3rd quarter scores lift Bath over Cougs

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars looked like they would take a 13-6 lead into the halftime locker room during Friday night’s Homecoming football game against the Bath Wildcats. Unfortunately, the ‘Cats scored again with 24 seconds left on the clock and the touchdown seemed to take the wind out of Van Wert’s sails as Bath went on to score two more touchdowns en route to a 27-13 Western Buckeye League victory over the Cougars.

The key to the game was the inability of the Van Wert defense to stop the dive play, which the Wildcats used successfully to pick up first downs throughout the game.

Bath scored first when Cam Jenkins found Eric Heffner on what was a 61-yard scoring strike with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter. The kick was blocked, though, and the Wildcats led 6-0.

Van Wert scored twice in the second quarter, the first on a 4-yard run by quarterback Colin Smith at the 3:51 mark, and again two minutes later when Smith found Terrance Branson for a 62-yard touchdown pass at the 1:44 mark.

Gavin Gardner kicked one of the two extra points and the Cougars led 13-7, with halftime coming up.

But the Wildcats weren’t done yet. After they penetrated to the Van Wert 20-yard line, Jenkins then found Heffner and connected for a 20-yard touchdown with 24 seconds left on the clock. Hunter Weis kicked the PAT and the score was tied at 13-all at halftime.

Unfortunately, that would be all the scoring for the Cougars, although Bath added two more touchdowns, both in the third quarter and both on runs by Nate Stonehill. Stonehill ran the first score in from the 1-yard line and the second from the Van Wert 5 (that one with just five seconds left in the third quarter).

Although both teams tried to get some offense going in the final period, no one could put the ball into the end zone and the game went to the Wildcats, 27-13.

Bath generated 392 yards of offense, with 207 of those on the ground and 185 through the air. The Cougars were held to 245 yards of total offense, 137 of those through the air and the remaining 108 on the ground.

Jenkins was 13 of 27 for 207 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for Bath, while Smith hit 7 of 18 passes for 137 yards, a TD and no interceptions.

Smith was the Cougars’ top rusher, with 48 years on 17 carries and a touchdown, while Jenkins also led Bath with 68 yards on 14 carries.

Branson was Van Wert’s leading receiver with 104 yards and a touchdown on three catches. Heffner led the Wildcats with 125 yards and two TDs on five catches.

With the loss, the Cougars are now 0-6 overall and 0-5 in the WBL, while Bath is 2-4 overall and 2-3 in league play.

Van Wert will play Celina next week at home. The Bulldogs, a 49-23 winner of St. Marys on Friday, have just one loss on the year.