VW Cougars go over .500 with 42-21 win

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Led by Owen Treece’s four touchdowns and a defense that gave up just 218 yards, Van Wert defeated stubborn Bath 42-21 at Eggerss Stadium on Friday.

“Owen did a great job leading our offense tonight,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “He had a very good game passing the ball and distributing it to the open guys, and he was running possessed on the ground. He did a great job breaking tackles and keeping plays alive.”

The junior quarterback completed 12 of 14 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns and had 13 carries for 118 yards and two more scores.

As a team, the Cougars rolled up 404 yards of total offense, including 194 on the ground.

After Bath took a 7-0 lead on a seven yard touchdown pass from Dallin McDermott to Zach Simpson, Treece went to work, scoring on a 24-yard run that tied the game at the 2:17 mark of the first quarter, then giving Van Wert the lead for good with a 14-yard touchdown run with 2:01 left until halftime.

The lead increased to 21-7 in the third quarter, when TJ Reynolds scored from four yards out, and the defense kept Bath out of the end zone.

“Defensively we struggled to get off the field on third down, but we did a good job in the second and third quarter of getting stops and getting the ball back for our offense,” Recker said.

In the fourth quarter, McDermott hit Blaine Albright on a four yard touchdown pass, but Treece quickly put the Cougars up 28-14 with a 64-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Barnhart, his second touchdown catch in as many weeks. He had two catches for 71 yards.

Unfazed, Kanyon Poling ran for a one yard touchdown to pull the Wildcats to within seven, 28-21, but Van Wert scored the final two touchdowns of the game – a one yard touchdown run by Hilleary (19 carries, 71 yards) and an 17-yard touchdown pass from Treece to Dru Johnson, who finished with four receptions for 77 yards.

McDermott completed 15 of 32 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, with Albright catching six of those passes for 62 yards. Carter Parlapiano was Bath’s leading ground gainer, with 10 carries for 46 yards.

“(Coach) Ryan Reindel is doing a very good job with that problem,” Recker said. “They only have five seniors on their roster, so he is competing with a lot of underclassmen. They are much improved and will continue that trend next year.”

Van Wert (5-4, 4-4 WBL) will finish the season at home against Celina on Friday.

Scoring summary

First quarter

4:54 – Dallin McDermott 8 yard pass to Zach Simpson (Keaton Liles kick)
2:17 – Own Treece 24 yard run (Peyton McAlpine kick)

Second quarter

2:01 – Owen Treece 13 yard run (Peyton McAlpine kick)

Third quarter

8:11 – Owen Treece four yard pass to TJ Reynolds (Peyton McAlpine kick)

Fourth quarter

11:20 – Dallin McDermott 4 yard pass to Blaine Albright (Keaton Liles kick)
10:37 – Owen Treece 64 yard pass to Tanner Barnhart (Peyton McAlpine kick)
8:04 – Kanyon Poling 1 yard run (Keaton Liles kick)
5:46 – Jake Hilleary 1 yard run (Peyton McAlpine kick)
1:49 – Owen Treece 18 yard pass to Dru Johnson (Peyton McAlpine kick)