Preview: 4-2 Kenton at 3-3 Van Wert

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

The air will likely be filled with footballs when Van Wert entertains Kenton on Friday night.

Through six games, Kenton quarterback Blaine Huston has completed 162 of 253 passes for 2,401 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Those numbers include a 53 of 87, 650 yard, five touchdown and three interception performance in a 39-34 loss to St. Marys Memorial.

“Blaine has done a great job of improving everyday,” Kenton head coach Brent Fackler said. “He has had to deal with a lot of different looks both from the rush and the coverages.”

Landon Rush is the team’s leading receiver with 55 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns, while Jayden Cornell has 46 receptions for 788 yards and 11 touchdowns. In addition, Jake Eversole has 29 catches for 360 yards and three scores.

“I believe we do a good job in attempting to mimic the speed that Kenton can play with,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “However, the way that Kenton can convert their base routes if they are not initially open is something difficult to portray in practice. It entails our defensive backs being disciplined in their coverage responsibilities.”

“Kenton (4-2, 4-1 WBL) also has two of the best receivers in the league and it is almost impossible to mimic their speed and route running during a scout offense session,” Recker added.

While averaging 394 yards passing per game, the Wildcats only average 30 yards rushing per game, lead by Huston’s 123 yards on 61 carries.

Defensively, Kenton allows 21 points per game, along with 300 total yards per game.

Behind Jake Hilleary’s five touchdowns, Van Wert (3-3, 2-3 WBL) snapped a three game losing streak with a 34-21 win at Shawnee last Friday.

“I thought we did a very good job of adjusting to what Shawnee was giving us defensively and using it to our advantage,” Recker explained. “Cole Harting, who calls our offense, did a good job of finding a weakness and exploiting it.”

“Owen (Treece) did a very good job reading the defense and hitting open receivers. Jake Hilleary did a good job of cutting to the opening in the defense I thought our offensive line did a nice job of executing their assignments against Shawnee throwing three or four different defensive looks at us.”

Van Wert has moved the ball well this season, but has taken a more balanced approach than Kenton.

After six games, Treece has completed 92 of 158 passes for 1,170 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s spread his completions around to several different receivers, including Tanner Barnhart (28-341), TJ Reynolds (22-191), Dru Johnson (16-220, one touchdown), Hilleary (9-84, three touchdowns) and Connor Pratt (8-163, two touchdowns).

Treece remains Van Wert’s leading rusher with 103 carries for 563 yards and four touchdowns. In three games, Hilleary has 282 yards and five touchdowns on 65 carries.

Entering Friday’s game, the Cougars are averaging 25 points and 367 yards per game, with 195 through the air and 172 on the ground.

“I think Van Wert is one of the top teams in the league,” Fackler said “Even the games they lost were very close and they have done a great job of filling the holes left by losing some great players from last year.”

Defensively, Van Wert is giving up 264 yards per game, with opponents averaging 156 yards on the ground and just 108 via the pass.

Parker Conrad continues to lead the team in tackles with 56 plus four sacks. Treece has 47 tackles and Keagon Hammons has 26 tackles, including eight for losses and five sacks.

“We need to do a great job of open field tackling and not giving up big plays,” Recker said of Friday’s game. “They have some very good athletes that they get the ball to and when they do, we need to secure tackles so we aren’t giving up plays of 20-plus yards.”

Friday’s Kenton at Van Wert game will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM.