ROOTSTOWN — Perfection rarely lasts long.
So Rootstown found itself — coming off its first loss a week back against Berkshire — in danger of suffering a second straight defeat.
Crestwood opened the second half with a 15-play, 66-yard touchdown drive that ate up more than eight minutes of clock. Suddenly, the Rovers' halftime lead had turned into a deficit with 15 minutes and 31 seconds to play.
Rootstown punched back — with 14 unanswered points for a 21-12 victory over the visiting Red Devils.
"We just told the kids all week that, 'Hey, they have just as many kids as we [have], tired's not a word, we got to gut it out,'" Rovers coach Tom Hannan said. "And we told them right there, we got to answer back."
Rootstown's winning formula over the first five weeks was relatively simple — run the ball and create turnovers. The Rovers (6-1, 1-1 CVC) followed that formula once again in Week 7 as senior running back Damien Reuting, junior defensive back Max McEwuen and the offensive line effectively took over the night.
Reuting led an eight-play, 59-yard touchdown drive after the Red Devils took their lone lead. That included dashing up the middle to convert third-and-4 at the Crestwood 41 and an 18-yard touchdown run to give Rootstown a 14-12 lead. The senior had 124 of his 169 rushing yards after halftime.
"The key was that drive when we answered back," Hannan said. "They punched us in the mouth. We made a few mistakes. They went ahead. We came right back and put the ball basically in Damien Reuting's hands and let him loose."
McEwuen had three interceptions, all in the fourth quarter. The first set up Reuting's next touchdown run as the junior defensive back picked off a high-arcing pass down the sideline to give Rootstown the ball at the Crestwood 30.
"When he gets the ball in his hand, he can make a lot of things happen," Hannan said of McEwuen. "We kept telling him that they're going to single number four [Crestwood star Wyatt Januska] up with you and try to go up over you and that we'd have to make some plays, and he did."
Rootstown followed McEwuen's first pick with a seven-play, 30-yard touchdown drive — with Reuting carries accounting for six of those plays and 28 of those yards.
The Rovers' offensive line play was particularly impressive given they lost one of their starting linemen (Peyton Simms) to a torn ACL a week ago. Sophomore Rylan Campbell excelled in Simms' place.
Rootstown frequently ran to the opposite side of star lineman Braden Wright and "Swiss Army knife" tight end Ethan White due to Crestwood's defensive approach. By placing an abundance of defenders on the strong side of the Rovers' formation, the Red Devils (3-4, 1-1) dared Rootstown to run in a different direction. Wright's linemates ensured the Rovers were successful.
Check out our updates from throughout the game:
Rootstown tacks on insurance score
The Rovers push their lead to 21-12 with 7:52 left as Max McEwuen the key pick on a deep ball up the sideline to set Rootstown up at the Crestwood 30.
The Rovers' ground game takes care of the rest with a heavy dose of Damien Reuting runs up the gut. The final one came from maybe two yards out.
Rootstown leads after three
The Rovers lead 14-12 entering the fourth.
Really nice response drive after the Red Devils took their first lead.
Damien Reuting converts a third-and-4 with a big run up the middle, then tallies an 18-yard touchdown run to put Rootstown in front.
Crestwood takes the lead
A gargantuan drive by the Red Devils to start the second half. Fifteen plays, 66 yards, helped by a tough offside call on fourth-and-2 in the red zone. On first and goal from the Rootstown 3-yard line, Crestwood's Bobby Bradley racing left to right with Tye Berquist sealing off the outside beautifully en route to a 3-yard touchdown run.
The conversion is unsuccessful.
It's 12-7 Crestwood with 3:40 left in the third quarter.
Checking out the halftime stats
Crestwood has done a solid job defensively against a dangerous Rootstown ground game, holding the Rovers to 60 yards on 15 carries. Rootstown is at 96 yards of total offense at the half. Damien Reuting leading the way, per usual, with 10 carries for 45 yards.
Crestwood has turned 14 carries into 97 yards, led by Chris Mory's 42-yard touchdown run. Michael Kalista completed five passes in a row at one point, finishing the first half 5 of 9 for 45 yards.
Rootstown up by a tad at the half
It's 7-6 Rovers at the half.
The Red Devils got to the Rootstown 32 with 28.7 seconds remaining, then tried to attack deep to Wyatt Januska. Some really good defense, including Max McEwuen playing a ball beautifully by the sideline as Crestwood QB Michael Kalista rolled right to left and gave Januska a nice ball. Great coverage by McEwuen to deny him.
Crestwood draws within one
Sophomore running back Chris Mory with a 42-yard touchdown run to draw within a point. Nice job racing up the middle and shuffling left to make one man miss. That was enough with Jake Eyerman doing a great job screening off any would-be tacklers as he made his way toward the end zone.
It's 7-6 Rootstown with 2:49 left in the first half.
Crestwood driving, looking to tie
The Red Devils, down 7-0, are down to the Rovers' 21 to start the second. Love watching the various ways they find to use Wyatt Januska. Indeed, it was a nice Januska return to set this drive up with good field position.
Rootstown with a strong opening possession
What a great start for the Rovers. Five plays, 65 yards, capped by a Kiel Reuting 4-yard touchdown run with a great block by Mason Lisi to carve out a path. It's 7-0 Rootstown with 10:10 left in the opening quarter.
Another key play on the drive, Chase Duvall did a wonderful job coming back on a deep ball down the left sideline for a gain of 30 to get into Crestwood territory.
Kickoff is here
The Rovers will receive the opening kick.
Tale of the tape between Crestwood and Rootstown football
Meet the Crestwood Red Devils football team
The Red Devils have won three straight and are coming off one of their more impressive victories — a 20-12 win over Chagrin Falls, capped by Bobby Bradley's 46-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Wyatt Januska added a 55-yard touchdown run against the Tigers and has been a force all year with a team-leading 579 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. Januska also leads Crestwood in every receiving category.
Meet the Rootstown Rovers football team
The Rovers, after a rare down year in 2024 (finishing 4-7), are back with a vengeance. Rootstown began the year with five straight victories behind a dominant defense that allowed just 21 points combined during that stretch.
Last week was a tough one for the Rovers as they suffered their first loss — 43-16 at Berkshire. Even in the loss, Damien Reuting impressed again, rushing for 100 yards and two scores, while quarterback Blake Mullaly is a threat as a thrower, runner and kicker for Rootstown.
Contact Jonah L. Rosenblum at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @JLRSports.
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