Rootstown grinds out a 17-7 win at Crestwood behind a big game from Mullaly & gritty defense
MANTUA, OH- Fall in Northeast Ohio can be unpredictable. Friday was a prime example of this. At 8:00 am it was dry and 70 degrees which prompted me to pump the A/C in my car. By gametime at Jack Lambert Stadium it was 48 degrees with a steady rain that had continued all afternoon into the evening. The result was a battle of the ground game on a wet and muddy field between the host Crestwood Red Devils and the Rootstown Rovers. The Rovers were able to grind out a 17-7 win behind the legs of senior quarterback Blake Mullaly and a physical defense.
Crestwood received the ball to open the game and picked up a first down after a pair of runs by Nick Hess for 11 yards. A holding penatly on 3rd and 6 would kill the drive forcing a punt. Rootstown was able to move the ball into Red Devils territory on their first drive but two false start penalties sandwiched around a 3-yard rushing loss would force them to punt as well.
The next possession for each team also ended in a punt as we closed the 1st quarter scoreless. The Red Devils, aided by a Chris Mory 44-yard punt return, would get into the end zone three plays later on a Michael Kalista 11-yard touchdown run. The PAT gave the Red Devils a 7-0 lead early in the 2nd.
Michael Kalista runs it in from 11 yards out for the first score of the game
The Rovers would answer back. On the third play of their drive, Blake Mullaly broke off a 41-yard run moving the ball down to the Red Devils 15-yard line. Two plays later he would score from 9-yards out to get the Rovers on the board. His PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 7:15 to play 1st half.
Blake Mullaly with a 9-yard touchdown run for Rootstown in the 2nd
It was three and out punts on the next three possessions before the Rovers took over at their 48-yard line with only 41 seconds to play in the 1st half. Mullaly would put together runs of 10 and 22 yards before kicking a 37-yard field goal as time expired putting the Rovers up 10-7 at the break.
Blake Mullaly boots a 37-yard field goal before the half
Coming out of the half the Rovers looked to build on the momentum from the buzzer beating field goal to end the 1st half. They put together a big 5-play, 77-yard scoring drive with big runs by Mullaly of 17, 22 & a 33-yard touchdown. He would convert his second PAT for a 17-7 lead early in the 3rd.
Blake Mullaly with a 33-yard touchdown run for the Rovers in the 3rd
Neither team could get anything going offensively the rest of the quarter as the Rovers held the 17-7 lead heading into the 4th.
For Crestwood it was much of the same story that plagued them all night…penalties. Several of their drives were hampered by false start and holding penalties putting them in several 3rd and long scenario’s. The Rovers defense came up big, pitching a shutout in the 2nd half. With the Red Devils moving the ball late in the game, Rovers linebacker Carson Saltsman came up with a big third down sack resulting in a 15-yard loss putting the icing on the cake for Rootstown. They would take home the 17-7 win.
Blake Mullaly rushed for 249 yards on 25 carries with 2 touchdowns and a 37-yard field goal earning him R&S Landscaping & Excavating Player of the Game honors.
Michael Kalista led the Red Devils with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The Rovers will look to finish 5-5 next week when they host Fairview while Crestwood wraps up it’s regular season at Chagrin Falls.
