Cougars hope to outrace the Whippets

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Just call the Van Wert Cougars “The Road Warriors.”

After playoff trips to LaGrange and Bellevue, the fifth-seeded Cougars (8-1) will board the busses again and head to northwest Richland County to face the No. 2 seed Shelby Whippets (9-0) for the Division IV Region 14 championship. The winner of Saturday’s game will play in next week’s state semifinals against an opponent to be determined.

A 41-22 win over No. 1 seed and previously undefeated Bellevue put the Cougars in the regional championship game.

“I thought our offensive and defensive lines played a very good game,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “We were concerned with their run game going into the contest and our defensive line set the tone with the first snap getting a tackle for loss. Every position group accepted the challenge that Bellevue brought to the game and executed their assignments probably as well as they have all year.”

Just like the previous two weeks, the Cougars will face a team that favors the run but can pass when necessary. Running back Owen Fisher (5-7, 180 senior) has logged 1,674 yards and 25 touchdowns on 205 carries (8.2 per carry). Quarterback Marshall Shepherd has rushed for 296 yards and four touchdowns on 58 carries and has completed 96-of-159 passes for 1,552 yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His favorite targets are Blaine Bowman (34-513, eight touchdowns), Andre Hill (28-431, three touchdowns) and Cody Lantz (19-364, four touchdowns).

“Offensively we like to take what the defense gives us,” Shelby head coach Robert Mahaney said. “We have won games with running the ball and others by passing the ball. We are a spread offense and defensively we are a 4-3. We love to let our defensive tackles eat up blocks, our defensive ends play fast and get after the ball carrier, and our linebackers run side to side.”

“Shelby is another big challenge this week,” Recker said. “They have the leading rusher in their school history at running back. He is elusive and difficult to tackle. They have a very nice size offensive line with athletic wide receivers for their quarterback to throw to. They want to run the ball but are a very capable passing team, similar to Bellevue.”

“I would say their strength is their offensive and defensive line,” Recker continued. “They have been able to run the ball very effectively on offense and their defensive line has caused issues for opposing offenses both in the run game and with getting pressure on the quarterback.”

Shelby, a member of the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, averages 40.4 points per game and has scored no less than 28 in a single game. Defensively, the Whippets give up 17.1 points per game.

Van Wert will counter with an offense that averages 452 yards and 40.7 points per game, and a defense that gives up 252 yards and 19.9 points per outing.

Updated totals for Owen Treece show the senior quarterback has completed 181-of-267 passes for 2,241 yards, 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Dru Johnson has 44 receptions for 983 yards and 13 touchdowns, followed by Conner Pratt (40-656, two touchdowns), Nate Jackson (39-267, six touchdowns), Maddix Crutchfield (23-251, three touchdowns) and Ian Cowan (22-262, two touchdowns).

In the run game, Treece has 155 carries for 879 yards and 18 touchdowns, while Jackson has 61 carries for 431 yards and seven scores.

“First off, Van Wert is extremely well coached,” Mahaney said. “Coach Recker does a phenomenal job with his team. Second, they are battle tested playing in the WBL. They have played some of the best teams in the state all year long. Third, they are extremely talented.”

“Their quarterback is the best player we have played at since I have been at Shelby. He can make every throw on the field, and he is a tremendous runner. He has a great offensive line and extremely talented guys on the perimeter. Their offense is explosive and can score a ton of points.”

“Defensively they fly around and get to the football. They challenge your wide receivers with man coverage, and their front six do a great job controlling the box.”

When the season began, both coaches knew their teams had talent, but they weren’t quite sure how things would play out during the 2020 season.

“I thought when the season began we had tons of potential,” Mahaney said. “I knew we would need Marshall Shepherd to develop quickly in his first year as a starting quarterback, especially without 7-on-7’s and multiple scrimmages. However, with all the injuries we have had to deal with, I am extremely proud of how our kids have adapted, adjusted, and battled all season.”

“When the season began I knew we’d be a good team, but so much of that is relative to how good the other teams in your conference, region, and division are,” Recker said. “All we do in our program is try to get better every day and take the next challenge as it comes. “I know if we do that each day then we are going to be in a great place at the end of the season.”

“Our players have a lot of confidence in themselves, but more importantly they have confidence in each other,” Recker added. “I believe there is a trust and respect between each other that they know each guy is going to continue to work to get better and that will translate to them executing on Saturday.”

Saturday’s Van Wert at Shelby regional championship game will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM.