Playoffs: Otsego rolls by Cougars 63-27

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

Early miscues doomed Van Wert during Friday’s Division IV Region 14 playoff opener against fifth seeded Otsego. The No. 12 seed Cougars found themselves down 14-0 just 65 seconds into the game and went on to lose 63-27.

The tone was set when the opening kickoff bounced off of one of the Cougars and was recovered by the Knights. Two plays later, Otsego quarterback Grady Frank scored on a 42-yard keeper, then on Van Wert’s first play, defensive back Mason Kramer stepped in front of a Zach Crummey pass and raced untouched down the sideline for a touchdown.

“We just couldn’t overcome that and we couldn’t get any stops defensively,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “We were able to get some things going offensively but not being able to stop them at all just put us in too big of a hole.”

It got worse for the Cougars. On the ensuing drive the Knights stopped Van Wert on fourth and short at the Cougar 49, then scored four plays later on a 43-yard sprint by Dane Fatzinger.

Van Wert (5-6) answered with a score, when Crummey found Easton Putman open in the end zone from 36 yards out, but it took Otsego just one play to respond, as Frank outran the Cougar defense for a 76 yard touchdown, putting the Knights ahead 27-7 with 5:25 left in the opening quarter. Frank had a hand in seven of Otsego’s touchdowns while guiding the option attack. 

After that, the Cougars put together a drive but it ended on downs deep in Otsego territory when a fourth down pass into the end zone fell incomplete. The Knights started a drive from their own 11-yard line with 48 seconds left in the opening quarter and scored nine plays later on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Frank to Fatzinger, increasing Otsego’s lead to 34-7.

Van Wert’s next drive ended on downs but the Knights fumbled it away on the next play and the Cougars were able to craft a 14-play, 69 yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Crummey, making it 34-14, a score that stood at halftime. On that drive, running back Xavier Kelly went down with a knee injury and did not return to the game.

“Hopefully nothing is structurally wrong, it seems like everything is intact and okay,” Recker said. “He just couldn’t run on it.”

Kelly, who entered the game with 1,111 yard rushing and 583 yards receiving and 30 total touchdowns, had 12 carries for 38 yards and one reception for five yards.

After receiving the second half kickoff, Otsego needed just one play to score and add to its lead – a 68-yard pass from Frank to Kramer. Just seconds later though, Crummey tossed a short pass to Keaten Welch, who outran defenders for a 63-yard score.

Leading 35-14 to start the fourth quarter, Frank connected with Kramer for a 35-yard touchdown and the Knights added two more touchdowns by Frank, the first on 26-yard run and the second on a 3-yard run. Van Wert’s remaining touchdown came on a 16-yard pass from Crummey to Cohen Bragg.

The small but speedy Knights ended the game with 356 yards on the ground, including 191 yards and four touchdowns on 11 carries by Frank. Zaden Zaviski added 61 yards on seven carries. Frank, who threw 21 passes the entire season, completed 4-of-6 attempts for 149 yards and three touchdowns, including three to Kramer for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Otsego finished the game with 505 yards of total offense.

“They hit a couple of big plays through the pass,” Recker said. “We’re trying to execute a read but those guys are put in a tough position – the safeties have to help stop the run but they have to be able to defend that. Ostego is good – their offense gave us problems.”

Crummey finished 16-of-31 for 196 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Welch caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Crummey led the Cougars in rushing with 19 carries for 125 yards, as Van Wert amassed 379 yards of total offense.

Otsego (8-3) will face No. 4 seed Clear Fork in the regional quarterfinals on Friday.

Scoring summary

First quarter

O – Grady Frank 42-yard run (Mason Kramer kick) 7-0

O – Mason Kramer 58-yard interception return (Mason Kramer kick) 14-0

O – Dane Fatzinger 43-yard run (Mason Kramer kick) 21-0

VW – Zach Crummy 36-yard pass to Easton Putman (Alex Benner kick) 21-7

O – Grady Frank 76-yard run (kick failed) 27-7

Second quarter

O – Grady Frank 18-yard pass to Dane Fatzinger (Mason Kramer run) 35-7

VW – Zach Crummey 3-yard run (Alex Benner kick) 35-14

Third quarter

O – Grady Frank 68-yard pass to Mason Kramer (Mason Kramer kick) 42-14

VW – Zach Crummey 63-yard pass to Keaten Welch (kick failed) 42-20

Fourth quarter

O – Grady Frank 35-yard pass to Mason Kramer (run failed) 48-20

VW – Zach Crumme 16-yard pass to Cohen Bragg (Alex Benner kick) 48-27

O – Grady Frank 26-yard run (two point run) 56-27

O – Grady Frank 3-yard run (Mason Kramer kick) 63-27