The game plan was clear from the very beginning for Coach Chad Coffman’s Crestview Cougars: run the ball all night long. On the shoulders of senior half back Jay Hill and Senior running back Aaron King, the Cougars were able to rack up 376 total rushing yards and score five time from the ground.
“It was great to have those seniors come out and have a sound, well-rounded game to finish the season off.” Coffman said.
Hill started the scoring off for the Cougars on a 4-yard rumble to find the end zone. King would add three of his four rushing touchdowns, a five-yard rumble, a 32-yard dash, and a 22-yard sprint to end the half.
The Plymouth Big Red found success through the air. Junior quarterback Hunter Bailey found high-flying junior wide out Tyrell Edmiston for two strikes of 65 and 40 yards to round out the first half scoring. Bailey would finish the contest with three total touchdowns and 201 yards through the air on the night. The duo would hook up again in the third quarter on a 47-yard pass and catch for their third combo of the night. And that would be the end to the Big Red’s scoring.
Plymouth seemed to hit a brick wall. A play that seemed sure to go for six was called back because of an inadvertent whistle. That series ended with a punt. On the next two possessions, the Big Red would turn the ball over on a pair of interceptions. They would not be able to dig themselves out of the hole they were in.
The first half would end on a 41-yard field goal by senior kicker Zach Giles. He was just one yard shy of tying the Crestview High School record for longest field goal in history. The scoreboard would read 31-13 at the end of the first half and the Cougars were well in control.
But they weren’t done yet, Crestview got two more touchdowns to start the second half on one of King’s scores and a 16 yards touchdown from senior quarterback Nick Wheeler to Hill. Wheeler tacked on another passing touchdown of 66 yards to sophomore Grant Fulk. Wheeler would finish five of nine passing for 150 yards and two touchdowns. It was Fulk’s only catch of the game.
With the game winding down and the Cougars up by 40 points, Crestview called a fake punt that seemed to irk the Big Red coaching staff. Plymouth Coach Mark Genders had few words about the play, “The rivalry is most definitely on.”
Bailey put up a touchdown pass in the third quarter to give him three scores through the air on the night. He would finish 10 for 20 passing with 201 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Edmiston finished with a monster game of five catches for 182 yards and three touchdown grabs.
The final scoreboard in Crestview read: Cougars 51, Big Red 21. Both teams finished the season with 5-5 records.
“These boys play hard and I am going to miss them….. I love them a lot.” said Coach Genders. Those seniors include: wide out John Gillum, wide out Brandon Pridemore, half back Austin Durbin, linemen Lukes Houser, Jordan Downs, Alex Picklesimer, and Shadd Collins. The Big Red return the majority of their skilled position players for the 2014 season.
Across the field, another Class of 2014 was headed home. “The guys are special to us. They seem to make big plays. We do a thing called senior moment on our last practice where we walk the field and recall special plays and it is a good way to finish.” said Coach Coffman. Those seniors include: wide outs Nick Hout, Zach Giles, and Lance Witmer, quarterback Nick Wheeler, running backs Aaron King and Jay Hill, and linemen Logan Campbell, Dalton Ison, Gavin Montgomery, Brett Chance, and Ethan Boardman.
