Passing game, defense key to VW win

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

It wasn’t pretty at times but even so, Van Wert was able to cruise to a 41-6 season opening win over Bryan at Eggerss Stadium Friday night. It was the ninth consecutive time the Cougars topped the Golden Bears.

Van Wert forced Bryan to turn the ball over on downs four times, including including a goal line stand from the 3-yard line early in the third quarter. The Cougars also forced four punts in the game.

“We’re a little bit undersized but for them to hold up like that at the goal line was good,” Van Wert head coach Keith Recker said. “They were opportunistic tonight and got the stop when they needed to.”

Offensively, Bryan kept Van Wert’s running game in check. Xavier Kelly had 13 carries for 29 yards and a touchdown and Zach Crummey finished with 33 yards and a score on 13 carries. Late in the game, reserves Gavin Gonzalez and LJ Compton were able to boost Van Wert’s rushing total, as the duo accounted for 63 yards on five totes, including a 33-yard scamper by Compton.

The passing game was a different story. Crummey completed 22-of-25 passes (88 percent) for 354 yards and three touchdowns. Five different receivers caught passes, including Keaten Welch (7-174, one touchdown) and Kelly (4-96, two touchdowns). Micah Cowan added 40 yards on four receptions.

One of Crummey’s touchdown passes came with just 14 seconds left until halftime, when the junior quarterback found Kelly in the back of the end zone, giving Van Wert a 21-6 lead at halftime.

“That was big,” Recker said. “We just couldn’t get out of our own way in the first half so to be able to punch that in, it was good to get that lead.”

After the fourth and goal stop in the third quarter, Crummey capped off a five-play, 96-yard drive with a 68-yard touchdown strike to Welch. He also teamed up with Kelly on a 38-yard touchdown toss early in the fourth quarter.

“He’s so explosive and we just have to keep finding ways to get the ball in his hands,” Recker said of Kelly.

Much of Van Wert’s success through the air came in the second half.

“Coach (Bryce) Crea called a couple of hitches in the quick game and I think that settled them down a little bit,” Recker explained. “We have three new starters up front so to see this during a game I think it was good for them. We just need to keep improving at every position”

The Cougars lost a pair of fumbles in the game, one on the opening drive when it appeared Van Wert was going to score, but instead the ball came lose and was fumbled into the end zone for a touchback. Van Wert also lost a fumble in the second quarter and had a touchdown called back on a penalty.

Bryan’s lone score came in the second quarter, when sophomore quarterback Jake Arnold fired a 24-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Weber, but the PAT was blocked. Arnold finished the game 12-of-15 for 135 yards, and he added 36 rushing yards on 10 carries.

The Cougars (1-0) will host Elida in the Western Buckeye League opener on Friday. The Bulldogs defeated Toledo Rogers 48-6 on Friday.

“They’ll be ready – coach Harmon does a good job,” Recker said. “We’re just excited to get back to it and set a game plan and see what we need to do to win this one.”

Scoring summary

Van Wert  7  14  13   7 – 41

Bryan       0     6    0   0 – 6

First quarter

1:37 VW – Xavier Kelly 1-yard run (Alex Benner kick)

Second quarter

7:27 VW – Zach Crummey 1-yard run (Alex Benner kick)

3:39 B – Jake Arnold 24-yard pass to Anthony Weber (kick blocked)

0:14 VW – Zach Crummey 14-yard pass to Xavier Kelly (Alex Benner kick)

Third quarter

5:42 VW – Zach Crummey 68-yard pass to Keaten Welch (Alex Benner kick)

2:51 VW – Xavier Kelly 4-yard run (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

10:16 VW – Zach Crummey 38-yard pas to Xavier Kelly (Alex Benner kick)