VW independent sports
OTTOVILLE — Will Sheets supplied the muscle inside, Owen Heckler provided some long distance pop and Hayden Perrott and Liam Putman made solid contributions during Crestview’s 51-36 win over Ottoville Friday night.
Sheets scored 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds, with 10 points coming in the second quarter and seven more in the final period. Heckler drilled a pair of first quarter treys, Perrott scored all nine of his points in the second half and pulled down a game high nine rebounds, and Putman added nine points, including five in the first quarter.
The Knights (4-5) barreled out to a 15-7 lead and led by as many as 13 in the second quarter. Ottoville (1-8) trimmed the deficit to five in the second stanza, only to see Crestview push the margin back to double digits, 29-18 at halftime. The Knights led 38-28 entering the fourth quarter.
Ottoville’s Ashton Miller led all scorers with 21 points, including the first 12 points scored by the Big Green.
Both teams struggled from long range, with Crestview converting 2-of-18 three point attempts, while Ottoville connected on 4-of-21 tries. The Knights connected on 16-of-32 two point attempts, compared to 8-of-18 by the Big Green. Crestview controlled the boards, 39-28 and committed 12 turnovers, while Ottoville turned the ball over 20 times.
Ottoville will play at Van Wert today (4 p.m. JV start), while Crestview will host Paulding on Friday, then will travel to Antwerp on Saturday.
POSTED: 12/26/25 at 11:04 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
Van Wert’s Xavier Kelly put his athleticism on display against Columbus Grove Tuesday night.
The 6-0 sophomore guard scored a career-high 28 points, including 19 in the second half to lead Van Wert by the Bulldogs 68-50. He accounted for nine baskets, one of which was a trey, and was 9-of-11 from the foul line.
“You see his emergence as floor leader for us,” Van Wert head coach Jeremy Best said. “He had a lot of floor to work with tonight and when he can get on the open floor and when his decision making is on point, he can be very dangerous for us facilitating and getting to the rim.”
Despite battling foul trouble in the third quarter, Zach Crummey finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
“We ask so much of him because he’s our only physical presence and he’s still a sophomore, so we want him to play hard and we want him to be aggressive,” Best said. “He’s really starting to learn how to play every possession that really matters but be sensitive to the fact that he needs to stay on the floor for us for a long period of time. He can control the middle of the floor for us and that gives us a nice option when X (Xavier Kelly) is breaking things down.”
The Cougars (6-2) found themselves down 18-13 after one quarter, with Griffin McCracken supplying a pair of treys in the opening period and Columbus Grove’s Trevon Baxter scoring 10 of his points in the quarter. Early in the second quarter, Columbus Grove (2-2) went up 23-15 and had the ball, but a hook shot by Crummey, a trey by Kelly and another bucket by Crummey sparked an 11-0 run. By halftime, Van Wert led 28-27.
The third quarter remained close and the Cougars took a 47-41 lead into the fourth quarter, where Van Wert put up a flurry of points to push the lead to 64-47 at one point in the period.
(more…)POSTED: 12/23/25 at 11:29 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
This week’s installment of Random Thoughts is truly random – it’ll about area high school basketball by the numbers.
Lincolnview has raced out to a 6-1 start, with the only loss coming to Ada, 64-63 in overtime. The Lancers also pulled what many consider to be the stunner so far in the NWC with a 61-45 win over Lima Central Catholic.
Lima Central Catholic then turned around and defeated previously undefeated Spencerville the following Friday, 66-57. Had the Thunderbirds lost, they would have started the NWC season 0-2, which would be a huge surprise for a team that was expected to contend for the conference title.
Allen East went 10-12 during the regular season last year. Now, the Mustangs are off to a 6-0 start in the topsy-tervy NWC. Along with that, Allen east is the only undefeated team left in the conference. However, there are some tough games ahead, including a three-game stretch January 2-3 and 10 against Wapakoneta, Ottawa-Glandorf and Liberty-Benton.
Allen East, Lincolnview and Columbus Grove are currently tied for first in the NWC. With all due respect to all conference teams, I think it’s safe to say no one is getting out of conference play undefeated this season.
Delphos St. John’s guard Cameron Elwer put on an unbelievable shooting clinic last Tuesday against Van Wert. He went 10-for-10 from the floor, including seven treys, and 5-of-5 from the foul line, all in the first half. He literally didn’t miss anything and had 32 points at halftime.
The WBL has two 6-0 teams – Ottawa-Glandorf, a team that traditionally finishes at or near the top of the standings but struggled to an 8-12 mark last season minus Colin White and crew, and Wapakoneta, who finished 11-10 last season but won six of the seven final regular season games.
Shawnee is 5-1, with the only loss coming to Lima Central Catholic in the season opening game of the Elida Tipoff Classic, 67-58. Guess what? The Indians will have a chance to avenge that loss when the two teams meet again next Tuesday.
