Renegades vs. Spartans 6/27/09

Renegades fall on the road

POSTED: June 29, 2009

CLEVELAND - Due to a lineman shortage, Crestview Renegades head coach Cory Stevens suited up and recorded four sacks, but it was the Cuyahoga Valley Spartans who came out on top with a 16-12 victory in Grassroots Football League action on Saturday at Cleveland Lutheran East High School.

The Renegades held a 12-8 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Spartans (6-1) converted a fourth and 25 late in the game and added a short touchdown run with 2:35 left to take home the win.

Jordan Reynolds had the Renegades (3-2) up 3-0 after the first half after a field goal. The Renegades' only touchdown of the night came on a Joel Kiss to Ethan Russell 77-yard pass. Reynolds added another field goal to round out the Renegades' scoring.

Russell was the top rusher for the Renegades with 51 yards.

Crestview plays July 11 against an opponent to be determined.

All Football, All The Time

All football, all the time

By MICHAEL S. BURICH, Assistant Sports Editor
POSTED: June 24, 2009

COLUMBIANA - Columbiana's Brian Warchol has a goal of fitting as much football as he can in this summer before he departs for the Army on Sept. 8.

The former Columbiana High School running back has split time between the Crestview Renegades minor league team and practices for Friday's Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic at Geneva College's Reeves Field.

"I practice almost everyday for the Renegades and now I've got this, so I've been running a lot," said Warchol, who ran for 1,571 yards as a senior, the second-most in Columbiana history. "It's tough. My first priority is to the Penn-Ohio Game. I try to make it both, but I'm concentrating on the Penn-Ohio practices right now."

He said the Renegades practices aren't overly demanding, but doing so is still hard work.

"We try to take it easy in those practices because we don't have the numbers, but conditioning wise we run a lot to try to keep everyone in shape," Warchol said.

The day after the Penn-Ohio Game, Warchol plans to be in uniform for the Renegades game at Cuyahoga County.

"I'm planning on playing in both," Warchol said. "It's just like in high school when you had a freshmen game on Thursday, the varsity game on Friday and sometimes a jayvee game Saturday morning. I'm actually looking forward to it. I enjoy playing football."

Warchol, who has rushed for 217 yards and scored three touchdowns in four games for the Renegades, said he has enjoyed his time on a football field again.

"It has been a lot of fun," Warchol said. "It has definitely been a lot different than high school. The guys are a lot bigger and more experienced. The intensity is still very high."

Being a Columbiana guy in Crestview territory did seem strange at first though.

"Seeing the locker room for the first time was really weird," Warchol said. "We've all come together, though."

Warchol plans to be a military police officer in the Army. He also has his sights on flight school, but has not ruled out a return to the football field.

"It's really fun. It's something to do for the summer. Hopefully, I can come back and play next year," Warchol said.

Renegades vs. Hurricanes 6/20/09

Reported by: Vince Pellegrini Last Update: 6/21 10:56 am

Grassroots Football League

The Crestview Renegades blanked the Canton Hurricanes, 23-0, yesterday. Crestview improves to 3-1 while the 'Canes drop to 0-6. The Renegades will be in action this Saturday (June 27) at Lutheran East High School to take on the Cuyahoga County Spartans (5-1) at 4 o'clock. The two teams met two weeks ago with the Spartans edging the Renegades, 30-27.

Renegades vs. Spartans 6/6/09

June 7:

By CHUCK GREENWOOD,

Morning Journal Correspondent

COLUMBIANA - A 24-field goal with just seven seconds remaining in the game spelled defeat for the Crestview Renegades as they fell 30-27 to the Cuyahoga Valley Spartans in minor league football action.

The loss drops the Renegades to 2-1 in the Grassroots Football League, while the Spartans march out to a 4-0 league mark.

The loss offset a combined four-touchdown performance by former Beaver Local Beaver standouts Nick Carfagna and Ethan Russell. Each of the former Beavers tallied twice as the Renegades fought back from an early 14-0 deficit to eventually take a 24-14 lead.

"We were down for the first time all season," said Carfagna. "We had given up some points early in the game, but we just fought back."

Carfagna pulled in passes of two and seven yards as the Renegades trailed just 14-12 at intermission.

Russell stepped to the forefront in the third quarter, taking over at quarterback after former Crestview Rebel Jordan Reynolds suffered a separated shoulder in the first half.

Russell scored on a runs of 57 and 13 yards in a span of 4:13 in the third frame as the Renegades jumped out to a seemingly-safe 24-14 lead.

'Ethan is an amazing athlete," said offensive coordinator Ed Ondrey. "He's new to the system, but he's a ballplayer. Nick is a great athlete, who shows great discipline on the field."

Russell, who has been with the team less than three weeks, started game at left cornerback before taking Reynolds' spot with Reynolds shifting to Russell's cornerback post.

