WBL downs NWC/Lima Area All Stars

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Western Buckeye League brought its own thunder to the Van Wert County Hospital All Star football game, beating the Northwest Conference/Lima Area all-stars 24-15 in a game delayed 45 minutes because of strong storms. It was sweet revenge for the WBL, which lost 30-7 last year and trails in the series, 9-7.

The WBL defense, led in part by Van Wert’s Chandler Adams Ethan Williams, held the NWC/Lima Area team to 193 yards total offense, while garnering 310 offensive yards itself.

The game started slowly, mostly because of the rain that finally stopped after a soggy — and scoreless — first quarter.

The WBL got on the scoreboard first when Bath’s Cam Jenkins connected with Kenton receiver Kollin Stollar for 17-yard touchdown with 2:14 remaining the second quarter. The point-after pass attempt failed and it was 6-0, WBL All Stars.

The early lead lasted all of two minutes as the NWC/Lima Area All Stars returned the favor on their next possession. Wayne Trace quarterback Tyler Showalter found Columbus Grove receiver Joey Warnecke for a 7-yard TD with 8 seconds remaining in the half. Warnecke also kicked the extra point to give the NWC/Lima Area team a 1-point lead, 7-6, heading into the locker room at halftime.

The WBL All Stars took the lead for good early in the third quarter when Jenkins again hit Stollar, this time on a 61-yard scoring strike up the middle. The PAT pass again went astray and the WBL was up 12-7 with 10:29 remaining in the quarter.

After stopping the NWC/Lima Area team, the WBL went back to work from the NWC/Lima 44-yard line, scoring at the 7:25 mark of the third quarter on a 2-yard run by Jenkins that made the score 18-7.

The WBL added an insurance score with 9:39 remaining in the fourth quarter after Adams picked off a Showalter pass at the 38 and ran it 28 yards to the NWC/Lima Area 10-yard-line. On the first play from scrimmage, Jenkins found teammate Corey Briggs in the end zone from 10 yards out to make it 24-7.

Although the game was pretty much over then, the NWC/Lima Area team scored one more time when Lima Senior’s JuNiel Liles ran 4 yards for the final TD of the game with 3:14 remaining. Showalter found fellow Raider David Sinn in the end zone for the two-point PAT for the final score of 24-15.

Jenkins was the WBL’s leading rusher with 87 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Showalter led the NWC/Lima Area team with 51 yards on 13 carries.

Stollar was the WBL — and the game’s — top receiver with six receptions for 113 yards and two TDS, while Warnecke led the NWC/Lima Area squad with three receptions for 47 yards and one touchdown.