Tigers' D blanks Crestview in a 2-0 defensive battle

ATTICA — The Seneca East Tigers and Crestview Cougars duked it out in a defensive fight that's only score was a safety by the Tigers early in the fourth quarter. It was enough to win the game, 2-0.On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Tigers' Jackson Gayheart's punt was downed at the 11-yard line, helping to pin Crestview deep into its own territory.Two plays later, the Cougars' Liam Kuhn dropped back to pass and was forced to scramble out of the pocket—only to be wrapped up by defensive linemen Landyn Hicks and Hunter Rathburn in the end zone for a safety. With 11:24 left in the game, the score was Seneca East 2, Crestview 0."We trust our kids, and we believe in our kids," Seneca East coach Ed Phillips said. "That certainly shows. The shutout and scoring two points."The Cougars were able to hold Seneca East to a three-and out, and get the ball back with 10:04 remaining on the clock.Crestview's drive was helped by a defensive pass interference call to get a first down on third-and-eight. Three plays later, Kuhn passed to Dylan Burge for a 19-yard pickup.Two short passes from Kuhn to Burge and Karter Goon for six and four yards, respectively, gave the Cougars another first down.A holding penalty followed by a bad snap helped put the Cougars in a fourth-and-20 situation with no choice but to punt the ball back to Seneca East with 3:01 remaining in the contest.The Tigers' Nicholas Parks kept it for five yards on third-and-four to keep the clock and the chains moving. The next play, Parks again kept it. This time for 13 yards, which gave Seneca East the ability to drain the remaining game clock."What great defense," Coach Phillips said. "It's appropriate that the defense makes the score to win the game. What a great game between two football teams, you know, defensively."The game started with the Tigers moving the ball on their initial drive. On third-and-eight, Parks' pass over the middle hit freshman Branson Robinson for 11 yards.Three plays later, on fourth-and-one, Parks kept it up the middle for a four-yard gain to move the chains. The Cougar defense held strong from there. Holding Seneca East to a fourth-and-eight scenario where Burge picked off a Parks pass and returned it to the Crestview 31.The Tiger defense held the Red & White to a three-and-out then found themselves in another fourth down situation. This time they need four yards to go, and Parks four-yard keeper get the drive alive.Again, the Cougar defense stiffened up, and forced another fourth down. Parks threw a pass over the middle that was picked off again by Burge—who returned it to his team's 18-yard line.Crestview's next drive was looking hopeless until Kuhn threw a screen pass to the left to Bransen Hider for a 21-yard advance. The next play, Kuhn found Hider again on a short pass that went for 11 yards. A false start by the Cougars fizzled that drive out unfortunately.The teams traded punts repeatedly until the Orange & Black was able to get Crestview to jump offsides on fourth-and-four to get a first down.A sack by Hider on the next play ended any chances of the Tigers turning it into a scoring drive.The teams went into the half tied, 0-0.The Cougars opened the second half by picking up a first down on an 11-yard dart from Parks to Jimmie Bowler. Seneca East's defense refused to allow the Red & White to go any further though, resulting in another punt.Two plays later, the Tigers' Parks was intercepted by Max Durbin, who returned it to the SE 29-yard line with great position to score.Two runs by Kuhn for 8 and 4 yards, respectively, got Crestview into the red zone. A false start on the following play then a sack by Seneca East's Gayheart created a third-and-18 position for the Cougars. After a short reception from Kuhn to Reymer for six yards. Kuhn threw an incompletion on fourth down to turn the ball over to the Tigers.On third-and-10 of the ensuing drive, Seneca East's Parks tossed the ball over the middle to Gayheart who then rambled for a 26-yard play in total. Three plays later, Parks found freshman Jamison Ruffing for a seven-yard pass and first down.An eight-yard keeper by Parks a couple plays later moved the sticks again for the Tigers. A flag for a low block on Seneca East thwarted their momentum, and they ended up having to punt the ball away again from the Cougar 40.That's when Gayheart's punt pinned the Cougars deep, and led to the safety by Hicks and Rathburn.The Tigers rushed for 60 while holding Crestview to negative-two rushing yards.Seneca East edged the Cougars in total yards, 119-116.