Having played in a ball-control offense at Beaver Local, Carfagna is enjoying the Renegades' wide-open offense.

"It's everything I imagined it would be," said Carfagna with a smile. "I'm actually tired after the games from running all those pass patterns. It's been a nice change of pace. Plus, it's nice playing with Ethan again. We were in the defensive backfield together at Beaver Local."

Carfagna is transferring from Muskingum College to Coe College in Iowa.

The loss offset a 153-yard rushing performance by Columbiana's Brian Warchol. The speed merchant toted the ball 14 times, his longest run being 66 yards.

Injuries were a major factor in the game as numerous Renegades were forced to the sidelines with injuries. Particular hard hit were the offensive and defensive front lines. Reynolds, who was inserted back in at quarterback 4:17, suffered a possible broken wrist as he was hit as he attempted to throw a pass with just less than a minute remaining.

Bubba Taylor (calf) and Mike Kornack (knee) did not dress due to injuries.

Newcomers to the Renegades this week were Shane Reed (East Liverpool) and Jarrod Osborne (Beaver Local).

"This is a young team who gave us everything they had," said a proud, but disappointed Ondrey.

"We just couldn't finish when we had the lead. Cuyahoga's a veteran team and we're not. Our guys did everything we asked them to do."

The Renegades have next week off, returning to action on Saturday, June 20, when they host the Canton Hurricanes at Crestview High School. The Spartans host the Pittsburgh Blue Devils

Saturday at Cleveland Lutheran East High School. The Renegades defeated the Blue Devils 25-6 in the season opener on May 16.

CUYAHOGA 14-0-0-16-30
CRESTVIEW 6-6-12-3-27

SCORING
CC - Antoine Jackson, 98 punt return (Brandon Sexstella kick)
CC - Ageel Seals, 33 run (Sexstella kick)
CR - Nick Carfagna, 2 pass from Jordan Reynolds (kick failed)
CR - Carfagna, 7 pass from Jordan Reynolds (pass failed)
CR - Ethan Russell, 57 run (kick failed)
CR - Russell, 13 run (kick failed)
CR - Jordan Reynolds, 39 field goal
CC - Antoine Jackson, 46 pass from Demonte Clemmons (pass failed)
CC - Demonte Clemmons, 20 run (Sexstella kick)
CC Branden Sexstella, 24 field goal

CU CR
First downs915
Total Yards230 440
Rushes-yards18-6139-313
Passing169137
Comp-Att-Int 8-21-010-23-2
Punts 8-42.55-40.4
Fumbles-Lost0-0 2-2
Penalties-Yards4-406-52

---

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING-CUYAHOGA Ageel Seals 8-46, Lamont Thomas3-2, Chos Kincaid 3-(-4), Jerry Minisstale 2-(-5), Demonte Clemmons 2-22 CRESTVIEW Brian Warchol 14-153, Jordan Reynolds 10-42, Stefan White 1-0, Shane Reed 7-28, Eric Whittenberger 2-13, Ethan Russell 5-77

PASSING-CUYAHOGA Jerry Minisstale 5-17-68 yds, Demonte Clemmons 3-3-101 yds, CRESTVIEW Jordan Reynolds 8-19-129yds-2int, Ethan Russell 2-4-3 yds

RECEIVING-CUYAHOGA Chos Kincaid 1-10, Joe Reeves1-4, Demonte Clemmons 3-54, Antoine Jackson 3-101 CRESTVIEW Eric Whittenberger 1-9, Jarrod Osborne 1-36, Douglas Douglas 2-15, Nick Carfagna 4-73, Ethan Russell 1-5, Jordan Reynolds 1-(-1)

INTERCEPTIONS-CUYAHOGA 2, CRESTVIEW 0

FUMBLE RECOVERIES-CUYAHOGA 2, CRESTVIEW 0

Renegades vs. Mayhem 5/30/09

May 31:

CHUCK GREENWOOD,

Morning Journal Correspondent

COLUMBIANA - Big plays became regular plays for the Crestview Renegades as they romped to a 34-15 win over the Mon Valley Mayhem at Crestview High School on Saturday night.

The Renegades minor league football team march out to a 2-0 mark in the Grassroots Football League, while the Mayhem, who hail from the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh, fall to 1-2 in the league.

The newest Renegade, Ethan Russell, made his presence felt on the third play of the game, when from his left cornerback spot, he intercepted a Mayhem pass and threaded his way down to the visitors' 8-yard line. Two plays later, Columbiana's Brian Warchol scored from 1 yard out and the Renegades were off and running.

"I had heard about the Renegades on Facebook," said Russell, a 2008 graduate of Beaver Local High School who is currently attending Wheeling Jesuit. "I always wanted to play, but I had to wait until finals were over. When I came home, Nick Carfagna asked me if I was still interested and I was."

