VW Cougars fall to the Shawnee Indians

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

LIMA — A late rally came up short, as the Van Wert Cougars fell to the Shawnee Indians 35-27 on Friday.

After trailing by 21 points in the first half and 22 in the third quarter, the Cougars (3-2, 2-2 WBL) scored twice and were driving for a potential game-tying score before turning the ball over on downs deep in Shawnee territory.

“I’m very proud of them, and I can’t fault their effort,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said.

The Indians (3-2, 2-2 Western Buckeye League) took their biggest lead of the game on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Johnny Caprella to Grant Wheeler with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter, and Jacob Vorhees added one of his seven extra points for a 35-13 Shawnee advantage.

The Cougars responded with an 11-play, 92-yard drive that ended with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Nate Place to Jacoby Kelly. The drive featured six pass completions by Place that accounted for 80 yards. Jake Lautzenheiser’s PAT was good, and Van Wert trailed 35-20.

On the ensuing drive, Shawnee picked up one first down then was forced to punt. Aided by two personal foul penalties against the Indians, the Cougars drove 85 yards in exactly three minutes, and scored on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Place to Tanner Barnhart. Lautzenheiser’s kick made it 35-20.

The Indians appeared to answer with a game clinching score, but a 30-yard touchdownr run by Caprella on fourth down was negated by a holding call and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that made it fourth and 26.

After a Shawnee punt, the Cougars took over on their own 15 with 4:34 left in the game. Place completed three key passes on the drive, including a 24-yarder to Kelly and two to Barnhart for 14 yards. The drive ended at the Shawnee 14 with 57 seconds left, when a fourth down keeper by Place came up short.

“That was a great drive for us to put together,” Recker said. “Guys were playing well, and we were starting to roll offensively. We just came up a yard or two short.”

Shawnee led the entire game. The Indians took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, when Caprella found a wide-open Christian Ford for a 49-yard touchdown.

Shawnee tacked on two second quarter touchdowns — a one-yard run by Javion Daniels and five yard run by Caprella — before the Cougars scored on a five-yard run by James Acquaviva.

The Indians regained a 21-point advantage late in the second quarter, when Ivan Smith intercepted a Place pass and returned it to the Cougar 18-yard line. Caprella went the distance on the following play for a 28-7 lead.

The Cougars opened the second half with a five-play, 53-yard drive that ended when Acquaviva scored from three yards out.

Both teams put up impressive numbers. The host Indians finished with 412 yards of offense, including 256 on the ground. Caprella rushed 17 times for 141 yards and two scores, and was 14-of-23 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Ford finished the game with seven receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown.

The Cougars had 372 yards of total offense. Place was 20-of-29 for 292 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran 13 times for 60 yards. Acquaviva finished with nine carries, 26 yards and two touchdowns. Kelly had eight catches for 145 yards and a touchdown, and Barnhart had seven receptions for 86 yards and a score.

Van Wert will host Kenton on Friday.

Scoring summary:

4:40 1 qtr: Johnny Caprella 49 yard pass to Christian Ford (Jacob Vorhees kick) 7-0 Shawnee
10:02 2 qtr: Javion Daniels 1 yard run (Jacob Vorhees kick) 14-0 Shawnee
6:49 2 qtr: Johnny Caprella five yard run (Jacob Vorhees kick) 21-0 Shawnee
4:43 2 qtr: James Acquavia 5 yard run (Jake Lautzenheiser kick) 21-7 Shawnee
1:16 2 qtr: Johnny Caprella 18 yard run (Jacob Vorhees kick) 28-7 Shawnee
10:32 3 qtr: James Acquaviva 3 yard run (kick no good) 28-13 Shawnee
4:34 3 qtr: Johnny Caprella 24 yard pass to Grant Wheeler (Jacob Vorhees kick) 35-13 Shawnee
0:51 3 qtr: Nate Place 33 yard pass to Jacoby Kelly (Jake Lautzenheiser kick) 35-20 Shawnee
8:07 4 qtr: Nate Place 31 yard pass to Tanner Barnhart (Jake Lautzenheiser kick) 35-27 Shawnee