Van Wert was 9-12 during the regular season last year but the Cougars are off to a 5-2 start. The losses came to Kalida and Delphos St. John’s. The team bounced back with a Friday night overtime road win over Bath, then scored a season high 72 points the following night in a 72-43 win over Holland Springfield.
Ottawa-Glandorf, Wapakoneta, Shawnee and Van Wert are all tied for first the WBL.
(more…)POSTED: 12/22/25 at 10:42 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
Delphos Jefferson 46 Van Wert 33
DELPHOS — Jazz Florence led all scorers with 19 points but Van Wert came up short against Delphos Jefferson, losing 46-33 on Monday night.
Brylee Geary scored seven all seven of her points in the first quarter and the Wildcats led 16-7 at the end of the period. Neither team could get untracked offensively in the second quarter, as Van Wert scored four points, which included a trey by Amaya Dowdy, while Jefferson scored just three points and led 19-11 at halftime. The pace picked up a bit in the third quarter, with Florence scoring 11 points in the period, but Van Wert still trailed 36-24. Florence added five more points in the fourth quarter. Dowdy, who scored four points in the opening period, finished with 10 points. Libby Wallace led Delphos Jefferson with 15 points and Kyah Kimmett added 14 points.
Delphos Jefferson (4-5) will host Perry on Saturday, while Van Wert (0-8) will return to action next Tuesday, December 30, at home against Delphos St. John’s.
Liberty-Benton 57 Crestview 25
FINDLAY — Perennial power Liberty-Benton was too much for Crestview to handle, as the Eagles topped the Lady Knights 57-25.
The first quarter set the tone, as L-B (8-2) jumped out to a 17-6 lead, with Megan Gerken supplying eight points. The lead increased to 31-12 at halftime and 46-20 after three quarters. Zoe Ross led Crestview with 10 points, including six in the third quarter. Gerkin led all scorers with 17 points.
Things don’t get easier for Crestview, at the Lady Knights will host undefeated Ottawa-Glandorf on Saturday.
POSTED: 12/22/25 at 10:41 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
Boys basketball
Van Wert 73 Springfield 42
DEFIANCE – Van Wert put the wraps on a successful weekend with a 73-42 victory over Holland Springfield at the Grubbe Family Holiday Classic at Defiance High School on Saturday. The one-day classic pitted schools from the Western Buckeye League against teams from the Northern Lakes League. The WBL went 5-0 on the day.
The Cougars (5-2), who enjoyed a 42-40 overtime win over Bath on Friday night, trailed the Blue Devils 15-14 after the first quarter, with Zach Crummey accounting for six of Van Wert’s points. Van Wert kicked it in gear in the second quarter, outscoring Springfield (1-6), a member of the Northern Lakes League, 20-9. Keaten Welch poured in 10 points in the period, including six foul shots, and Cohen Bragg hit a pair of treys and a free throw. Leading 34-24 to start the second half, the Cougars ended any hopes of a Springfield comeback by outscoring the Blue Devils by a 24-5 margin. Welch added six more points, Griffin McCracken scored five points and Xavier Kelly and Crummey each added two buckets.
All five Cougar starters finished in double figures – Welch led all scorers with 18 points, Crummey had 14 points, McCracken tallied 13 points, Bragg had 11 points and Kelley finished with 10 points. Kai Tyler was Springfield’s only player in double figures, with 10 points.
Van Wert has a pair of holiday week non-conference games on tap. The Cougars will host Columbus Grove on Tuesday (5 p.m. junior varsity start), then will entertain Ottoville on Saturday (4 p.m. junior varsity start).
Crestview 48 Kalida 29
KALIDA — Will Sheets scored 22 points and Crestview shook off Friday’s loss to Columbus Grove with a 48-29 win at Kalida on Saturday.
Sheets scored 10 points on five baskets in the first quarter alone and the Knights led 14-12 at the end of the period. Logan Kerner accounted for eight of Kalida’s points, including a pair of triples. Each team scored just five points in the second quarter and Crestview carried a 19-17 lead into halftime. However, the Knights pulled away in the third quarter, as Hayden Perrott, who finished with 14 points, scored five points and Sheets and Cash Hammons each put in two baskets, and Crestview led 35-20 entering the final stanza. Sheets added six more points in the final quarter.
“Our guys played really hard tonight,” Crestview head coach Doug Etzler said. “It’s been a learning experience for our group so far. Hopefully this shows them what can happen when you take care of the ball and play as hard as you can.”
