Cougars, Knights ready to play football

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

Are you ready for some football? Ready or not, the 2016 high school football season kicks off tonight.

The Van Wert Cougars will host the Bryan Golden Bears, while the Crestview Knights will entertain the Parkway Panthers.

Van Wert will debut with a revamped defense and a new quarterback, while the Cougars also used scrimmages against Parkway, Versailles, and Crestview to make adjustments and improvements to the new three-man defensive front.

“Once we really solidified how we wanted to play against certain formations, we were able to simplify things for the players so they don’t have to think and can just play fast,” Van Wert Head Coach Keith Recker said.

Recker also said sophomore Lawson Blackmore will start at quarterback against Bryan. Blackmore is stepping in for Colin Smith, who’s now a member of the Davenport University football team.

“He (Blackmore) earned the opportunity with his play against Crestview,” Recker said. “He did a really good job managing the offense and moving the ball through good decision making.”

The Cougars topped Bryan in last year’s season opener, 42-14. It was Van Wert’s first win over the Golden Bears since 2010.

Tonight’s game will kick off at 7 p.m., and live coverage can be heard on WERT 1220 AM.

The Crestview Knights will try to make it five straight season-opening wins against the rival Parkway Panthers. The last three victories have come by a combined score of 68-0.

Last Friday’s scrimmage against Van Wert did not go well for the Knights.

Crestview allowed 32 points, while struggling offensively.

However, Head Coach Jared Owens is pleased with how things have gone in practice this week.

“We have definitely been sharp and more intense,” Owens said. “It feels like we understand that this week counts.”

After starting the final two games of last season, sophomore quarterback Drew Kline will get the nod in the season opener. Dylan Grandstaff, who played nine games at quarterback in 2015, will start at wide receiver.

According to Owens, the Knights know what they need to do tonight.

“We need to limit turnovers and penalties, execute our game plan and tackle efficiently,” Owens said.