Season a successful one for the Cougars

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

It wasn’t the ending the Cougars hoped for but it doesn’t take away from a successful season for Van Wert.

The Cougars (8-4, 6-3 WBL) saw their season end with a 71-41 loss to Shelby in the Division IV Region 14 quarterfinals. Prior to that, Van Wert had put together five consecutive victories after a 3-3 start. Not bad at all for a team that lost most of its offensive production and offensive and defensive lines from the previous season.

“I will remember how our players stepped up to play pivotal roles for us, especially offensively,” head coach Keith Recker said. “Losing guys like Aidan Pratt, Maddix Crutchfield, Garett Gunter, Nate Phillips, and some good offensive lineman from the 2022 team is tough. We had a lot of seniors and even some underclassmen step up, while being led by Brylen (Parker) and Conner (Campbell), and we still led the WBL in scoring and were second in total offense. The standard is set in our program and guys understand the effort and production that is expected to be successful.”

Campbell was one of the WBL’s top receivers (83-1,271 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Gage Stemen was a very versatile player with 21 receptions for 265 yards and one touchdown, a team leading 87 tackles, and serving as the team’s punter.

The Cougars did lose players to injuries at various points of the season, but they came back to contribute. Brylen Parker went down with a knee injury in the Shawnee game, but missed only missed about four quarters and went on to finish as the Western Buckeye League’s leading rusher (265-1,424, 22 touchdowns). He also completed 170-of-286 passes for 2,263 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Reese Krugh, a two way starter at wide receiver missed some time with injuries but came back to be the team’s second leading receiver (45-653, seven touchdowns), and running back Keldyn Bill battled injuries but still rushed for 577 yards and 10 touchdowns. Linebacker Aaron Reichert missed time late in the season due to injuries, but still finished as the team’s second leading tackler (86).

In their absence, other players, including running back/quarterback Briston Wise, wide receiver/defensive back Micah Cowan, and Keaten Welch stepped, as did sophomore lineman Nick Edwards.

“The main thing that I’ll remember from this season is the way our team accepted the challenges that were presented to them,” head coach Keith Recker said. “Whether that was the senior class stepping up to lead on and off the field, or the way we played against Bath after a rough first half, or players stepping up because of an injury to a teammate, or how they challenged themselves to be better off the field. Every time I challenged our guys they stepped up and accepted the challenge to be better.”

He also praised the 18 seniors on the team – Parker, Bill, Krugh, Campbell, Landon Frieden, Gage Stemen, Spencer Clay, Colin Haggerty, Keaton Sudduth, Aaron Dowdy, Fletcher Smith, Morgein Bigham, Devon Story, Drew Deitemeyer, Caleb Bledsoe, Carter Price, Kristian Akerman and Davison Rager.

“The seniors always set the tone for the season,” Recker stated. “This group had a great mix of talent, work ethic, and were a joy to be around every day. Each of them had a role to play for us this year, from the guys that we started who we needed production from, to the guys who played special teams, to the guys that we needed to play scout team, they all accepted their role and were willing to do what was best for the team.”

While the seniors provided valuable leadership throughout the 2023 season, younger players provided a glimpse into what might be in the future for the Cougars.

“Our JV’s had a great season, as they were undefeated,” Recker said. “Those guys played very good football and have a lot of confidence right now. We will need those guys to play pivotal roles for us going into next season. Also, having some underclassmen get playing time with the varsity is very important for our team next year.”

“The game will be a little slower for them next year as they recognize and react to the play on the field and they will be more confident to lead us as they have experienced success on Friday night,” he continued. “With so many seniors in the starting lineup this season, we will need that group of underclassmen to set the tone in the off-season and be ready to lead our team going into next year.”

As far as the 2024 season, it all starts in the weight room.

“We must have a great off-season in the weight room,” the coach said. “We need to become the strongest, fastest versions of ourselves we can be. To compete against the best teams in the league and in Division IV, we have to get stronger, especially up front. I ask the guys every year, ‘Are you a year older, or are you a year older and a year better?’, meaning did you put in the work to be better than you were the previous year. If we can get the majority of our guys to be better then we will have a great chance for success next season.”