Titans use OT to defeat Van Wert 35-28

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

It just wasn’t Van Wert’s night on Friday.

Starting with an hour and 10 minute lightning delay shortly before game time, the Cougars seemingly fought an uphill battle all night before falling to Ottawa-Glandorf 35-28 in overtime on homecoming night at Eggerss Stadium. It was the second straight season the game between the two teams went to overtime.

The Cougars (2-3, 1-3 WBL) had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but the officials ruled Peyton McAlpine’s 35-yard field goal attempt had plenty of distance but was just wide left as time expired.

“Peyton was kicking very well in pregame so we asked him where we needed to get it and he said inside the 20 and we got it just inside there,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “We gave ourselves a chance to win and that’s all we can ask.”

In the overtime period, the Titans (4-1, 4-0 WBL) went on offense first and ran six plays, scoring on a six yard touchdown pass from Jacob Balbaugh to Jarrod Beach, followed by the fifth PAT of the night by Ethan Alt.

The Cougars then went on offense, but were hit with a 15 yard personal foul penalty on the second play, putting Van Wert in a second and 25 situation. After two incompletions, a failed fourth down hook and ladder play ended the game.

“What a great game between two good teams,” Recker said. “They played wonderful and I thought we played great with good effort, it was just one of those games that was a fun high school football game.”

“I think we can learn from some good things in this game and we have to continue to build on that good and fix the things we can fix,” the coach continued. “They can be proud of their effort.”

“What a great see-saw battle back and forth,” Ottawa-Glandorf head coach Ken Schriner said. “We made a ton of mistakes and give Van Wert credit, they just kept bouncing back and coming after us time after time.”

Van Wert finished with 419 yards of total offense, while Ottawa-Glandorf rang up 391 yards. Both teams were affected by penalties. The Cougars had 10 for 95 yards, while the Titans finished with nine for 95 yards.

Ottawa-Glandorf opened the game with a 12 play, 68-yard drive that ended with a 29-yard touchdown run by Clayton Recker, then after forcing Van Wert into a quick punt, the Titans drove from their own seven yard line to the Cougar 36 before Owen Treece intercepted a Balbaugh pass.

Van Wert turned that into a scoring drive that ended with a nine yard touchdown pass from Treece to Jake Hilleary with just 24 seconds left in the first quarter.

However the Titans answered with a drive that included two Balbaugh completions to Beach for 30 yards, a personal foul on Van Wert and a 22-yard touchdown run by Beach on fourth and one. From there, the two teams exchanged punts before the Cougars drove to the Ottawa-Glandorf 17, but lost a fumble on an errant pitch, and a later drive before halftime was squelched by a questionable personal penalty, followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct call.

However, Van Wert opened the second half with an impressive seven play, 80 yard drive that featured a 29-yard scramble by Treece and a 10-yard touchdown run by the junior quarterback.

The 14-14 tie was short-lived though, as the Titans scored in one play, on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Balbaugh to Brennan Blevins. Balbaugh completed 15 of 25 passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while Blevins had seven catches for 137 yards and the score.

“We gave up too many big plays and didn’t get enough big plays on the flip side,” Recker said.

Hilleary, who had 27 carries for 101 yards and five receptions for 42 yards, tied the score on a one yard blast with 9:23 left in the fourth quarter, but the Titans answered with a 42-yard touchdown run by Eric Heebsh. On the ensuing possession, Treece, who rushed for 147 yards on 19 carries and completed 18 of 29 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns, rifled an 18-yard scoring pass to Dru Johnson, who finished with nine receptions for 94 yards. It was Johnson’s first game back from a preseason injury.

“Great job by him, tough kid, smart kid, just a very good football player,” Recker said of Johnson. “He had a very good game tonight.”

On Ottawa-Glandorf’s next possession, Johnson intercepted a Balbaugh pass and set the Cougars up at their own 40 with 1:27 left in regulation. Van Wert ran off 10 plays, including four completions from Treece to Johnson and a key fourth down reception by TJ Reynolds to set up McAlphine’s field goal attempt.

Van Wert will play at Shawnee on Friday.

Scoring

First quarter

OG: 8:22 – Clayton Recker 29 yard run (Ethan Alt kick)
VW: 0:24 – Owen Treece 9 yard pass to Jake Hilleary (Peyton McAlpine kick)

Second quarter

OG: 8:09 – Jarrod Beach 22 yard run (Ethan Alt kick)

Third quarter

VW: 9:48 – Owen Treece 10 yard run (Peyton McAlpine kick)
OG: 9:32 – Jacob Balbaugh 58 yard pass to Brennan Blevins (Ethan Alt kick)

Fourth quarter

VW: 9:23 – Jake Hilleary 1 yard run (Peyton McAlpine kick)
OG: 7:03 – Eric Heebsh 42 yard run (Ethan Alt kick)
VW: 4:04 – Owen Treece 18 yard pass to Dru Johnson (Peyton McAlpine kick)

Overtime

OG: Jacob Balbaugh 6 yard pass to Jarrod Beach (Ethan Alt kick)