Cougars outscore the Roughriders 70-41

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

To say Van Wert’s offense was hitting on all cylinders is an understatement.

Led by senior quarterback Aidan Pratt and junior receiver Conner Campbell, the 11th-ranked Cougars moved up and down the field all night on the way to a 70-41 win over St. Marys Memorial Friday night. It was Van Wert’s 16th consecutive win at Eggerss Stadium and the 70 points represents the most points ever scored by any team against a Roughrider team.

Pratt completed 24 of 28 passes for 468 yards and six touchdowns, while rushing for two more scores. Campbell caught 12 of Pratt’s passes for 269 yards and four touchdowns.

“Aidan put on a display of what exactly he can do,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “To be able to do all of that as a quarterback and then go play defensive end and even some defensive tackle for us, he’s just so good for us.”

“Conner has matured so much physically and mentally from his freshman year to the point he’s such a dangerous weapon,” the coach continued. “Conner completely took over and made some huge plays for us tonight and I’m very happy for him.”

As a team, the Cougars piled up 575 yards of total offense while improving to 4-1 (3-1 WBL) at the halfway point of the regular season.

Pratt and Campbell connected for two touchdown passes in the first quarter, one from 47 yards out on Van Wert’s first play from scrimmage, and another for 43 yards with 57 seconds left in the opening quarter. Those scoring strikes were sandwiched between a 51-yard touchdown run by Memorial’s Aiden Hinkle, a 4-yard touchdown run by Brylen Parker and a two yard quarterback sneak by Cody Wallace.

Armed with a 21-14 lead to start the second quarter, Pratt found Garett Gunter standing all alone for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 5:44 showing on the clock, but the Roughriders responded with a 46-yard touchdown run by Hinkle just 47 seconds later. Pratt and Campbell answered that with a 21-yard touchdown connectxion less than a minute later, making it 35-21. The Roughriders drove deep into Van Wert territory after that, but were turned away when Gunter intercepted a Wallace pass in the end zone to end the first half.

The Cougars recovered an onside kick to start the second half, then drove 45 yards in eight plays, with Pratt going over for the final yard to increase the lead to 42-21. Later in the quarter, Pratt hit a streaking Nate Phillips for a 59-yard touchdown, then after a 1-yard touchdown run by Hinkle, Pratt used his legs to scored from 23 yards out for a 56-28 lead.

Each team scored twice in the fourth quarter, with Pratt teaming up with Campbell from 47 yards away and a 7-yard run by Parker, while Cody Wallace tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Hinkle and scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Parker tallied 69 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, while Pratt had 10 carries for 38 yards and a pair of scores.

Neither team punted during the game, and Damon McCracken was perfect on PATs, 10-of-10.

Hinkle rolled to 240 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries and as a team, the Roughriders (3-2, 2-2 WBL) ran for 388 yards, while Wallace completed 4-of-9 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions. Along with Gunter, Reese Krugh and Luke Wessell had interceptions.

“Our coaches made a bit of an adjustment with our defensive tackles to take away some of their trap,” Recker said.

Van Wert will travel to Ottawa-Glandorf on Friday.

Scoring summary

Van Wert 21 14 21 14 – 70
St. Marys 14 7 7 13 – 41

First quarter

VW (9:49) – Aidan Pratt 47-yard pass to Conner Campbell (Damon McCracken kick)
SM (8:36) – Aiden Hinkle 51-yard run (Landon Rush kick)
VW (6:00) – Brylen Parker 4-yard run (McCracken kick)
SM (3:07) – Cody Wallace 2-yard run (Rush kick)
VW (:57) – Aidan Pratt 43-yard pass to Conner Campbell (McCracken kick)

Second quarter

VW (5:44) – Aidan Pratt 27-yard pass to Garett Gunter (McCracken kick)
SM (4:57) – Aiden Hinkle 46-yard run (Rush kick)
VW (4:09) – Aidan Pratt 21-yard pass to Conner Campbell (McCracken kick)

Third quarter

VW (9:19) – Aidan Pratt 1-yard run (McCracken kick)
VW (4:44) – Aidan Pratt 59-yard pass to Nate Phillips (McCracken kick)
SM (2:21) – Aiden Hinkle 1-yard run (Rush kick)
VW (:55) – Aidan Pratt 23-yard run (McCracken kick)

Fourth quarter

SM (10:43) – Cody Wallace 23-yard pass to Aiden Hinkle (Rush kick)
VW (9:02) – Aidan Pratt 47-yard pass to Conner Campbell (McCracken kick)
VW (5:16) – Brylen Parker 2-yard run (McCracken kick)
SM (4:31) – Cody Wallace 1-yard run (kick blocked)