Undefeated Van Wert, Celina to meet

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

For the Celina Bulldogs and their fans, there have been two notable storylines this season.

The one goes back to the first half of the season opener against defending Division VII state champion St. Henry, when starting quarterback Parker Wynk went down with a serious neck injury. He was taken from the field by ambulance and was transported to a hospital in Dayton and later to Columbus for surgery. He’s now undergoing extenstive rehabilatation and by all accounts, Wynk is making steady progress. His injury has led to an outpouring of support not only from Celina fans, but the entire Western Buckeye League and well beyond.

“I think the support for Parker shows that, while football is very important, there are bigger things in life that matter, in this case the health and recovery of a great high school student-athlete,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “I think it also shows the ability of sports to bring people together for a common cause, to bring as much positive energy to Parker as he continues his recovery.”

“The support for Parker has been incredible,” Celina head coach Brennan Bader said. “It makes you very thankful to live in such a great community. We are so grateful for all of the support of the surrounding communities and the state for that matter. It has been awesome to see everyone rallying for Parker.”

“Parker’s health and recovery are the most important things,” he said. “The purpose of this year’s team has become to  prepare and play the way Parker would.”

The other storyline is a 3-0 start by the Bulldogs, with all three wins coming in nail biting fashion. The team regrouped after Wynk’s injury and went on to outscore St. Henry 38-35, followed by a 7-6 win over defending WBL champion Wapakoneta. Last Friday, the Bulldogs edged projected WBL champion St. Marys Memorial 30-28, giving the team three wins by a total of six points.

Behind a big offensive line led by Division I recruit Cash Patrick (6-6, 280 junior), the Bulldogs lean heavily on the run and since Wynk’s injury have featured a two pronged ground attack. Running back Noah Tallmadge (5-8, 170 senior) has 41 carries for 289 yards and a touchdown, while Wynk’s replacement, Jett Warner (5-9, 170 sophomore), has rushed for 315 yards and four touchdowns on just 34 carries. Celina averages about 11 pass attempts per game and Warner has completed 12-of-22 passes for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

“The thing that stands out when looking at Celina is their size and strength,” Recker said. “Their offensive and defensive lines are strong and physical, which is why they are so good running the ball and defending the run.  Their new quarterback has great control of the offense and seems to be getting more comfortable each week. They set him up for success with their play calling and then he also has great running and scrambling ability, as he ran for over 200 yards last week vs St. Marys.”

“Our team’s mental toughness is our strength,” Bader said.

Recker also noted that while there are some similarities between Celina and last week’s opponent, the Bath Wildcats, there are some notable differences, which makes preparations more challenging.

“With Bath, we had to really focus on the pass game and how explosive they try to be with the downfield throw,” Recker explained. “With Celina, they really use their size and strength to establish the run. We did learn some things against Bath that we need to use against Celina, specifically in regards to being under control to tackle the quarterback on scrambles and designed quarterback runs, as Celina’s quarterback is very elusive and fast. Celina’s strength definitely lies in their offensive and defensive lines, but are very capable with their skill players.”

The path to a 3-0 start hasn’t been quite as rocky for the Cougars. Van Wert defeated Bath 41-6 in the season opener and handled Elida 31-21 in the WBL opener. Last week’s game at Bath was tied 20-20 after three quarters, but the Cougars outscored the Wildcats 23-0 in the final period for a 43-20 win. Xavier Kelly scored five touchdowns, bringing his season total to 10 on the ground, while the defense made several key stops in the game, including a goal line stand as the first half clock expired and a third quarter end zone interception by Keaten Welch that thwarted a deep drive by the Wildcats.

When Bader was asked about his biggest concern, his answer was short and to the point.

“Xavier Kelly and the explosiveness of Van Wert’s offense,” he said.

The Cougars enter Friday night averaging 442 yards of total offense per game. Zach Crummey has completed 56-of-83 passes for 705 yards and four touchdowns and zero interceptions. 17 of his completions have gone to Micah Cowan for 177 yards, while Welch has 15 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown. Kelly has 10 receptions for 191 yards and three touchdowns and he leads the Cougars in rushing with 381 yards on 54 carries. After missing last season due to an injury, senior linebacker Caden Collins leads the defense with 26 tackles, while Zander Steman has 19 tackles. Welch and Roman Martin each have 17 tackles. Alex Benner has converted 14-of-16 PATs and connected on his only field goal attempt, a 29-yarder.

While looking at his own team after three weeks of play, Recker said he pleased with the “team-first” attitude and a push to get better each week.

“Our guys have really excelled in accepting their role and perfecting that role to the benefit of our team,” hes aid. “Specifically on the field, I have been very pleased with our ability to step up in big situations, especially on defense. We have gotten critical short yardage stops in each of the first three weeks, and also came up with a big interception by Keaten (Welch) when Bath was driving to start the second half. That has been encouraging as guys are making plays at critical times.”

The Bulldogs won last year’s matchup 38-37 in overtime and have won three straight against the Cougars. Van Wert’s last win against Celina came in 2022, 43-7.

Friday’s game will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM.