Cougars win overtime thriller vs. O-G

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

OTTAWA — It all came down to an extra point in overtime.

Ottawa-Glandorf’s Cooper Fischer, who entered the game 13-of-15 on PATs and was 4-of-4 in regulation, missed his attempt in overtime after quarterback Payton Kuhlman scored on a 2-yard run. Griff McCracken, who was 16-of-17 and 4-of-4 in regulation, drilled his PAT attempt after Briston Wise scored on a 1-yard run in the extra session, giving the Cougars a thrilling 35-34 win at Titan Stadium on Friday night.

The victory snapped Van Wert’s 5-game losing streak and it was the first WBL win of the year for the Cougars (2-5, 1-5 WBL). It was also the seventh time in eight years that the margin of victory was a touchdown or less between the two teams.

For the most part, the Cougars controlled the first half. Van Wert took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in eight plays and scored on Geary Hilleary’s’s 8-yard touchdown run. After stopping the Titans on downs and after exchanging punts, Van Wert crafted a 6-play, 56 yard drive and scored on a 2-yard run by Wise, giving the Cougars a 14-0 lead with 9:48 remaining in the second quarter.

However, the Titans (3-4, 3-3 WBL) answered one play later, when Ethan Metzer scored on a 62-yard pass from Kuhlman, making it 14-7. Van Wert responded to that with a nearly six minute drive that was capped off by a 4-yard touchdown pass from Wise to Zac Crummey, giving the Cougars a two touchown margin.

That advantage was quickly erased when Metzger returned the ensuring kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown, closing the gap to 21-14. Undeterred, Van Wert calmly marched 54 yards on the next possession and pushed the lead back to two scores when Wise connected with Xavier Kelly from eight yards out with just 18 seconds left until halftime.

“Keeping the two score lead before half was not only big as you look at the final score but also for our confidence going into halftime,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “Xavier was moved to tailback this week and made some very good plays both in the air and on the ground. He ran the ball with toughness and made a great catch on the touchdown right before half.”

By halftime, Van Wert had piled up 248 total yards against the No. 1 defense in the WBL. The Titans had allowed just 228 yards per game, but the Cougars kept them off balance the entire first half.

“Coach (Bryce) Crea and our offensive staff did a great job mixing in some different personnel groupings and I thought we blocked them well being they had the best rush defense in the league going into it,” Recker said. “All of our receivers had some big catches for first downs and Briston continues to do his thing running the ball.”

At halftime, Wise had completed 11-of-15 passes for 139 yards and had rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Ottawa-Glandorf owned the third quarter. Kuhlman tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Deegan Miller to open the period, then the Titans tied the game 28-28 when Kuhlman connected with Metzger on a 64-yard scoring strike with 3:19 left in the quarter.

Wise was intercepted late in the third quarter but the Cougars turned the Titans away on downs at the Van Wert 30 on the next drive. On Van Wert’s next possession, the Cougars made it to the Titan 20 but the drive stalled and a 37-yard field goal attempt by McCracken was blocked and recovered at the Ottawa-Glandorf 46 with just over six minutes to go in regulation.

“It was fourth and five, too long for a run and Ottawa-Glandorf did a good job adjusting to the couple of underneath passes we were getting earlier in the game,” Recker said of the decision to attempt a field goal. “Griffin was kicking well from that distance in pregame and our defense had been playing well also.”

With a short field, the Titans started to drive but Kelly intercepted a Kuhlman pass at the Van Wert 28. Neither team was able to move the ball the remainder of the fourth quarter and the game went to overtime.

Kuhlman plunged in from two yards out on fourth down in the extra session, but Fischer’s PAT was wide left. On Van Wert’s possession, Wise went in from the one yard line on fourth down and McCracken’s extra point sealed the victory.

“For us to be 1-5, play the past two weeks close for a half only to to get beat by large margins and then give up the lead to O-G…our guys continued to work to make plays and it’s a testament to their fortitude and their ability to fight in the face of adversity,” Recker said. “It was a great team effort.”

Wise finished the game 21-of-26 for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also carried 36 times for 127 yards and two scores, allowing him to surpass 1,000 yard rushing and 1,000 yard passing. Micah Cowan had eight receptions for 83 yards and Nate Gearhart had his best night of the season with five receptions for 66 yards. Keaten Welch added three catches for 33 yards and Kelly finished with four receptions for 19 yards and a touchdown. Kelly also rushed for 29 yards and a score on 10 carries, and Hilleary chipped in with seven carries, 27 yards and a touchdown. Van Wert finished with 387 yards of total offense and the Cougars were 9-of-18 on third down and 4-of-4 on fourth down.

Throwing long most of the night, Kuhlman was 14-of-27 for 269 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions by Kelly and Donovan Winkeljohn. Metzger led the Titans with four receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Grant Evers led the ground game with 23 carries for 130 yards.

Van Wert will host Shawnee for homecoming on Friday night.

Scoring summary

First quarter

VW (8:44) – Geary Hilleary 8-yard run (Griff McCracken kick)

Second quarter

VW (9:48) – Briston Wise 2-yard run (Griff McCracken kick)

OG (9:25) – Payton Kuhlman 62-yard pass to Ethan Metzger (Cooper Fischer kick)

VW (3:29) – Briston Wise 4-yard pass to Zac Crummey (Griff McCracken kick)

OG – (3:13) – Ethan Metzger 79-yard kickoff return (Cooper Fischer kick)

VW – (0:18) – Briston Wise 7-yard pass to Xavier Kelly (Griff McCracken kick)

Third quarter

OG (8:14) – Payton Kuhlman 23-yard pass to Deegan Miller (Cooper Fischer kick)

OG (3:19) – Payton Kuhlman 64-yard pass to Ethan Metzger (Cooper Fischer kick)

Fourth quarter

No scoring

Overtime

OG – Payton Kuhlman 2-yard run (kick failed)

VW – Briston Wise 1-yard run (Griff McCracken kick)