By Eric Clutter
Record-Courier correspondent
Facing the biggest team on its schedule to date, a quicker Kent Roosevelt unit put together a solid all-around game and clinched at least a share of the Metro Division title.
Sophomore quarterback Evan Shimensky threw for four touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Rough Riders to a convincing 35-7 victory over the Crestwood Red Devils Friday.
Roosevelt's sixth straight win reduced its magic number to one to win its second divisional championship in three years. Field's 38-18 win over Ravenna eliminated the Ravens from the race while keeping the Falcons (5-1 Metro) alive one game behind the Rough Riders (7-2, 6-0).
Roosevelt can earn an outright title with a win at Norton next Friday or a loss by Field against Coventry.
"I am just real proud," said Nemec. "Our football team is playing good football. These kids are playing hard, well and I'm very proud. There has been no letdown. We can count on them. They'll play hard any time they come out here. I'm very happy with the progress."
Perusing the rosters of both teams, one could easily see that the Red Devils had the edge in size. But like they have all season, Roosevelt countered with its quickness and Crestwood became the fifth team to be held to seven points or less by the Rough Riders' defense.
"I want to congratulate (Roosevelt head coach) John Nemec of Kent on at least winning a share of the title," said Crestwood head coach Tom Hannan, whose team slipped to 2-7 overall and 2-4 in the Metro. " They deserved it. They were the best team in the league this year. We just couldn't defend their speed.
"Traditionally, we've played them pretty well. But we always have trouble scoring against them. They brought a lot of pressure tonight. They are quick and hey fly to the ball. We had a tough time blocking them."
Shimensky, who now has thrown 17 TD passes this season, hit freshman Shakeel Howard with a 7-yard strike midway through the first quarter to put Roosevelt out in front 7-0.
But Crestwood responded on its next drive by churning out a 12-play, 75-yard march that featured 11 straight rushes before senior quarterback Nick Prochnow delivered a 15-yard strike to Tyler Alto with 1:14 to go in the opening quarter.
A Shimensky-to-Denerio Bryant 36-yard hook-up on the final play of the frame advanced the Rough Riders to the Crestwood 27 at the start of the second quarter.
Five plays later, Shimensky dropped back to pass and nearly slipped. However, he steadied himself, received a nice block from lineman Neale Whitehead and scurried into the end zone to give Roosevelt the lead for good.
On its next possession, senior Tyler Lohr (16 carries for 91 yards), back after missing the previous two games with an injury, became the focal point of a 57-yard drive which saw him touch the ball five times. That set the table for Shimensky's 13-yard TD pass to Howard.
Prochnow's 33-yard screen pass to Talon Stephens put the Red Devils in position to cut the deficit in half before the intermission. However, a dropped pass on fourth-and-4 from the Roosevelt 18 stalled the drive and put Roosevelt in command.
"We hung with them there for a little bit in the first half," said Hannan. "We talked about if weren't leading at halftime we at least wanted to be in the ballgame, meaning no more than one score down. We had a drive right there before the half and couldn't get it in.
"It's been a tough year for us. But the kids have never quit; they always play hard. We have one more against Southeast. I know my seniors will work hard and we're not going to quit. I think we were just outmatched a little bit in terms of speed."
Nemec referenced Crestwood's aborted drive near the half as the pivotal point in the contest.
"I thought that probably was the key series in the football game," he said. "I thought our defense rose there and we took control of the game right there."
Shimensky and Bryant connected on TD passes of 43- and 62-yards halfway through the third stanza to sew things up. Bryant's first scoring catch came on a well-thrown post pattern while the second TD occurred on a fly pattern along the far sideline.
Shimensky finished 10-of-13 for 224 yards in helping Roosevelt also remain in the state playoff hunt. Entering the night, they stood in fifth place in the Division II, Region 5 rankings.