Russell would score the Renegades second touchdown, when he pulled in Jordan Reynolds pass in the back of the end zone with 5:24 remaining in the first half. That was the first of four Reynolds scoring aerials. This one was typical of the former Crestview High School star's performance, as he was given ample time by his offensive line to find Russell.

"Our offensive line was awesome," said Reynolds, who threw on five of the last six plays on the scoring drive. "They were playing man-for-man up on the line of scrimmage on our outside guys. That left the flats open. I put it out there and the guys caught them."

Reynolds went to former United Local standout Bubba Taylor three times on that drive, with Taylor catching two of them.

"Bubba's a playmaker," said Reynolds, "You can't deviate from a playmaker. He can outjump and outcatch anyone in this league. I'm just happy he's on my team."

Taylor, who is still slowed by a calf injury, pulled in three catches for 47 yards.

Warchol closed out Crestview's first-half scoring when he pulled in a Reynolds slant pass and slithered his way to the end zone with just 24 seconds remaining in the first half.

If fans were a little slow getting back from the concession stand at halftime, they missed the Renegades' fourth touchdown of the night as they scored on the second play of the third quarter on a 56-yard pass from Reynolds to Eric Whittenberger. Whittenberger appeared to be hemmed in on the right sideline, but broke free to complete the scoring play.

The Renegades put one more tally on the board in the third frame when Russell's former Beaver Local teammate Carfagna pulled in a Reynolds pass for a six-yard scoring play. This play was set up by a blocked punt which the Renegades downed at the six-yard line.

Following this final Renegade score, the Mayhem's most notable offensive series of the night occurred as they marched 67 yards on 15 plays for their second touchdown of the night. The drive took 11:44 to complete and also included three penalties, two on the Renegades, one of which was for running into the kicker on fourth-and-five at the Mayhem's 38 yard-line.

Renegades head coach Corey Stevens explained the working of the Renegades' aerial assault, saying,

"We were intent on spreading them out and utilizing our speed. We went to the short passes early in the second quarter as they were playing their safeties deep, thus opening up the middle of the field."

Stevens also pointer out that the effectiveness of the offensive line gave the passing game time to develop. The offensive line is led by center Pete Geis, guards Chris Snyder and Tim Gaudio and tackles Derek Frederick and Michael Geer.

"We were able to double-team on the rollouts and were picking up their blitzes, until they started sending more people than we had guys left in to block. When that happened, Jordan was forced to run to the outside, which he is very good at."

Reynolds led the Renegades' ground game with 60 yards on 11 carries.

Crestview will host the Cuyahoga Spartans at 7 p.m. Saturday at Crestview High School.

MON VALLEY:  3- 6- 0-6—15
CRESTVIEW:  6-14-14-0—34
SCORING
CR—Brian Warchol, 1 run (kick failed)
MV-Alvin Knox, 26 field goal
CR-Ethan Russell, 26 pass from Jordan Reynolds (Reynolds kick)
MV-George Mason, 46 pass from Eric Williams (kick failed)
CR-Warchol, 22 pass from Reynolds (Reynolds kick)
CR-Eric Whittenberger, 56 pass from Reynolds (Reynolds kick)
CR-Nick Carfagna, 6 pass from Reynolds (Reynolds kick)
MV-Elon Wallace, 1 run (run failed)
———
MON CR
First downs 10 13
Total Yards 237 325
Rushes-yards 40-135 25-137
Passing 102 188
Comp-Att-Int 9-15-1 12-21-0
Punts 2-17.5 2-26.5
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 1-0
Penalties-Yards 4-20 6-58
———
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING—Mon Valley, Maurice Walker 15-88; Crestview, Jordan Reynolds 11-60, Stefan White 5-27, Brian Warchol 7-22, Corey Rauschenbach 1-11, Eric Whittenberger 1-7
PASSING—Mon Valley, Eric Williams 7-9-0-88yds-1td; Crestview, Jordan Reynolds 12-21-0-188yds-4td
RECEIVING—Mon Valley, David Mathess 2-21; Crestview, Corey Rauschenbach 3-20, Bubba Taylor 3-47, Ethan Russell 1-26, Eric Whittenberger 2-61, Nick Carfagna 2-12
INTERCEPTIONS—Crestview, Ethan Russell.

Renegades vs. Blue Devils 5/16/09

May 17th:
By CHUCK GREENWOOD
Lisbon Morning Journal

COLUMBIANA, Ohio — Displaying a well-organized game plan on both offense and defense, the Crestview Renegades won their first-ever Grassroots Football League game by a 25-6 count over the Pittsburgh Blue Devils on Saturday night.

The game was played at Crestview High School in front of a rain-soaked, but enthusiastic crowd for the team’s minor league debut.

