BUFFALO — Crest High’s ground attack was at its bruising best Friday evening.
The Lancers mashed their way to 326 yards on the ground as they dispatched host Altoona-Midway High 56-6 to lift their record to 2-0 on the season.
Despite the lopsided win, Lancer head coach Brent Smith found areas he said Crest needed to improve.
“We started out very sluggish,” Smith said. “We didn’t play with much emotion.”
Indeed, Crest’s offense produced points in the first half, but not at the rapid-fire rate the Lancer faithful have come to expect.
Dakota Ramsey scored on a 27-yard touchdown midway through the first period. Kyle Hammond connected with Dexter Wiley on a pair of touchdown passes covering three and seven yards.
But their second touchdown early in the second period was the Lancers’ final points of the half.
“We had a little talk at halftime and they got after things from there,” Smith said. “We started playing the way we’re capable of playing. We need to because we have some good teams coming up.”
Hammond found Byran Miller on a 10-yard touchdown pass early in the third period. Jordan Morton followed less than a minute later with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Altoona-Midway’s only score of the night followed on Crest’s subsequent kickoff. The return covered 60 yards.
Not to be outdone, Hammond returned the Jets’ kickoff 63 yards for a Crest touchdown and a 42-6 lead.
Morton scored late in the third period on a three-yard run. Luke Decker’s one-yard touchdown run at the 7:49 mark of the fourth quarter ended the game via Kansas’ eight-man mercy rule.
Morton led Crest with 11 yards on 18 carries, followed by Hammond’s 10 rushes and 92 yards, Ramsey’s 91 yards on nine carries. Decker chipped in with five rushes for 41 yards. Hammond completed 5 of 9 passes for 45 yards and three touchdowns. Three passes went to Wiley for 22 yards, one went to Morton covering 13 yards on his final pass went to Miller for the 10-yard touchdown.
“Give credit to our offensive line,” Smith said. “They opened some running lanes for us. And Jordan really stepped up for us tonight. He did a good job.”
On defense, Jayden Bowen had two interceptions and 10 tackles. Decker had 10 stops with a fumble recovery. Miller added eight stops while Thomas Dietrich and Hammond added seven tackles apiece.
Crest will host Miami R-1 School of Amoret, Mo., next Friday.
Crest 14-8-28-6—56
Altoona-Midway 0-0-6-0—6
Crest — Ramsey 27 yd run (PAT failed)
Crest — Wiley 3 yd pass from Hammond (Hammond run)
Crest — Wiley 7 yd pass from Hammond (Morton run)
Crest — Miller 10 yd pass from Hammond (PAT failed)
Crest — Morton 14 yd run (PAT failed)
AM — #10 60 yd kickoff return (PAT failed)
Crest — Hammond 63 yd kickoff return (Hammond run)
Crest — Morton 3 yd run (Bowen run)
Crest — Decker 1 yd run (game ended)
Lancers down the Jets, 56-6
