By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

Crestwood’s three-game losing streak bit the dust on Tuesday at home in a 7-0 rout of Wickliffe. The Red Devils improved to 3-4 on the season.

“The players were pretty down about the losing streak,” head coach Amanda Parsons said. “We decided not to fixate on the games in the past and just focus on the Wickliffe game and take it minute by minute. And the boys came out with a lot more energy than they had been.”

That energy didn’t start producing goals until the second half; it was a scoreless tie at the break.

“The boys played well the first half, but the shots weren’t dropping the way we had hoped,” said Parsons. “So during halftime we talked about not letting up and to keep shooting. We said the first team to strike would have the momentum, and that’s exactly what happened. The boys came out on fire in the second half. They were taking more opportunities that were given to them, they were taking more shots. They weren’t afraid to take the outside shots, they weren’t afraid to take the defenders on. We actually doubled, if not tripled, our shot count from what we’d had in each of the last three games. They played their hearts out.”

Two Crestwood players hung up hat tricks — senior Kyle Shelhamer, already his third of the young season, and sophomore Ryder Miller.

“Kyle’s third and final goal of the game was a picture-perfect shot that was in the top corner,” Parsons said. “He has been working so hard staying after practice to do extra shooting, and it has been paying off.

“Ryder got the first goal to get things rolling for us. That one goal was the turning point and set the tone for the rest of the game. Ryder played hard the entire game, he wasn’t afraid to take on the defense one on one. He’s really starting to step up, and it’s coming at the perfect time.”

Junior Gio Brock scored the other goal and his brother AJ dished out two assists.

“Gio got the second goal,” said the coach. “He’s dealing with a nagging injury. He isn’t 100 percent, but even not at 100 percent, he outworked the other team. He was playing limited minutes, but I’m sure if he was out there the whole time his stats would be more.”

Junior Owen Overfield had two assists. With one assist apiece were senior Kade Rotter and freshmen Evan Goodell and Henry Sommer.

The defense stepped up — allowing very few shots — getting fine performances from Rotter, Overfield, senior Nolan Huntington and sophomore Sam Pausch.

Junior goalkeeper Gabe Weaver had three saves.

Said Parsons, “Gabe did well on coming out for balls that got behind the defensive line.

Knowing when to come out and when to hold his line has been something we have been working on this season and will continue to do so.”

Five days earlier, on Sept. 4, Crestwood lost 4-2 at home to Parma Heights Holy Name in a game that was tied 1-1 at halftime.

“It was not our best performance,” Parsons said. “We should’ve come out more aggressive than what we did. We played a little flat, made some silly mistakes, which really I think deflated the team, and we just were never able to gain any momentum to come back and nget the win or at least get a tie. We were our own worst enemy.”

With a goal apiece were Shelhamer (on a penalty kick) and junior Dakota Powers.

“Kyle played tough, was trying to get us opportunities,” said the coach. “Holy Name was extremely physical, which made it tough. Dakota had an amazing shot from around the 30-yard line, which caught the keeper by surprise and dropped in right behind him. Dakota has a very powerful shot, so we have told him if he has the chance, take those long shots.”