Former Crestview Rebel All-Ohioan Jordan Reynolds passed for three touchdowns and ran for one more as the Renegades picked up 235 yards in total offense. Reynolds paced the Crestview ground game with 61 yards on 14 carries, while completing 7 of 16 passes for an additional 117 yards.

“It’s amazing to be back on this field again,” said a beaming Reynolds. “To see the ‘CR’ fill up again, you can’t describe it, you just have to feel it.” Reynolds was quick to give credit to the Renegades offensive line. “When they (Pittsburgh) first walked in, I thought they were pretty big,” he said. “I kept hoping that our big guys would show up. Our offensive line controlled the game for us. I just ran through the holes they gave me.”

The Renegades got on the board with their first-ever touchdown when former Beaver Local ace Nick Carfagna pulled in a Reynolds’ pass to complete a 27-yard scoring play on the first play of the second quarter.

The Renegades struck quickly following a Blue Devils punt that went for a minus four yards, being downed on the Pittsburgh 5-yard line.

Former United Local all-stater Bubba Taylor outscrapped the Blue Devil cornerback for an underthrown ball in the end zone and a 12-0 lead. Taylor, who is expected to be a big part of the Renegades’ offensive package this season, was slowed by a hamstring injury, and saw only limited action. “I had to curve around him, as he had inside position,” Taylor said. “Then, I had to take it out of his hands.”

Taylor is hopeful of making a quick recovery from his injury.

“It feels like a possible tear. I will just have just have to get as much therapy as I can this week to get ready for next Saturday.”

While the Renegades offense was controlling the ball, their defensive counterparts were busy shutting down the Pittsburgh offense. The Blue Devils had just one yard rushing on 14 carries in the first half. They finished up with 10 yards on 18 carries for the game.

Until they scored on a 52-yard pass play on their final offensive play of the game, the Blue Devils had only been across midfield once all that night. That came on their first possession of the game when they were aided by an offside penalty versus the Renegades.

“We kept blitzing and running stunts to the outside,” said Renegades assistant coach Ed Ondrey. “It’s tough when you don’t have any film or scouting reports to go on. We just kept listening to what our players were telling when they were coming off the field.”

“We switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 based on what we heard,” said defensive coordinator Irwin Kornack. “We just read their offense and observed early in the game. We were then able to make adjustments.”

Those adjustments limited the Blue Devils to just two first downs and 77 yards in total offense, 52 of that coming on one play, as the Renegades constantly got a good push from their defensive line and linebackers.

Reynolds gave the Renegades a safe 18-0 lead in the third quarter, as he scrambled nine for yards for the score on a fourth-and-five play. Former Leetonia Bear Jake Kruegel wrapped up the scoring for the Renegades as he hauled in a Reynolds pass and outraced the Pittsburgh secondary for a 63-yard score with 8:10 remaining in the game.

Columbiana High School senior Brian Warchol — who ran for 1,571 yards for the Clippers last fall — had five carries for 21 yards.

“I really wanted to play football again,” Warchol said. “I had to give up track to do this, but it’s football and that’s what matters to me.

“It’s a lot fun getting to play with guys who have been rivals from other area schools. It’s also different being one of the youngest guys on the team. It was a little intimidating at first, but we have to come be almost like brothers.”

The Renegades are on the road Saturday, traveling to Robert Morris University to square off with the Pittsburgh Colts in a Grassroots Football League encounter. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m.

sports@mojonews.com

PITTSBURGH: 0- 0-0-6— 6
CRESTVIEW: 0-12-6-7—25
SCORING
CR—Nick Carfagna, 27 pass from Jordan Reynolds (kick failed)
CR—Bubba Taylor, 5 pass from Reynolds (run failed)
CR—Jordan Reynolds, 9 run (run failed)
CR—Jake Kruegel, 63 pass from Reynolds (Reynolds kick)
P—D. Davis from Jones, 56 pass (kick failed)
———
PITT CR
First downs ........... 2 8
Total Yards ............77 235
Rushes-yards .......18-10 26-118
Passing ..............67 117
Comp-Att-Int .................5-16-0.. 7-16-1
Punts .................... ........5-27 2-31.5
Fumbles-Lost .0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards ...6-48 4-40
———
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING—Pittsburgh, Odom 9-9; Crestview, Jordan Reynolds 14-61, Brian Warchol 5-21, Eric Whittenberger 3-18, Stefan White 4-18

PASSING—Pittsburgh, Odom 4-15-15 yds., Jones 1-1-52 yds. 1 td; Crestview, Reynolds 7-16-117 yds. 3 td, 1 int.

RECEIVING—Pittsburgh, D. Davis 2-58, 1 td; Crestview, Nick Carfagna 2-37-1 td, Corey Rauschenbach 2-5, Bubba Taylor 1-5-1td, Jake Kruegel 1-63-1td

INTERCEPTIONS—Pittsburgh, Davis.