HOWARD — East Knox found an excellent replacement for 1,300-yard back Kasson Krownapple, as Caleb Gallwitz rushed for 250 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to a season-opening, 41-0 shutout of visiting Northridge.
Efficiency was the name of the game for East Knox (1-0), as it scored on six of its 37 plays in only 15:55 of total possession. The Vikings (0-1) held the ball for 32:05. In addition to Gallwitz, Cade Leach added two touchdowns and made extra-points on five scores.
East Knox had just enough time before the half ended for QB Kadden Lester to find Leach for a 13-yard score with put the Bulldogs on top at halftime, 20-0.
East Knox got the second-half kick, and Gallwitz scored his third TD of the game on a 47-yarder to put his team ahead, 27-0, at the 11:09 mark. A quick change of downs put the ball in the Bulldogs’ hands near midfield again, and Lester and Leach connected for a 55-yard TD pass with 9:21 to play for a 34-0 lead and a running game clock.
Gallwitz, whose touchdown distances got ever higher as the game went on, punctuated his game with an 89-yard run with 10:38 to play in the game.
Gallwitz ran 16 times for 250 yards, and Lester was nearly perfect, completing 10 of 12 passes for 135 yards and two scores. Leach scored on his only two catches, and Gage Steinmetz had four receptions for 33 yards.
Cole Fox (68 yards), Dylon Parman (55 yards) and Brian Krehel (32 yards) helped Northridge to 208 rushing yards on 53 carries, but Travis Neumeyer was only of 2 of 10 for 19 yards through the air.
East Knox will make a trip to Utica for a 7 p.m. game on Friday.
