Crooksville Ceramics whip Fisher Catholic for Gage Lotozo's first win

Jul 29, 2023

MCLUNEY — Gage Lotozo can finally exhale. The remnants of a disappointing 2022 campaign are finally gone.

Led by senior running back Daniel Chapman, Lotozo's Crooksville squad snapped its 21-game losing streak by routing Lancaster Fisher Catholic, 56-13, on Friday night at Ceramic Field.

It was Crooksville's first victory in the stadium opened last year. It was the first Week 1 win since outlasting the Irish, 38-28, in 2017.

“We have to take it one week at a time, but I thought we had a really good camp this summer and got our kids prepared," Lotozo said. "I am happy for our players and this community. I knew we had to get Daniel the ball — he was really good offensively and defensively tonight.”

Crooksville hard-running tailback found the end zone five times, with four coming on the ground. He bullied for 197 yards on 27 carries, then took a 91-yard screen pass to the house with 24 seconds left until half. It pushed the lead to 42-6.

The Irish, whose defense allowed 513 yards, had no answers for his intensity on a night that belonged to the Ceramics in all phases.

“I think we can carry this momentum forward next week and the rest of the season,” Chapman said. “It was nice to celebrate with my teammates, but I was running out of air on that screen pass.”

Like Chapman, backfield and linebacker mate Brady Cottrell hadn't been part of a varsity win. Cottrell was thrust in to kicking duties one week before the opener, which led to a moment of teammate camaraderie.

His extra point at the 3:03 mark in the second quarter saw him paraded by the special teams unit, with Cottrell pointing both fingers to the sky and being mugged by his linemen.

Moments like that put a special night in perspective for players that have gone winless since Week 7 during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.

The Ceramics were able to amass full game in front of their home crowd. Their defense capitalized on three first-half turnovers and scored on every drive in the first half.

Freshman Brayson Hill helped lead the charge, finding the end zone on a 5-yard run in the first quarter after Christian Browning’s interception.

Chapman scored on the next Crooksville drive, then Hill hit Cottrell in double coverage at 1:24 in the first. Suddenly, it was 18-0 Ceramics.

Hill’s impressive 16-of-23 passing and 254 yards — seven went to Browning for 89 yards — was a missing piece from Crooksville’s offense for quite some time. Last year's team scored 25 points in 10 games; the 2021 squad was shut out four times and scored double figures only three times.

Those days are likely in the past.

“He’s just very confident in everything he (Hill) does,” Lotozo said. “He’s a freshman but plays at a different level, and he played very well tonight.”

Week 1 updates:How Muskingum Valley, Zanesville & Coshocton County football teams fared Friday

The defensive line was a weakness for Crooksville in 2022, but it showed signs of life against the Irish.

Gavin Mount stopped Irish quarterback Grant Keefer on fourth-and-1 from the Irish 24-yard line at the 11:51 in the second, and Chapman scored on the ensuing play to make it 24-0.

Fisher cut into the deficit when Keefer hit wide receiver Hyde O’Rielley for 43 yards, which led to O’Reilley catching a scoring pass from the 12 four plays later.

It was as close as they came.

Hill's four passing touchdowns went to four different receivers — Cottrell, Browning and Hunter Hurst also caught scoring tosses.

“I couldn’t believe we doubled our points we scored all of last season,” Lotozo said.

Irish found the end zone late when Owens scored from three yards out. Keefer ended 12-of-22 passing for 177 yards, but was intercepted twice and lost two fumbles. Simon Messerly had eight tackles to lead the Irish defense.

Crooksville welcomes Racine Southern from the Tri-Valley Conference in Week 2; Fisher heads to Tuscarawas County to face Central Catholic.

[email protected]; Twitter: @danb235