Big plays lead Shawnee past VW Cougars

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

LIMA — It was the “big play” — including a big interception for a touchdown late in the game that led to Van Wert’s downfall, 35-14, in its Western Buckeye League opener Friday against Shawnee.

The Indians used the sweep to score touchdown runs of 49, 60 and 67 yards in the first half, while Shawnee defender Keenan Newland picked off a Tyler Williams pass and took it 51 yards for a score with a little over four minutes left on the clock.

The stats weren’t all that different for the Cougars and Shawnee. Van Wert had 245 yards of total offense, to 292 for the Indians. Turnovers were a big improvement for the Cougars, as they had just two this week, versus eight against Bryan in the season opener August 26.

Shawnee scored the first four touchdowns of the game, starting with a 49-yard run by DeAnthony Nance with just 17.8 seconds on the first-quarter clock. Connor Bianco hit the first of three extra-point kicks on the night and it was 7-0.

The Indians scored again midway through the second stanza when Sam Altenbach ran 60 yards to paydirt. The kick failed at the score was 13-0, Shawnee, with 6:13 remaining in the first half.

Four minutes later, Altenbach repeated his feat, this time running 67 yards for a TD at the 2:30 mark of the second quarter, and also ran the PAT in for a 21-0 halftime lead.

The Indians got the ball first in the second half and scored quickly when quarterback Seth Rosenbauer hit Cedric McNeal for a 34-yard scoring strike at the 11:46 mark of the third quarter.

That was all the scoring in that stanza and the Cougars then got their offense untracked, scoring twice in succession, starting with a 14-yard run by Lucas Sullivan at 9:31 of the fourth quarter and followed by a 14-yard pass from Williams to Terrence Branson with 7:37 left in the game. Austin Reichert split the uprights on both occasions and the Cougars trailed 28-14.

After stopping Shawnee, Van Wert got the ball again, but Newland spoiled any chances for a further comeback with his timely interception for a touchdown at the 4:07 mark.

Altenbach was the leading rusher in the game, with 158 yards on just seven carries and two touchdowns. Nance added 54 yards on three carries and a TD for the Indians.

For Van Wert, Sullivan rushed 14 times for 78 yards and a touchdown, while Williams carried the ball 19 times for 54 yards.

Top receivers in the game were Caleb Lloyd, who caught two passes for 32 yards for Van Wert, and Cougar Tyson Crone, who had two receptions for 25 yards. McNeal caught two passes for the Indians for 30 yards.

Van Wert quarterback Tyler Williams was 6 of 16 for 64 yards for a touchdown, and also had one interception. Rosenbauer was 3 for 7 for 40 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions, for Shawnee.

With the loss, the Cougars are now 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the WBL. Shawnee is 2-0 overall and 1-0 in league play.

Van Wert will be at home for the first time this season this coming Friday, but the opponent will be a challenging one: the Maty Mauk-led Kenton Wildcats, who are tied for the league lead at 1-0 and are 2-0 overall.