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Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Friday Flashback: All-Stars clash in VW

Note: This week’s Friday Flashback goes back to June, 2017 when two groups of area football All-Stars met at Eggerss Stadium in Van Wert. Below is the game story that appeared on the Sports page of the VW independent.

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Columbus Grove’s Reid Stechschulte rushed for a game high 125 yards and two touchdowns, and rallied the Lima Area-Northwest Conference All-Stars to a 24-21 victory over the Western Buckeye League All-Stars, during Friday night’s Van Wert County Hospital All-Star game at Eggerss Stadium.

Crestview’s Braden Van Cleave is tackled after catching a pass. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

114 of Stechschulte’s yards came in the second half. He also completed 1 of 5 passes for 45 yards and one interception.

“Reid’s a pretty special athlete, Crestview/Lima Area-NWC All-Stars head coach Jared Owens said. “We knew he had that vision, that elusiveness. I’m glad we don’t have to try to defend that again next year.”

After a lightning delay of about 45 minutes just three plays into the game, the WBL All-Stars marched downfield and scored on a one yard run by St. Marys Memorial’s T.J. Mele with 6:18 remaining in the opening period. The drive featured a 62-yard bomb from St. Marys Memorial’s Dustin Howell to Ottawa-Glandorf’s Tony Carrillo on 3rd and 24.

The Lima Area All-Stars responded with a 53-yard pass from Spencerville’s Dak Prichard to Wayne Trace’s Seth Saylor, then two plays later, Stechschulte scored from nine yards out.

Two minutes later, St. Marys Memorial’s Julius Fisher made a juggling sideline catch of Howell’s pass, then raced 59 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 WBL lead.

Undeterred, Owens’ team took just five plays to knot the score. Howell completed three passes on the drive, including a 38-yarder to Upper Scioto Valley’s Chase Rose that set up a 14-yard touchdown toss from Prichard to Crestview’s Payton Knittle with 11:37 left in the second quarter.

“Payton had a tough year with his injury last fall,” Owens said. “He took the approach that things happen, and you make the best of every situation, and he was able to strap it up one more time and make a play.”

The only other touchdown in the quarter was scored just before halftime, when Elida’s DeAngelo Woods intercepted a Howell pass and raced 25 yards to the end zone.

No scoring occurred in the third quarter, although it appeared the WBL All-Stars would go up by two touchdowns.

Carrillo intercepted a pass by Stechschulte, and took it back to the Lima Area-NWC’s 18 yard line. The WBL All-Stars ran off seven plays, but their counterparts dug in for a goal line stand that was capped off by Howell’s two yard loss on fourth and goal from the two.

“It was a huge play momentum wise,” Owens said. “It turned things in our favor, and it gave us a burst of energy.”

From there, the Lima Area-NWC All-Stars drove to the WBL 21 yard line, and trimmed the deficit to 21-17 early in the fourth quarter, with a 31-yard field goal by Spencerville’s Damon Blair. The drive included a 60-yard run by Stechschulte.

Crestview’s Chase Clark leaps to tackle a WBL All-Star. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

After a series of punts, the Lima-NWC All-Stars took over at their own 45, and after two incomplete passes, Stechschulte connected with Wayne Trace’s Jon Sinn for 45 yards, to the WBL 10. Two plays later, Stechschulte ran six yards for what proved to be the game winning score.

The WBL All-Stars were able to advance to the enemy 34, but the drive stalled on fourth and long.

After the game, Van Wert/WBL-All Stars coach Keith Recker admitted that his shorthanded team (17 players) was worn down by the Lima-NWC squad.

“That was definitely a factor,” Recker said. “We had guys playing offense that had never played offense before, and guys playing defense that had never played it before.”

“But they battled, and that was a good thing to see. They gave great effort, and should be really proud of themselves,” Recker added.

Recker went on to explain that he enjoyed working with players from various WBL schools.

“From one to 17, we had a great bunch of guys, just really good people, and that made the week really fun,” Recker said.

Owens had similar thoughts, and said he enjoyed spending time with players his team faced last fall.

“On film, you see them as guys with helmets wearing a number, but throughout the week you get to know them, what their futures are, and you create relationships that last,” Owens said.

Scoring:

WBL All-Stars                        14 7 0 0 – 21
Lima Area/NWC All-Stars  7 7 0 10 – 24

1st (6:18) T.J. Mele 1 yard run (Seth Vorhees kick) 7-0 WBL
1st (4:20) Reid Stechshulte 9 yard run (Damon Blair kick) 7-7
1st (2:14) Julius Fisher 59 yard pass from Dustin Howell (Vorhees kick) 14-7 WBL

2nd (11:37) Payton Knittle 14 yard pass from Dak Prichard (Blair kick) 14-14
2nd (:11) DeAngelo Woods 25 yard interception return (Vorhees kick) 21-14 WBL

4th (10:53) Damon Blair 31 yard field goal 21-17 WBL
4th (2:03) Stechschulte 6 yard run (Blair kick) 24-21 Lima Area/NWC

Leaders:

WBL rushing: Howell 18-43, Tre Terry 5-24
Lima Area/NWC rushing: Stechschulte 10-125

WBL passing: Howell 9-17-1-1, 161 yards
Lima Area/NWC passing: Dak Prichard 8-11-1-1 146 yards; Stechschulte 1-5-0-1, 45 yards

POSTED: 05/20/21 at 9:43 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports