Van Wert beats Riders in season finale

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars shrugged off last weekend’s lousy performance to defeat St. Marys 60-51 in their last regular season game of the year.

With the win, both Van Wert and the Roughriders end the regular season with identical records of 10-12 overall and 3-6 in league play.

The Cougars had to overcome the poor shooting of last weekend, as well as a 28-point performance by St. Marys’ Quinn Zaerr, who was the only Roughrider in double figures for the evening. Van Wert had four players in double figures, led by Nathan Stoller’s 14 points. Kyle Keber and Connor Holliday each had 13 points, while Matt Bidlack added 11 points in the game. Marquis Wilson scored 9 points for St. Marys.

Van Wert led 16-11 in the first quarter and parlayed a 16-7 second-quarter run into a 14-point lead at the half. St. Marys outscored the Cougars in the second half, 33-28, but Van Wert did enough offensively to preserve the victory.

The Cougars were 20 of 35 from the field (57.1 percent), including 8 of 14 (57.1 percent) from three-point range. St. Marys was 0 for 11 in three-point attempts and 21 of 50 (42 percent) overall from the field.

Van Wert made 12 of 18 free throws (66.7 percent), while the Roughriders were 9 of 14 (64.3 percent) from the line.

The Cougars also had more rebounds, 26-18, than St. Marys, while turning the ball over more, 15-10.

The Van Wert junior varsity team also won, 56-43, over the Roughrider JVs. Gavin Gardner led the JV Cougars with 16 points, while Brant Henry scored 15 points and Josh Braun added 11 points for Van Wert.

St. Marys’ JVs were led by Carter Bowman’s 12 points, while Tyler Sullivan and Jacob Garman added 10 points for the Roughriders.

Van Wert will head for St. Marys next Wednesday to play Coldwater in the Division III sectional tournament. The JVs end their season with 15-7 record overall.