Friday Flashback: road to the D-IV semis

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Note: with Van Wert a day away from competing in the Division IV state semifinals, this week’s Friday Flashback feature is different than previous weeks. Instead of going back to a different year or season, we’ll recap each of the 10 games the Cougars have played this season – all six regular season games and each of the four playoff games.

Regular season

Week No. 1: Van Wert 55 Elida 20

In the season opener at Eggerss Stadium, Owen Treece threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score, while Nate Jackson had two rushing touchdowns and two via receptions, as Van Wert defeated Elida 55-20.

The Cougars trailed 7-6 in the first quarter, then scored 35 unanswered points to lead 41-7 at halftime.

Setting the tone defensively, Van Wert forced five Elida turnovers.

Week No. 2 Van Wert 56 Defiance 20

It was a high scoring first half, with Van Wert leading by eight at halftime, 28-20, but the Cougars outscored the visitors 28-0 in the second half to win 56-20.

Nate Jackson, who had nine carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns, sprinted 48 yards for a score in the third score, then Owen Treece scored from 32 yards out to give the Cougars a 42-20 lead.

Treece tossed a 21-yard pass to Dru Johnson in the fourth quarter and Kaiden Bates closed out the scoring with a five-yard run.

Week No. 3 Van Wert 34 Wapakoneta 0

In the first road game of the season, the defense pitched a shutout, Owen Treece ran for four touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass to Ries Wise, and Van Wert blanked Wapakoneta 34-0.

After leading 17-0 at halftime, the Cougars recovered a Wapakoneta fumble on the first play of the third quarter, then scored on Nate Jackson’s 30-yard touchdown run on the ensuing play.

The Cougars rolled up 459 yards of total offense and held the Redskins to 203 yards. It was Van Wert’s first win at Harmon Field since 2004 and it marked the first time since 1998 that Cougars got off to a 3-0 start.

Week No. 4 Van Wert 34 St. Marys Memorial 28

Dru Johnson caught four touchdown passes and the Cougars held off St. Marys Memorial 34-28, as Van Wert improved to 4-0.

Johnson’s touchdown catches spanned 88, 29, 39 and 75 yards, and the senior wide receiver finished with six receptions for 241 yards. Owen Treece passed for 342 yards and ran for 117 more.

The Roughriders were driving for a potential tying or game-winning score, but it ended with an errant snap on fourth down.

Week No. 5 Ottawa-Glandorf 35 Van Wert 34

A 38-yard touchdown pass from Owen Treece to Dru Johnson late in fourth quarter pass pulled the Cougars to within one, but an attempt for the win failed when Treece’s two-point conversion pass was intercepted by the Titans, who held on for a 35-34 win.

Van Wert led 14-7 at halftime, but the Titans scored three third quarter touchdowns.

The Cougars had 11 penalties for 120 yards and allowed Ottawa-Glandorf to convert 7-of-13 third down attempts plus a pair of fourth down conversions.

Week No. 6 Van Wert 29 Bath 7

In the regular season finale, the Cougars bounced back with a 29-7 win over Bath.

Owen Treece threw for 364 yards and fired two touchdown passes to Dru Johnson, 20 and 69 yards. He finished with six receptions for 182 yards and Connor Pratt caught 10 passes for 133 yards, as the Cougars improved to 5-1.

Defensively, Van Wert held the Wildcats to just 59 yards rushing.

Playoffs

Van Wert 46 Port Clinton 20

The fifth-seeded Cougars enjoyed an opening round bye, then defeated visiting Port Clinton 46-20 to advance to the regional quarterfinals.

Owen Treece threw four touchdown passes and ran for three scores. Three of his touchdown passes came in the first quarter, 34 yards and 25 yards to Dru Johnson and 68 yards to Connor Pratt. The fourth touchdown pass was an 11-yarder to Nate Jackson in the third quarter.

All 20 of Port Clinton’s points were scored in the second half.

Van Wert 38 Keystone 27 (regional quarterfinals)

After making a 160-mile trek to LaGrange, the Cougars bolted out to a 12-0 first quarter lead, but trailed by two at halftime, 21-19.

Owen Treece gave Van Wert the lead for good with a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, then the senior quarterback lofted a 24-yard touchdown pass to Maddix Crutchfield to give the Cougars a 32-21 lead.

Treece finished with three touchdown passes, two to Crutchfield and ran for two touchdowns. Nate Jackson had 106 yards rushing, including a 76-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Keystone’s Gideon Lampron, who rushed for 300 yards and five touchdowns in a playoff win over Edison, was held to 94 yards and one touchdown.

Van Wert 41 Bellevue 22 (regional semifinals)

After a scoreless first quarter at Bellevue, Van Wert stunned the state-ranked and top-seeded Redmen with three second quarter touchdowns and a 21-0 halftime lead.

The Cougars increased the advantage to 28-0 in the third quarter, then after Bellevue pulled to within 12 in the fourth quarter, Owen Treece connected with Dru Johnson from 44 yards out to secure a 41-22 win.

Treece finished with 31 carries for 162 yards and four touchdowns and he completed 25-of-35 passes for 273 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, as the Cougars rolled up 550 yards of offense.

Van Wert 49 Shelby 7 (regional finals)

The Cougars made it 3-for-3 in road playoff games with a 49-7 win over Shelby.

Van Wert surprised with Whippets with four first quarter touchdowns. Owen Treece threw touchdown passes of eight and 11 yards to Dru Johnson and Connor Pratt and Nate Jackson had a 16-yard touchdown run, then Johnson returned an interception 25 yards for another score.

In the second quarter, Treece fired a 96-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, a 10-yarder to Jackson and 16 yards to Maddix Crutchfield. He finished 14-of-15 for 229 yards and five touchdowns.

The entire second half was played with a continuous clock and the Cougars celebrated the school’s second-ever regional championship.