Cougars fall to Celina in home finale

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Brett Schwieterman threw six touchdown passes and led the Celina Bulldogs to a 63-21 Western Buckeye League victory over Van Wert on Friday.

The loss dropped the Cougars to 4-5 (3-5 WBL) and ended Van Wert’s slim playoff hopes. Celina improved to 6-3 (6-2 WBL).

Schwieterman’s touchdowns passes spanned 43, 37, 90, 12, 61 and 20 yards. He finished the game 13 of 15 for 340 yards, and he rushed 18 times for 141 yards.

Celina put the game away early by racing to a 28-7 first quarter lead. The Bulldogs found paydirt 90 seconds into the first quarter, when Schweiterman hit Dillon Hoying for a 43 yard touchdown, then the senior quarterback connected with Kole Murlin for a 37 yard touchdown with 8:05 left in the quarter.

Kyle Zizleman ran 16 yards for a touchdown with 5:59 left, then Schwieterman threw his third touchdown pass of the quarter, a 90 yarder to Hoying with 2:40 showing on the first quarter clock.

The Cougars answered with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Jake Hilleary to Jacoby Kelly with 2:22 left in the quarter. Hilleary got the start, because Nate Place was unable to play due to an illness.

Celina scored just 23 seconds into the second quarter, when Schwieterman found Murlin from 12 yards out to put the Bulldogs up 35-7.

Van Wert answered with a two yard touchdown run by Hilleary, but Schwieterman connected with Murlin again for a 61 yard touchdown with 1:50 left until halftime.

Murlin opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 10 yard run, but the Cougars responded with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Owen Treece to Kelly to make it 49-21.

Celina scored twice more in the fourth quarter. Schwieterman hit Murlin early on for 20 yards, then Branson Miller scored from seven yards out with less than two minutes left.

“We had a couple of good drives on offense and some stops defensively, but we got in a hole and could never change the momentum back in our favor,” head coach Keith Recker said. “They outplayed us in all three phases of the game tonight.”

Murlin finished the game with eight receptions for 175 yards and four touchdowns, and he ran three times for 27 yards and a score. Holying had four catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Zizleman finished with 16 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown.

For the Cougars, Hilleary was 8 of 18 passing for 121 yards and a touchdown, while Treece was 5 of 8 for 45 yards and a score. Hilleary was Van Wert’s leading rusher with 14 carries for 30 yards and a touchdown. Jacoby Kelly had six receptions for 116 yards, and Drew Bagley finished with six catches for 44 yards.

Celina will play at Shawnee on Friday, while the Cougars will travel to Defiance.

Scoring summary:

10:30 1 qtr CHS: Brett Schwieterman 43 yard pass to Dillon Hoying (Kole Murlin kick)
8:05 1 qtr CHS: Brett Schwieterman 37 yard pass to Kole Murlin (Kole Murlin kick)
5:59 1 qtr CHS: Kyle Zizleman 14 yard run (Kole Murlin kick)
2:40 1 qtr CHS: Brett Schwieterman 90 yard pass to Dillon Hoying (Kole Murlin kick)
2:22 1 qtr VW: Jake Hilleary 72 yard pass to Jacoby Kelly (Jake Lautzenheiser kick)
11:37 2 qtr CHS: Brett Schwieterman 12 yard pass to Kole Murlin (Kole Murlin kick)
7:26 2 qtr VW: Jake Hilleary 2 yard run (Jake Lautzenheiser kick)
1:50 2 qtr CHS: Brett Schwieterman 61 yard pass to Kole Murlin (Kole Murlin kick)
7:55 3 qtr CHS: Kole Murlin 10 yard run (Kole Murlin kick)
1:29 3 qtr VW: Owen Treece 21 yard pass to Jacoby Kelly (Jake Lautzenheiser kick)
11:15 4 qtr CHS: Brett Schwieterman 20 yard pass to Kole Murlin (Kole Murlin kick)
1:50 4 qtr CHS: Bransen Miller 7 yard run (Kole Murlin kick)