Preview: Bath (1-0) at Van Wert (1-0)

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The wait is finally over.

Van Wert will play on the new artificial turf at Eggerss Stadium for the first time this season on Friday and the Cougars will try to extend their home winning streak to 20 when Bath comes to down for the WBL opener.

“We have been practicing at the stadium for a week and it is a first class facility with the renovated stands and addition of the turf,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “Our players are very excited about the opportunity to play at home on the new field. Our football program wants to thank our community and all those involved with completing the turf project for providing this awesome renovation to our facility. We are very blessed to have this and our players are very excited to be able to play the first game at the renovated Eggerss Stadium.”

Both teams enter Friday’s game 1-0, with the Cougars notching a 47-21 win over Bryan and the Wildcats recording a stunning 14-7 win over New Bremen.

On the first drive of the second half, Bryan scored and closed the gap to 20-14, and it appeared the Golden Bears had some momentum. However, Van Wert outscored the hosts 27-7 the rest of the way.

“The best thing about last Friday is that we saw improvement from our first two scrimmages,” Recker said. “We have a lot of seniors playing (21 of 22 starters are seniors), but also have some juniors, sophomores, and even freshman and most of the guys have little experience on Fridays, so it was very positive to see us improving, which we will continue to do as the year goes on.”

“The biggest improvements were in our run game and our secondary and both spots I believe will continue to get better as they gel as a unit,” he added.

“Van Wert is a very good team offensively and defensively,” Bath head coach Frank Russell said. “They are one of the top teams in the WBL. Offensively, they want to get their athletes in space and let them make plays and defensively, they are very solid…they are exactly where we want to be. Coach Recker has done and continues to do a great job with the Cougars.”

Bath’s win over New Bremen turned a lot of heads and gave Russell, a 15-year assistant at Franklin High School and Cincinnati Colerain, his first career victory. The Wildcats were 0-10 in 2022 and had lost 14 straight entering the game, while New Bremen entered the game as the defending Division VII state champions. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime, then Bath scored what proved to be the game winner in the third quarter.

“It feels great, our kids and coaching staff worked so hard all spring and summer and really deserved the win,” Russell said. “As a staff, we have preached about doing the little things right and the wins and losses will take care of themselves. It was great to get a victory and our kids to see the fruit of their labor.”

“Defensively, we are a 4-2-5 defense, we try to be aggressive blitzing from different angles keeping the offense off-balance,” Russell continued. “Offensively, we will continually probe the defense attempting to find a weakness and then expose that weakness. Our quarterback is sophomore Zach Welsch, he is calm and makes really good decisions with the football.”

“Bath is very skilled with their wide receivers and defensive back and have good size up front on their lines,” Recker said. “Their coaches do a good job of creating matchups with the receivers they like, along with getting the ball to an athletic running back in different ways. Defensively they do a good job of mixing up looks, blitzes, and coverages to keep you on your toes.”

“They are much improved from last year and Coach Russell seems to have them on the right track after a big win over New Bremen,” Recker added.

Van Wert has won six straight games over Bath. Friday’s game will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM.