Cougars win finale 52-18 over Kenton

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

In Friday night’s season finale, Van Wert crafted a 17-0 halftime lead then scored the game’s final three touchdowns en route to a 52-18 win over Kenton at Cougar Alumni Field at Eggerss Stadium. The game was played in front of some members, cheerleaders, coaches and others from the 2000 Division III state runner-up team. That group was honored during pregame festivities.

The Cougars finished 5-5 (4-5 WBL), but did not qualify for the playoffs in Division IV Region 14. The top 12 teams per region qualify this year and it appears the Cougars finished 15th in the region. Official computer ranking standings will be released on Sunday. Kenton finished 1-9 (1-8 WBL).

Zach Crummey threw two of his four touchdown passes in the first half – a 28-yard toss to Micah Cowan on Van Wert’s first possession of the game and an 8-yard pass to Cowan late in the second quarter. Sandwiched in between was a 22-yard field goal by Griffin McCracken, who finished the season 4-for-4 on field goal attempts. Meanwhile, the defense kept the normally potent Kenton passing game bottled up in the first half.

“The defense really stepped up,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “We were really nervous about the way Kenton was playing on offense but I thought we did a really good job all around defensively. The line got some pressure, which we hadn’t gotten a lot of all year, our linebackers did a good job taking away the screens and our defensive backs had a really good game.”

The third quarter was a different story, as the two teams combined for six touchdowns. Xavier Kelly accounted for two of Van Wert’s touchowns in the period – a 2-yard run to cap off the opening drive of the second half, and a 34-yard pass from Crummey that put the Cougars ahead 31-6.

“Zach threw the ball real well and he did a good job of hitting what was open,” Recker said. “He stayed patient – he didn’t force it and just took what they gave him.”

Kenton scored back-to-back touchdowns on a 48-yard pass from Zayne Perkins to Amiel Huff and a 22-yard pass from Xavier Gammon to Maddux McFarlin that made it 31-18, but from there, the Cougars secured the win with a 1-yard touchdown run by Crummey with just 15 seconds left in the third quarter, a 10-yard pass that caromed off Cowan and into the hands of Kelly in the back of the end zone, and a 7-yard scoring run by Kelly nearly halfway through the fourth quarter.

Crummey completed 28-of-36 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns. Evan Keuneke was a frequent target, catching eight passes for 73 yards. Cowan cross the 1,000 yard receiving mark for the season by catching six passes for 91 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Kelly had five receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns, Keaten Welch had five grabs for 41 yards and Geary Hilleary finished with three receptions for 44 yards. Kelly ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and the Cougars rolled up 497 yards of total offense.

Gammon completed 26-of-47 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but the freshman quarterback was intercepted three times, all in the fourth quarter,  by Caine Shobe, Cohen Bragg and Cowan.

The game marked the end for 13 Van Wert seniors – Hilleary, McCracken, Kaiven Welch, Cam Werts, Finley Dickinson, Colton Richardson, Caine Shobe, Briggs Wallace, Trevor Dotson, Payton Morefield, Javon Smith, Nick Edwards, and Conner Harris.

“I’m happy for them to get this win but I told them I really appreciate the way they treated their teammates and made everyone feel like a part of the team, freshman through senior,” Recker said.

Scoring summary

First quarter

9:43 VW – Zach Crummey 28-yard pass to Micah Cowan (Griffin McCracken kick)

Second quarter

7:43 VW – Griffin McCracken 22-yard field goal

1:55 VW – Zach Crummey 8-yard pass to Micah Cowan (Griffin McCracken kick)

Third quarter

9:46 VW – Xavier Kelly 2-yard run (Griffin McCracken kick)

7:09 K – Xavier Gammon 41-yard pass to Zayne Perkins (pass failed)

5:32 VW – Zach Crummey 34-yard pass to Xavier Kelly (Griffin McCracken kick)

4:48 K – Zayne Perkins 48-yard pass to Amiel Huff (pass failed)

1:59 K – Xavier Gammon 22-yard pass to Maddux McFarlin (pass failed)

0:15 VW – Zach Crummey 1-yard run (Griffin McCracken kick)

Fourth quarter

9:46 VW – Zach Crummey 10-yard pass to Xavier Kelly (Griffin McCracken kick)

6:12 VW – Xavier Kelly 7-yard run (Griffin McCracken kick)