VW’s Bill, Parker shine in season opener

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

BRYAN — Keldyn Bill and Brylen Parker put on quite a show Friday night.

On Bryan’s brand new artifical turf field, Bill returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and rushed for 67 yards and another score, while Parker threw four touchdown passes to help Van Wert defeat Bryan 47-21 in the season opener on Friday.

After Bryan quarterback Jase Kepler’s 22-yard touchdown run pulled the Golden Bears to within six, 20-14, with 10:15 left in the third quarter, Bill took the ensuing kickoff back 89 yards for a touchdown. After an unplanned squib kickoff was recovered by the Cougars, Van Wert moved 43 yards in four plays, with Bill spanning the final nine yards to give the visitors a 33-14 lead.

“I think he was frustrated a little bit as an underclassman, not getting to play as much as he would have liked but he stuck with it and he’s getting his payoff now,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said of Bill. “We always knew he had the speed and strength and he got a chance to put that on full display and made some huge plays for us. He also did a great job of running our inside zone which we had to get going.”

“They scored within the first two minutes of the third quarter and for him to flip it that quick, that was huge for us and huge for our confidence,” Recker added.

Bryan’s next drive ended in just two plays when Gage Stemen intercepted Kepler, giving the Cougars the ball at their own two yard line. Van Wert then marched 98 yards in 14 plays and scored on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Parker to Conner Campbell.

The Golden Bears responded with a 12-play drive that was capped off with a three-yard touchdown run by Kepler, but Bill struck again. He fielded the Bryan kickoff at his own 20 and raced across the field then got to the sideline and sprinted 80 yards for a touchdown for the final margin.

Three of Parker’s touchdown passes came in the first half – a 10-yard throw to Campell on the opening drive, and a 25-yard toss to Reese Krugh with 2:59 left in the first quarter that gave Van Wert a 13-0 lead.

“He’s going to continue to get better and better at that position,” Recker said of Parker. “You can see what he’s capable of in the pass game and the run game. He’s got the full package back there and he’ll continue to improve as we go along.”

After Kepler scored on a 20-yard run in the second quarter, Parker found a wide open Colin Haggerty for a 13-yard touchdown pass, putting the Cougars ahead 20-7. Parker went on to finish 17-of-25 for 196 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also logged 98 yards on 14 carries. Campbell caught six passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns.

As a team, the Cougars displayed a balanced offense and finished with 395 yards, including 199 on the ground.

The defense forced four Bryan turnovers, including a pair of interceptions by Stemen, and Van Wert held twice on downs. The defense harassed Kepler into an 11-of-26 performance for 110 yards and three interceptions. The senior quarterback was able to rush for 94 yards.

The Cougars outgained the Golden Bears 395-291.

Van Wert will open the home portion of the schedule against Bath on Friday.

First quarter

VW – Brylen Parker 10-yard pass to Conner Campbell (kick failed) 6-0 9:53
VW – Brylen Parker 25-yard pass to Reese Krugh (Griff McCracken kick 13-0 2:59

Second quarter

B – Jase Kepler 20-yard run (Kadin Oberlin kick) 13-7 10:30
VW – Brylen Parker 13-yard pass to Colin Haggerty (Griff McCracken kick) 20-7 :31

Third quarter

B – Jase Kepler 22-yard run (Kadin Oberlin kick) 20-14 10:15
VW – Keldyn Bill 89-yard kickoff return (Griff McCracken kick) 27-14 10:00
VW – Keldyn Bill 9-yard run (pass failed) 33-14 8:54
VW – Brylen Parker 42-yard pass to Conner Campbell (Griff McCracken kick) 40-14 1:51

Fourth quarter

B – Jase Kepler 3-yard run (Kadin Oberlin kick) 40-21 9:41
VW – Keldyn Bill 80-yard kickoff return (Griff McCracken kick) 47-21 9:23