Cougars race by Elida for sectional title

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

LIMA — When Van Wert and Elida played on February 10, the Cougars were forced to hold off the Bulldogs for a nerve wracking 56-53 victory. The two teams met again in the Division II sectional finals at Lima Sr. on Friday and the result was different – much different.

An 18-4 third quarter scoring blitz powered No. 3 seed Van Wert to a 65-34 over the seventh seeded Bulldogs, giving head coach Ben Laudick his first sectional championship.

“It feels really good,” Laudick said. “I think back to the last three times we’ve been at a sectional game and it didn’t go in our favor…I’ve coached 20 total seniors and I think back to the other 14 that didn’t have the opportunity. This is a memory I’m going to hang on to forever. You always remember your first win as a coach and now with our first tournament win we got the monkey our back and I’m real excited for our guys.”

Behind seven points by Garett Gunter, Van Wert forged a 16-8 first quarter lead, then Aidan Pratt accounted for six of Van Wert’s 10 second quarter points and the Cougars took a 26-16 lead into halftime. The 6-4 senior went down with an ankle injury with about 50 seconds left in the second quarter, but he returned to play in the third quarter.

Armed with a 30-20 lead in the third period, Carson Smith went on a scoring binge, account for 11 of his team’s next 14 unanswered points, including nine consecutive points to end the quarter, giving the Cougars a 44-20 lead to start the final frame.

“Carson had a great third quarter and I really thought Garett Gunter’s first quarter set the tone for us,” Laudick said. “It was sort of ‘next man up’ mentality – we have a group of guys who have been in some tough situations so there was no panic by anyone at halftime.”

Smith and Gunter each finished with 14 points while Pratt added 12, including 10 in the first half. The Cougars enjoyed a hot shooting night from the floor (28-of-44) plus a 24-19 rebounding advantage.

Elida (9-15) received seven points each from Zori Island and A’mari Wash, but the Bulldogs were held to 15-of-50 shooting, including 0-10 from three point range, and 19 rebounds.

Van Wert (16-7) will face No. 2 seed St. Marys Memorial in the Division II district semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at Liberty-Benton. The two teams played January 13 and the Roughriders held on for a 62-60 win. St. Marys enters the game on a 14-game winning streak.

“St. Marys presents some challenges with Austin Parks in the center position and his height and the guys they put around him, so we have to go back and look at what went well for us the first time we played them and what didn’t, then make adjustments.”

Box score

Cougars 16 10 18 19 – 65
Bulldogs 8 8 4 14 – 34

Van Wert: Nate Phillips 2-0-4; AJ Proffitt 3-0-9; Luke Wessell 3-0-6; Carson Smith 6-0-14; Garett Gunter 6-0-14; Gage Stemen 1-0-2; Collin Haggerty 1-0-3

Elida: Zori Island 3-1-7; Seth Sharp 2-0-4; Tori Thomas 2-0-4; A’Mari Wash 3-1-7; Travis Adkins 1-0-2; Jackson Covault 1-0-2; Brice Engle 2-2-6; David Etzkorn 1-0-2