Van Wert rallies to win first state title

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

MASSILLON — Van Wert’s Damon McCracken had never attempted a field goal in a varsity football game, but that changed Sunday afternoon.

The sophomore kicker drilled a 25-yard field goal with nine seconds left, giving the Cougars a 31-28 Division IV state championship victory at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

“When I first went up there to kick I was feeling pretty nervous but after those timeouts they called, my teammates were comforting me in the huddle,” McCracken said. “It’s the moment that every kicker dreams of, so it was awesome to be able to live that moment.”

“He’s been kicking well the past three weeks so if we had the chance, we were going to go for it,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “We felt pretty good with Damon and we were tied up so the worst that could have happened was we’d go to overtime.”

McCracken’s game-winning field goal came six plays after Dru Johnson intercepted Mentor Lake Catholic quarterback Joe Malchesky at the Van Wert 45 with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Owen Treece hit Connor Pratt for a 15-yard gain, then connected with Nate Jackson for 12 more, then the senior quarterback ran for gains of 13 and seven yards, before McCracken trotted on the field for the kick.

The game winner capped off a 17-point fourth quarter and a two touchdown comeback by Van Wert. The 14-point rally tied a Division IV state championship game record, ironically set by Mentor Lake Catholic in 2001.

“Our kids just stepped up and they played better defensively, started moving offensively and I think once things started going and clicking it kind of helped their attitude towards it,” Recker said.

“All year we’ve come together when it’s time to go,” Treece said. “We put plays together, created tempo and that confused the defense.”

The Cougars found themselves down 21-7, after Malchesky sprinted 53 yards for a touchdown with 9:01 left in the third quarter. After trading punts, Van Wert drove 50 yard in eight plays, including a 21-yard pass from Treece to Maddix Crutchfield, and scored on a two-yard run by Treece with 4:21 left in the period.

After forcing another Lake Catholic punt, Van Wert tied the game 21-21 by going 76 yards in nine plays and scoring on a 42-yard pass from Treece to Connor Pratt with 11:46 left in the fourth quarter. Pratt finished with six receptions for 106 yards.

“I’m so happy for him,” Recker said of Pratt. “He puts in so much work and he’s the guy who’s out there after practice and in the summer doing ladder drills, so for him to have a great game today on this stage is phenomenal.”

Lake Catholic regained the lead on a 50-yard run by Malchesky with 5:25 left. Malchesky went on to finish with 219 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, while completing just 3-of-9 passes for 55 yards and a pair of interceptions.

Not to be outdone, Van Wert went 73 yards in 10 plays tied the game 28-28 on Treece’s third touchdown pass of the game, 15 yards to Nate Jackson, and McCracken’s fourth PAT of the night.

Treece went on to complete 27-of-44 passes for 274 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while rushing for 68 yards and a score on 19 carries. He finished the season with 3,099 yards passing, 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, plus 1,036 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground.

Van Wert opened the game by driving to the Lake Catholic two yard line, only to be turned away on downs. The Cougars had another chance to score after blocking a Lake Catholic punt at the 16, but that drive ended on downs as well.

Mentor Lake Catholic cracked the scoreboard on the first play of the second quarter, when Nick Brandt connected with Brady Bowser on a reverse pass from the four-yard line, but Van Wert scored the equalizer on the next drive when Treece hit Crutchfield with a two-yard touchdown pass with 9:13 left until halftime. Crutchfield went on to finish with 10 receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.

Later in the quarter, Lake Catholic recovered a turnover at the Van Wert 22 and scored five plays later on a one yard run by Ryan Joy, putting the east Cougars ahead 14-7, a score that stood at halftime.

The Cougars finished the season 11-1 and became the first Western Buckeye League School since Kenton in 2002 to win a state championship.

“I wish I had the words for it,” Recker said. “I’m proud, happy and so excited that our guys got this reward.”

Scoring summary

Van Wert HS 0 7 7 17 – 31
Lake Catholic 0 14 7 7 – 28

Second quarter

LC – Nick Brandt 4-yard pass to Brady Bowser (Luke Hadley kick)
VW – Owen Treece 2-yard pass to Maddix Crutchfield (Damon McCracken kick)
LC – Ryan Joy 1-yard run (Luke Hadley kick)

Third quarter

LC – Joe Malchesky 53-yard run (Luke Hadley kick)
VW – Owen Treece 2-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

Fourth quarter

VW – Owen Treece 42-yard pass to Connor Pratt (Damon McCracken kick)
LC – Joe Malchesky 50-yard run (Luke Hadley kick)
VW – Owen Treece 15-yard pass to Nate Jackson (Damon McCracken kick)
VW – Damon McCracken 25-yard field goal

Van Wert

Rushing: Owen Treece 19-68-1; Nate Jackson 10-23

Passing: Owen Treece 27-44, 274 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

Receiving: Maddix Crutchfield 10-64-1; Nate Jackson 7-61-1; Connor Pratt 6-106-1; Dru Johnson 4-43

Lake Catholic

Rushing: Joe Malchesky 30-219-2; Ryan Joy 11-31-1

Passing: Joe Malcheskyk 3-9-2, 55 yards, two interceptions

Receiving: Charlie Vincent 1-42; Ryan Globokar 1-10