(more…)POSTED: 12/21/25 at 10:32 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
Here are this week’s girls and boys high school basketball broadcast schedules for 99.7FM WKSD and WERT 1220AM/104.3FM. All games will air live. Pregame coverage will begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
WKSD
Monday, December 22 – North Central at Paulding
Friday, December 26 – Crestview at Ottoville
Saturday, December 27 – Paulding at Miller City
WERT
Tuesday, December 23 – Columbus Grove at Van Wert (6 p.m. pregame)
Saturday, December 27 – Ottoville at Van Wert (5 p.m. pregame)
POSTED: 12/21/25 at 10:32 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
Here are scores of area high school boys basketball games played on Saturday, December 20.
Archbold 54 Fairview 41
Bluffton 53 Kenton 36
Crestview 48 Kalida 29
Defiance 74 Fremont Ross 50
Delphos Jefferson 58 Antwerp 38
Edgerton 49 Continental 42
Elida 53 Perry 41
Fort Recovery 52 Ansonia 27
Liberty-Benton 68 Celina 46
Liberty Center 52 Tinora 16
Lincolnview 43 Fort Jennings 41
Miller City 63 McComb 52
Minster 62 Houston 31
New Bremen 57 Anna 36
Ottawa-Glandorf 62 Bowling Green 37
Paulding 64 Ottoville 26
Russia 54 Coldwater 41
Shawnee 69 Anthony Wayne 37
Spencerville 64 St. Henry 50
Van Wert 73 Springfield 42
Versailles 54 Cincinnati College Prep 42
Wapakoneta 48 Findlay 38
POSTED: 12/21/25 at 7:47 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
Lincolnview led wire-to-wire but at one point, the Lancers needed a spark and they found it in the third quarter.
After a free throw by Ottoville’s Ashton Miller trimmed Lincolnview’s lead to 37-32 with just under five minutes left in the third period, Lancer head coach Brett Hammons turned to his bench, which paid immediate dividends. Jackson Ingledue hit back-to-back triples, including a deep attempt from the right wing, Grant Zielke scored and Zander Coil turned an offensive rebound into a layup and just like that, Lincolnview’s lead ballooned 47-35. From there, Lincolnview cruised to a 72-48 victory, putting the Lancers at 5-1 on the season.
“We had some foul trouble and we brought Jackson in and he hit those two huge threes and Grant got a bucket for us and Zander made one and that’s why we have a bench,” Lincolnview head coach Brett Hammons said. “They’re there for us and they step up when we need them and I thought they executed tonight on both ends.”
“I thought we found a little bit of a rhythm offensively in the second quarter,” Ottoville head coach Keith Utendorf said. “Ash had to get us through a murky sort of start. It was 37-32 so we had a chance. What we’ve seen this year is we’ve kind of had a lull offensively and that unfortunately leaks into the defensive end. Our kids gave effort, we’re trying to find the right mix, so I think it’s going to take a while.”
“That’s a really good Lincolnview team,” he added. “They can really score with the basketball. They have a lot of guards, they have a lot of athletes out there.”
After the bench run, Max Hammons hit four foul shots, Chayse Overholt turned a steal into a layup and Hammons buried a triple at the buzzer to give the Lancers a commanding 56-39 lead. Hammons went on to finish with a team high 23 points.
“He’s kind of the leader of our team,” Hammons said of his oldest son. “He’s consistent, the ball’s in his hands a lot and he had a stretch struggling to score but he just finds a way. We’re probably not where we’re at without his playing ability and give credit to him – he puts in a lot of work.”
(more…)POSTED: 12/19/25 at 11:44 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
Xavier Kelly scored 10 points, including the game winner with a second left in overtime, and Van Wert snapped a two-game losing streak with an exciting 42-40 win over Bath (4-2, 1-1 WBL) at Bath High School Friday night. The Cougars led 12-11 after one quarter and 21-18 at halftime. The Wildcats rallied for a 29-27 lead after three quarters and the game was tied 40-40 at the end of regulation. Cohen Bragg led Van Wert with 11 points, while Bath’s Logan Markley led all scorers with 17 points. Van Wert (4-2, 2-0 WBL) will play Holland Springfield at Defiance High School today (5:45 p.m.). Photo courtesy of Monica Campbell
POSTED: 12/19/25 at 11:43 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
COLUMBUS GROVE — A slow start by Crestview proved to be costly, as the Knights fell to Columbus Grove 61-55 Friday night.
Crestview trailed 16-7 after the opening quarter and 35-21 at halftime. Owen Heckler and Will Sheets combined for nine points in the third quarter but the Knights trailed 46-36 at the end of the period. Heckler added two treys in the fourth quarter and Hayden Perrott and Sheets each accounted for five points in the period, but Columbus Grove (2-1, 1-0 WBL) hung on for the win. Sheets led all scorers with 16 points, Perrott added 15 and Heckler finished with 11 points.
Crestview (2-5, 0-2 NWC) will travel to Kalida tonight (4 p.m. junior varsity start).
POSTED: 12/19/25 at 11:43 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
