Roughriders stun Van Wert 43-42

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

Van Wert was on the cusp of celebrating an exciting come from behind homecoming win over St. Marys Memorial Friday night, but the Roughriders had a different idea.

After running back Dyllan Fink scored to give St. Marys Memorial a 35-34 lead, the Cougars (4-3, 3-3 WBL) started a drive at their own 24 yard line with 2:26 left in the game. Zach Crummey completed 6-of-7 passes, including a 23-yard touchdown pass on a middle screen to Keaten Welch and a two-point conversion pass to Welch to put the Cougars ahead 42-35 with less than minute left.

However, the Roughriders (4-3, 3-3 WBL) weren’t finished. A short kickoff by Van Wert and an offside penalty on the kickoff put the ball at the Cougar 39 yard line with 44 seconds left. With five seconds left in the game, St. Marys Memorial had the ball at the Van Wert 20 and the unthinkable happened. On the snap, the ball hit the motion man and was on the turf when Fink picked it up, scrambled to his left and lofted a touchdown pass to a wide-open Tre Moore as time expired. The Roughriders then went for two and the win with no time on the clock, with fullback Tyler Holsinger carrying it in for a stunning 43-42 win.  The touchdown was the third one of the final period for Memorial, who trailed 34-21 to start the fourth quarter.

“It’s just a big gut punch,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “It’s a tough one…our guys played their hearts out. I told them there’s going to be many times in life when you get punched in the mouth and you have to come back from it – you can roll over and play dead or get back up and keep fighting.”

“It’s been a weird few weeks for us as a program,” St. Marys Memorial head coach Bo Frye said. “We’ve had some stuff not bounce our way. I think we finally deserved to win tonight. I’m proud to be a Roughrider.”

The Cougars had no answer for the Roughrider rushing attack, which churned out 405 yards on 71 rushes. Fink finished with 28 carries for 184 yards and two touchdowns, while Holsinger had 21 carries for 126 yards and a pair of scores. Memorial threw just six passes in the game, including two on the final two plays of the first half, and the one that produced the game winner.

Both teams opened the game with empty possessions. Van Wert went three and out on the opening possession and the Roughriders fumbled the ball away on their first possession. With just under six minutes to go in the first quarter, Crummey tossed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Welch, but Alex Benner’s extra point was wide left. Memorial answered with a drive and 14-yard touchdown run, plus the first of five PATs by Ethan Ibrahim.

The Cougars regained the lead on the first play of the second quarter when Xavier Kelly raced in from five yards out but it was short lived, as Fink capped off the next possession with a four-yard touchdown run.

Van Wert needed little time to respond, as the Cougars moved 66 yards in five plays, including a 52-yard touchdown pass from Crummey to Welch for a 20-14 lead. After that, Van Wert’s defense forced the only Roughrider punt of the night, then put together a drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown run by Crummey and a 27-14 lead. The drive was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Memorial.

The Roughriders saw their final drive of the first half end with back-to-back incomplete passes.

“You’re always on edge playing St. Marys and you have to score just about every time you have the ball,” Recker said.

After receiving the second half kickoff, Memorial marched 76 yards in 10 plays, including a 31-yard run by quarterback Logan Payton and scored on a 6-yard run by Fink to make it 27-21. Crummey and the Cougars answered with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Kelly for a 34-21 lead.

Crummey went on to complete 18-of-24 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns, with eight passes going to Welch for 170 yards and three scores, and six to Micah Cowan for 80 yards. Kelly finished with three receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, plus 62 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Defensively, Welch had a game high 16 tackles.

Van Wert will face undefeated and state-ranked Ottawa-Glandorf on the road next Friday.

“We’re looking forward to playing them,” Recker said. “They’ve obviously had a great turnaround and they’re playing really well. They’re super athletic but I know our guys will be up to the challenge and will give it their best.”

Scoring summary

Van Wert   7  21   7   8 – 42

Memorial   6    7   7  22 – 43

First quarter

VW – Zach Crummey 45-yard pass to Keaten Welch (kick failed)

SM – Tyler Holsinger 14-yard run (Ethan Ibrahim kick)

Second quarter

VW – Xavier Kelly 5-yard run (Alex Benner kick)

SM – Dyllan Fink 4-yard run (Ethan Ibrahim kick)

VW – Zach Crummey 52-yard pass to Keith Welch (Alex Benner kick)

VW – Zach Crummey 12-yard run (Alex Benner kick)

Third quarter

SM – Dyllan Fink 6-yard run (Ethan Ibrahim kick)

VW – Zach Crummey 22-yard pass to Xavier Kelly (Alex Benner kick)

Fourth quarter

SM – Tyler Holsinger 7-yard run (Ethan Ibrahim kick)

SM – Dyllan Fink 4-yard run (Ethan Ibrahim kick)

VW – Zach Crummey 23-yard pass to Keaten Welch (Crummey pass to Welch)

SM – Dyllan Fink 20-yard pass to Tre Moore (Tyler Holsinger run)