Cougars outlast Elida in WBL grid thriller

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars scored the first four touchdowns and led 24-7 at the half, but then needed a fourth-quarter stop to escape with a 31-28 win over Elida in a rough-and-tumble Homecoming contest at Eggerss Stadium on Friday.

A Cougar defense that has been good against the run gave up 406 yards of offense, including, surprisingly, 244 yards on the ground, but found just enough left at the end to get two big fourth-quarter stops, including Keagan Hardmon’s interception of an Elida “hail mary” pass with time expiring.

Van Wert had 291 yards of offense, running the ball for 128 yards, while quarterback Colin Smith was 7 of 12 through the air for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Elida quarterback Logan Alexander completed 12 of 22 passes for 162 yards, no touchdowns and had two picks.

Bulldog Cole Harman was the game’s top rusher with 125 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while Justis Tussing ran for 119 yards and two TDs on 27 carries for Van Wert.

Nick Krugh caught five catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns, including a 71-yard score to start the game off, while Christian Moran had five catches for 48 yards for the Bulldogs. Clark Etzler, the Bulldogs’ talented wide receiver, was well-covered all night.

Van Wert began the scoring when Smith hit Krugh on the run on the third play of the game and the Cougar receiver went 71 yards for the score. Gavin Gardner hit the first of four extra points and it was 7-0, Van Wert.

After stopping Elida, the Cougars scored again with 3:56 remaining in the first quarter when Tussing ran the ball in from the Bulldog 4-yard-line to make it 13-0. Gardner again kicked the PAT and it was 14-0, Cougars.

Van Wert’s third score came at 9:03 of the second quarter when Gardner kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 17-0. Smith again found Krugh with 5:53 left in the first half and Gardner kicked a third PAT to put the Cougars up 24-0.

Elida scored its first touchdown of the game with 2:53 left in the second quarter when Alexander ran for a 4-yard score and Cade Parker kicked the PAT, giving the Bulldogs some momentum heading into the second half of the game.

Elida got the ball back in the third quarter and scored again on a 5-yard run by Alexander. Parker again split the uprights on the PAT attempt and it was 24-14, Cougars.

Van Wert scored next on a 1-yard run by Tussing to go up 31-14 after Gardner’s PAT kick was good.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Bulldogs as Cole Harmon powered into the end zone from the Van Wert 1, and Parker kicked his third PAT of the game to bring Elida within 10 points, 31-21, with 10:29 left to play.

Harmon again scored approximately 3½ minutes later from the Van Wert 4-yard line, and Parker kicked the PAT to bring the Bulldogs to within three points, 31-28.

That’s as far as they would get, though, as Elida again threatened following the Cougars’ three-and-out on their next possession. A sack of Alexander on 4th and 6 gave the Homecoming crowd a chance to breathe again, but Van Wert still needed Hardmon’s last-second interception to escape with the win.

Van Wert is now 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the WBL. The Bulldogs are 1-4 overall and 1-3 in league play.

The Cougars will be on the road the next two weeks, with a game at Lima Bath this coming Friday, followed by a trip to Celina the week after.