Morning Journal/Ron Firth Salem quarterback Jackson Johnson runs against Crestview's Jake Parker and Max Hawkins (left) on Friday night.

COLUMBIANA — Salem’s football team is expecting big things in 2021, and the Quakers’ high-octane offense looked in mid-season form in its season opener against Crestview Thursday night as they rolled to a 38-13 win.

Salem head coach Ron Johnson was very pleased with the overall performance of the Quakers in all phases of the game.

“We got a lot of guys involved tonight,” said Johnson. “A lot of guys touched the ball. We have a lot of things in our offense that we wanted to work on in a good, live situation against a very well-coached team in Paul (Cusick’s Crestview) team over here.”

The Quakers’ dangerous aerial attack was led by junior quarterback Jackson Johnson and multi-talented senior running back/receiver Blaize Exline. Johnson, who passed for just under 3,000 yards last season, was 14-of-23 through the air for 305 yards and three touchdowns, while Exline rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and caught nine passes for 123 yards and a score through the air.

“In my opinion we’re really good,” said Exline. “We’re a big family and we’re all really (veteran) players and we know the game a lot. I think the ceiling is really high for us. Right now we just want to win week by week and we’ll see as it goes on.”

Exline, who played strictly receiver on the Salem varsity teams in the past, was also used in the backfield against Crestview and was very effective.

“When you have the best player on the field you want to get him the ball in any way possible,” said Johnson of Exline. “He certainly is and we certainly did and we’ll continue to do that.”

Exline said it was fun being in the backfield on some plays.

“I never did that last year and it (playing some running back) is good,” he said. “It’s something new but I used to play in the backfield when I was younger, so it’s good to go back there.”

“He (Exline) is strong as heck, so he’s good running between the tackles and it’s definitely a benefit to us,” praised Johnson.

Salem led in total offense, 513-152.

“Our hammer package was good, it was productive for us and we threw it pretty much at will,” observed the Salem head coach.

The Quakers scored on five of their seven first-half possessions with Exline scoring on runs of 28 and one yard and hauling in a touchdown pass of 28 yards from Johnson.

Johnson, who threw for 205 yards in the first half, had two additional first-half scoring aerials of 38 yards to Austin Sinkovich and 14 yards to Brock Young. The Quakers’ first-half scoring drives covered 70, 62, 75, 73 and 50 yards.

Salem piled up 16 first downs to one for the Rebels in the first half.

“They’re in a situation where they (his youthful team members) haven’t played on Friday night and that’s a whole different level and I think they realized, oh man, this is fast,” explained Cusick of the Rebels’ play early in the game.

Crestview’s deepest penetration in the opening 24 minutes was to the Salem 25 where it was held on downs. Salem out-gained the Rebels in the first half, 339-28. Salem’s Cameron Jaquette also had a first-half interception on defense.

“They (the Rebels) had 28 yards in the first half and one first down,” said Johnson. “That was a good showing out of our defense. I’m very proud of (defensive coordinator) Jake Carner and the defensive staff,” lauded Johnson.

With Salem leading 35-0 at the break, a running clock began in the second half.

Crestview came out of the halftime locker room and put together its most impressive drive of the game as the Rebels marched 75 yards and capped the drive with a six-yard scoring pass from quarterback Anthony Cusick to running back Roclen Bettura. Joey Carr added the PAT kick as the Rebels cut the deficit to 35-7 and briefly stopped the running clock.

“It took us a while to get our feet underneath us and I’m really proud of how we played in the second half,” said the Crestview mentor. “That’s what we talked about at halftime — It’s not about what’s on the scoreboard, we need to win the second half, show some pride and grow, and I think we did that tonight.”

The running clock resumed late in the third quarter when Salem kicker Hayden Tomidajewicz converted a 27-yard field goal as the Quakers went up 38-7 with 14 second showing.

Crestview added the final score of the game with 4:45 remaining on a 10-yard scoring pass from Cusick to Dominic Yerkey, making it 38-13.

Johnson loved the fact the Quakers played turnover-free football in Week 1.

“We got through an opening game with no turnovers and took care of the football,” said the Quakers’ head coach.