Cards can’t keep up; fall to Cadets

The Crestwood Cadets (5-2, 5-0) defended their position at the top of the conference Friday, defeating the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Cardinals (5-2, 3-2), 33-22.

Despite putting on the strongest passing performance of the season, the Cardinal defense was unable to stop the grueling rush game of the Cadets, who racked up 308-yards on the ground.

The Cardinal’s inaugural drive was kept alive more than four minutes before they had to punt, leaving the Cadets with the ball on their own 11.

On the strength of their run game, the Cadets drove their way down the field and into the end zone to score with two-minutes left in the first quarter. The PAT kick was good, putting the Cadets up 7-0.

GHV was putting together a nice drive, when a fumble and subsequent turnover on downs abruptly halted progress. The Cardinal defense forced a punt.  GHV took over on the six-yard line.

The field position wasn’t an issue for long, as Ryan Meyers connected with Nick Joynt for a 70-yard touchdown pass. The PAT kick attempt failed, 7-6.

Crestwood moved quickly down the field, scoring another touchdown and PAT kick in less than two minutes, leading to a halftime score of 14-6.

GHV kicked off to Crestwood to start the second half. After a long, ground-and-pound rush attack, the Cadets found the end zone, failing on the PAT kick attempt.

The  Cardinals continued moving the chains with their passing game, which gained nearly 60-yards before Connor Burke scored on a three-yard touchdown run. Conner Shaw’s PAT run attempt was good, bringing the score to 20-14 with three-minutes left in the third quarter.

GHV couldn’t find an answer to Cadet running back Spencer Cuvelier, as he ran for two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Too little too late, GHV found the end zone one more time on a 66-yard punt returned to the house by Joynt. Meyers completed the PAT pass attempt to Joynt for the game’s final score, 33-22, Cadet advantage.

“I was very pleased with how we came off the bus and played well early,” said GHV Head Coach Scott VanDusseldorp. “The team never quit and fought to the end.”

The Cardinals managed 272-yards of offense; 73 rushing and 199 passing. Meanwhile, the Cadets totaled 372-yards of offense, 308 rushing and 63 passing.

Meyers led the GHV offense, totaling 199 yards passing on 11 completions in 21 attempts with a touchdown. His primary receivers were Joynt with 102-yards and a touchdown on six catches and Chase Theobald with 69-yards on three catches.

Shaw and Burke did the majority of the rushing for the Cards, totaling 48-yards on 12 attempts and 30-yards on nine attempts with a touchdown, respectively.

Cuvelier lead the Cadets on offense with 159-yards on 27 carries with four touchdowns.

The Cards were lead on defense by Joynt, who tallied nine tackles and a sack. Shaw had six tackles and a sack, while Jace Pringnitz had four tackles and Grady Umbarger and Ryan Meyers had three tackles apiece.

The Cardinals continue district play this Friday at home against the New Hampton Chickasaws (6-1, 4-1).

“To continue on into the post season we have to win these next two games. We will continue to try and get better every week, as there are always things we can improve upon,” said VanDusseldorp.