Cougars win season opener vs. Parkway

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

ROCKFORD – An 11-0 third quarter scoring run and timely points in the fourth quarter allowed Van Wert to open the season with a 48-43 win over Parkway on Friday night.

“It’s a great way to start the season with the limited time we’ve had in the gym as a group with our deep football run,” Van Wert head coach Ben Laudick said. “I’m just tickled with our guys and the effort that they gave and the way they were able to gut it out. I knew we weren’t going to be perfect, our legs aren’t there yet but they found a way.”

Parkway’s Gabe Schaaf opened the third quarter with a trey that gave the Panthers a 26-22 lead but the Cougars scored the next 11 points to grab a 33-26 lead. The run included triples by Nate Phillips, Carson Smith and Garrett Gunter and a pair of free throws by Aidan Pratt.

The Cougars led 35-29 to start the fourth quarter but a bucket by Schaaf and a basket and foul shot by Fletcher Smith closed the gap to one, 35-34, but Van Wert answered with a 7-0 run, including a pair of baskets by Pratt and a bucket and free throw by Gunter.

A left corner three-pointer by Ethan Brown gave Van Wert a 45-36 lead with 1:55 left, but Parkway’s Caden Slusher hit a pair of foul shots, a trey and a spinning layup, then Riley Samples convered two free throws to make it 46-43 with 1:06 left. Gunter and Pratt each hit a foul shot late to secure the win.

“Ethan Brown will be a three-year letterman and a three-year starter and we were joking as a coaching staff free throws or layups and he was left open in the corner, he let it fly and it went in,” Laudick said of Brown’s triple. “I’m happy that he took it and that it went in. He has enough varsity experience and enough confidence that we’re going to tell him to shoot that shot most of the time.”

Parkway led 12-6 after the first quarter, but Van Wert battled back to take a 17-15 lead, which included 10 straight points by Pratt, who went on to finish with a game high 23 points and 10 rebounds.

“It’s probably no secret that Aidan’s probably going to be our go to guy this year,” Laudick said. “He came on strong at the end of last year, he had a great summer and obviously he had a great football season as well, but he’s going to be our focal point. He’s a competitor and he does a great job of keeping us calm.”

Gunter finished with 10 points and the Cougars finished 18-of-49 from the floor, including 5-of-20 from three point range and 7-of-17 from the foul line. Slusher led Parkway with 22 points and the Panthers shot 13-of-39 from the field and 12-of-18 from the free throw line. Van Wert held a 28-24 rebounding advantage. ]

Van Wert (1-0) will play Lima Central Catholic today (2:30 p.m. JV tipoff) and Parkway will play at Crestview tonight.

Scoring summary

Panthers 12 11 6 14 – 43
Cougars 6 16 13 13 – 48

Parkway: Gabe Schaaf 2-1-6; Fletcher Smith 2-4-8; Grant Bollenbacher 1-0-3; Caden Slusher 7-4-22; Riley Samples 1-3-5

Van Wert: Ethan Brown 1-0-3; Carson Smith 1-0-3; Garett Gunter 3-4-10; Trey Laudick 1-0-3; Nate Jackson 1-0-2; Nate Phillips 1-1-4; Aidan Pratt 10-3-23

JV: Van Wert 51-44