SHELBY — Carter Kessler demanded some of the spotlight Friday night.
In a Week 2 matchup loaded with major-college talent, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Shelby senior made an impact on both sides of the ball. Kessler muscled his way to 1.5 sacks and a pass deflection on defense, not to be outdone by three catches for 64 yards and a TD offensively.
Kessler’s efforts proved disruptive for Lexington (1-1), who struggled to keep pace with the Whippets (2-0) during the highly-anticipated non-conference game. The senior’s 53-yard TD early in the opening quarter fueled Shelby all night long en route to a 37-13 win.
“That’s what we prepare for during the week, getting off the ball and getting to the quarterback,” said Kessler, who credited the athleticism of Lexington quarterback Joe Caudill — a Michigan State commit.
A transfer from Mansfield Senior, Kessler is just two weeks into his gridiron experience at Shelby. But the Whippets feel like family, he said.
“It’s just brotherhood over here and I love it,” he said. “I just think it (Friday) was a great opportunity to show all of my coaches against one of the best teams we’ll play that I’m one of those guys that can help us get to state.”
Along with Caudill, Lexington boasts additional Division I college football talents in Brayden Fogle (committed to Georgia) and Dantrell Hughes, who has an offer from Louisville, among others.
The Whippets have their share as well in Brayden DeVito (committed to Air Force) and Michael Shepherd, who has an offer from Miami University in Oxford.
Kessler said it was a great feeling to know he kept pace with those high-level talents Friday.
“I love competition and I love going against guys that are better than me, the same as me, it just makes me better every single day. I love it,” he said.
Shelby prepares the same no matter the opponent
DeVito said the Whippets were locked in ahead of Friday’s early season test.
“Pressure is a privilege,” said the senior, who accounted for 320 yards of total offense.
DeVito was efficient through the air Friday, completing 8-of-9 passes for 156 yards and two TDs. On the ground, he led all rushers with 164 yards and a pair of scores.
Despite the attention surrounding the game, Shelby coach Rob Mahaney said DeVito and his teammates treat each opponent with the same level of respect.
“We don’t care if we’re playing Lexington or Bellevue or anybody in the MOAC or Madison,” Mahaney said. “We want to make sure we attack Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and come out Friday and execute.”
Shelby showed the rest of the county again Friday that it’s deserving of the expectations people have placed on the Whippets this season. Despite a 14-minute difference in time of possession (Lexington 28 minutes, Shelby 14 minutes), the Whippets made more out of their opportunities with the ball.
Junior speedster Brady Bowman led all receivers with 84 yards and a score on three receptions, while teammate Gavin Baker rushed four times for 56 yards and a TD.
Mahaney stressed the importance of continual growth week-by-week for his team, a core value he’s implemented since taking the helm of the program in 2019.
“Even if you allow yourself to look at the big picture, we better be better then than we are now, so we want to continue to make sure we take a step in the right direction every opportunity we get,” he said.
Below are photos taken by Tom Theodore of Friday night’s non-conference matchup between Shelby and Lexington. The story continues below the gallery.
Looking ahead
A long night for Lexington did include some bright spots for the Minutemen to build on next week. Caudill completed 14-of-32 passes for 158 yards, two TDs and no INTs. He also ran for 20 yards on 17 rushes.
Senior Seven Allen made four receptions for 76 yards and a score, along with an INT on defense. Fellow senior Avery Crawford tallied 38 receiving yards and a TD off his four catches. Fogle caught two passes for 23 yards.
Lexington will look to bounce back in Week 3 as the Minutemen host Clear Fork (2-0). The Colts defeated Zanesville 39-0 on Friday, just one week after upsetting last year’s Division IV state runner-up Perkins.
The Whippets will travel to Bellevue (2-0) next Friday. The Redmen defeated Wauseon 42-14 in Week 2.
Below are photos, taken by Hayden Gray, which include Senior Night activities and halftime performances from the Shelby High School and Lexington High School marching bands.
