mustangs got on the scoreboard first.
Allen East mounted an 11-play, 53-yard scoring drive. Hershberger capped off the scoring drive with a 4-yard TD run. With the two-point conversion, the Mustangs led 8-0, with 4:12 left to play in the first quarter.
On the very next possession for Crestview, the Knights fumbled the football, and turned it back over to the Mustangs. Allen East took over on Crestview’s 26-yard line.
Allen East made Crestview pay, as it took just four plays for the Mustangs to hit paydirt.
Jack Hoel ran it in from one yard to score the Mustangs’ second touchdown of the game. With the point-after by Braylen Kennedy, Allen East led 15-0, with 2:12 left in the opening stanza.
In the first half, Jack Hoel accounted for 103 of Allen East’s 156 rushing yards. Hershberger was 5 of 12 passing in the first half for 105 yards, and an interception. Hershberger also rushed for 46 yards on nine carries in the first half.
However, Crestview had a response to Allen East’s quick start.
On their next possession, the Knights marched 80 yards on nine plays to find the end zone.
Bryson Penix moved over from his fullback position to play quarterback for one play, and promptly threw a 15-yard TD pass to Hunter Jones. The point-after was no good, and the Mustangs led 15-6, just a minute into the second quarter.
Crestview did not abandon its passing game.
With 7:24 left to play in the half, Crestview senior quarterback Carson Hunter (13 of 32 passing, 178 yards, one TD, one interception) connected with Kellin Putnam who rambled 85 yards for the touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, and Allen East’s lead was 3, 15-12. Putnam ended the game with three catches for 98 yards.
Once again, Allen East had an answer.
The Mustangs quickly cashed in, traveling 65 yards in just four plays. Jack Hoel ran it in from six yards out to score. With the PAT, Allen East now led 22-12, with 5:50 left in the half.
It was all defense in the second half.
Crestview’s offense mounted a 20-play drive in the third quarter, but came up empty handed, as Allen East stuffed Crestview on Allen East’s 5-yard line.
The Mustangs rounded out their scoring with a 13-yard TD run by Hoel, with 5:47 left to play in the contest.
“We were able to possess the ball; and obviously, we have to clean some things up (turnovers, and giving up big plays),” Billings said. “If we clean those things up, then it’s a different game. Moving forward, we know we have to keep getting better.”
On the night, Allen East recorded 16 first downs, with 11 of those coming in the first half. Crestview moved the first-down chains 15 times.
Billings was pleased with his team’s defensive performance.
For the game, Crestview rushed for 132 yards.
“Bend, but don’t break, was definitely it,” Billings said with a grin. “We forced a couple turnovers and kept them out of the end zone. … That was big.”
Mark Altstaetter wrote this story for The Lima News. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
