Crestview gets overpowered at point of attack by Division VI powerhouse Kirtland

OLIVESBURG — If there were four key words that stuck out from Crestview coach Steve Haverdill in his postgame interview, it was, "The film is valuable."

That film Haverdill is referring to is of Crestview's 42-6 loss to Division VI powerhouse and defending state champions Kirtland on Thursday night, when the Cougars (0-2) were overpowered from the jump, especially on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

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So, was Kirtland as good as advertised?

"They are," Haverdill said. "We made mistakes and you can't make mistakes against a team like that. We would miss a tackle or get caught in an inside gap when we should have been outside. We fumbled on the 2-yard line and that was a scoop and score. We gave up a long touchdown on a missed assignment. When we get in that film room, we're going to show them, 'Look, if we do this, we stop them at the point of attack.' When you play a team like this, our mistakes will show. When we play a team that's not very good, you can beat them with mistakes."

On offense, whether the Hornets were pitching the ball to a back, running up the middle or in their I-formation, they found a way to use their power running game to great use, in particularly quarterback Jake LaVerde, who rushed for two touchdowns but also threw for two touchdowns.

On defense, the Hornets' front four stifled any type of running play the Cougars attempted. Their brute strength and activity was apparent.

For the majority of the first half, the Cougars couldn't move the ball out of their own half of the field.

"We knew they were big," Haverdill said. "They had their D-line back from their state title team last year. Very good at getting through double-teams and driving. We knew that was going to be a challenge."

For Kirtland (2-0), it will likely keep plugging along as it chases another state title. For Crestview, Haverdill emphasized that studying the game tape and being on the field with a team like Kirtland will only benefit the Cougars in the long run.

"They're very sound and very discipline," Haverdill said. "They play together as one. All 11 guys have to play together and that's what we're trying to teach them."

jsimpson@gannnett.com

Twitter/X:@JamesSimpsonII

James Simpson II is a sports reporter with the Ashland Times-Gazette, and was recently at the Mansfield News Journal. He is a self-published author and has gotten the opportunity to interview sports figures like Bernard Hopkins, Norm Nixon, Vince Dooley, Jimmie Johnson, etc., for stories at different publications. He also produced a pretty cool feature on late NBA great Wilt Chamberlain.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Crestview gets overpowered at point of attack by Division VI powerhouse Kirtland