Mogadore grinds out a 13-6 win at Crestwood behind big games from Lehner and their defense

MANTUA, OH- A pair of old former PCL and PTC conference rivals met at Jack Lambert Stadium in Mantua to kick off Friday Night Lights as the Crestwood Red Devils hosted the Mogadore Wildcats. It was a matchup of two evenly matched teams who both lost some big talent from last season to graduation. Conner Lehner’s ground game and the Wildcats stingy defense led them to a 13-7 opening night road win.

It was a scoreless, defensive battle in the opening quarter as both offenses struggled to move the ball. Crestwood would come up with a big play by Wyatt Januksa late in the first when he busted through for a 63 yard run down to the Mogadore 11-yard line. They began the second quarter at the 8-yard line. Three plays later Bobby Bradley punched it in from 2 yards out for the first score of the game. The 2 point conversion attempt was no good and the Red Devils led 6-0 with 10:17 to play in the half.

Bobby Bradley scores from two yards out in the 1st for Crestwood

After the Crestwood score it was a fairly quiet offensive showing by both teams to end the first half. The Wildcats had a chance to score before halftime but three straight passes to the end zone fell incomplete. Crestwood held a slim 6-0 lead at the break.

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The Red Devils would receive the second half kickoff and begin moving the ball down the field. Michael Kalista would hit Wyatt Januska for a 19-yard pass play. Tye Berquist and Kalista would then have runs of 7 and 10 yards respectively as they moved into Wildcats territory. The Mogadore defense would come up big stopping Jankuska on 4th and 1 turning the ball over on downs.

Mogadore stops Januska short of the first down marker

On the Wildcats first play of the possession, senior running back Conner Lehner took it to the house from 73 yards out to get Mogadore on the board. The successful PAT gave them a 7-6 lead with 6:35 to play in the third quarter.

The Mogadore defense would then hold the Red Devils to a three and out punt and put together a 9 play - 78 yard scoring drive that was finished off by another Lehner touchdown run, this one from 32 yards out. He ran for 50 of the 78 yards on the drive. The PAT attempt was wide left leaving the Wildcat lead at 13-6.

Yet another Mogadore big stop on 4th down would stall another promising Red Devils drive as James Pollock stopped Kalista short of the first down on 4th and 5. The Red Devils defense would also come up big holding Mogadore to a three and out punt giving Crestwood one last opportunity.

Crestwood was able to move the ball 19 yards. Facing a third and four they were called for a holding penalty moving the ball back 10 yards making it 3rd and 14. A false start would move them back another 5 yards. Facing a 4th and 19 with the game on the line, Kalista rolled out but could not find and open receiver as the pass fell incomplete.

Mogadore stops the Devils on 4th & 19 late in the 4th

Mogadore would run out the clock from there and take home the hard fought 13-6 victory. Conner Lehner was a monster on offense for the Wildcats rushing for 166 yards on 8 carries with two touchdowns. The Wildcats defense pitched a shutout for the final 22 minutes to help seal the win.

Mogadore will look to move to 2-0 next Friday when they host Canton Central Catholic while the Red Devils will look to bounce back at Minerva.