Tale of the Tape: Cougars vs. Pioneers

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars have advanced to the Division IV regional semifinals and will face a team from central Ohio, Jonathan Alder. The two teams will tip off at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Stroh Center at Bowling Green State University, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s 3 p.m. regional championship game to play the winner of Wednesday night’s second game between Perkins and Bath. The winner of that game will move on to the state semifinals.

Van Wert has been very stingy on the defensive side of the ball in the tournament, allowing just 37, 30 and 35 points, while averaging 52 points per game offensively in the postseason. The Cougars are just one of two WBL left in the tournament, with the other being Bath. While Bath is considered the underdog against Perkins, if the Wildcats win and the Cougars win, it would be a rematch of a 42-40 overtime game won by Van Wert on December 19. It would also guarantee that a WBL team would be in the state semifinals.

The Jonathan Alder Pioneers from Plain City, on the border of Union and Madison counties, are members of the 12 team Central Buckeye Conference, which is split into two six-team divisions. The Pioneers are in the Kenton Trail Division, along with Bellefontaine, Kenton Ridge, London, Shawnee and Tecumseh. The Mad River Division consists of Benjamin Logan, Graham, Indian Lake, North Union, Northwestern and Urbana.

Jonathan Alder enters the game 20-5 (9-1 CBC), while Van Wert is 19-6 (8-1 WBL). The two teams have just one common opponent – Marion Local. Both teams lost to the Flyers, ranked No. 1 in Division VI, with the Cougars falling 45-32 and the Pioneers losing 60-38. The two teams are nearly identical in points scored and allowed and Van Wert is ranked No. 8 in the latest MaxPreps statewide Division IV poll, while Jonathan Alder is ranked No. 9.

Here is a further comparison of the two teams. Check Wednesday’s Sports page for a similar comparison between Lincolnview and Crestview, who will square off at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the Division VI regional semifinals at Bowling Green.

Van Wert Cougars

Record: 19-6 (8-1 WBL)

Regular season wins: Crestview, Wayne Trace, Elida, Bath, Springfield, Columbus Grove, Ottoville, Lincolnview, Celina, Defiance, Bryan, Wapakoneta Coldwater, St. Marys Memorial, Ottawa-Glandorf, Kenton.

Regular season losses: Kalida, Delphos St. John’s, Marion Local, St. Henry, Shawnee, Spencerville.

Tournament wins: Napoleon 52-37; Wauseon 51-30; Galion 53-35.

Current winning streak: four games

Average points per game: 55

Opponents points per game: 44

Leading scorers

Xavier Kelly 6-0 sophomore guard 11.5 ppg

Zach Crummey 6-6 sophomore post 10.9 ppg

Keaten Welch 5-10 junior guard 10.2 ppg

Griffin McCracken 5-9 senior guard 9.3 ppg

Cohen Bragg 6-3 junior wing 8.6 ppg

Jonathan Alder Pioneers

Record: 20-5 (9-1 CBC)

Regular season wins: Sheridan, River Valley, Kenton Ridge (twice) Indian Lake, Graham, London (twice), Columbus Bishop Watterson, Shawnee, Bellefontaine (twice), Tecumseh (twice), Urbana, Benjamin Logan.

Regular season losses: Urbana, Tri-Village, Marion Local, Bishop Hartley, Hilliard Davidson.

Tournament wins: Cristo Rey 66-14; Marion-Franklin 75-57; Heath 46-29.

Current winning streak: six

Points per game: 56

Opponents points per game: 44

Scoring leaders

Danny Bentley, 6-1 sophomore guard: 17.1 ppg

Brady Sweet 5-10 junior guard 10.3 ppg

Garrett Bauer 6-4 senior forward 7.7 ppg

Chase Muetzel 6-5 senior forward 7.1 ppg

Byron Byerly 6-9 sophomore forward 6.3 ppg (off bench)