Football preview: 2018 Van Wert Cougars

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

The 2017 high school football season was one of ups and downs for the Van Wert Cougars. The team got off to a 3-1 start, including exciting Western Buckeye League victories against Wapakoneta and Ottawa-Glandorf, but also a string of three consecutive 35-27 losses to Shawnee, Kenton and Elida.

The Cougars went on to finish the season 5-5 (4-5 WBL), and the team lost eight seniors to graduation. However, 18 letter winners return, fueling optimism for an even better finish in 2018.

“We have a very veteran group coming back, which has allowed us to be much further ahead this year than in 2017, because there isn’t much of a learning curve,” seventh year head coach Keith Recker said. “We have 18 seniors and many of them will play a lot of football for us this fall.”

“The senior class is a very talented and committed group that will be good leaders for this team,” Recker added.

Back to lead Van Wert’s spread offense is senior quarterback Nate Place (6-2, 185), who passed for nearly 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for nearly 650 yards and eight more scores last year.

“Nate will be one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and there will be some very good quarterbacks in the WBL this season,” Recker said.

Place will throw to 6-4 senior tight end Drew Bagley (60 receptions, 658 yards, four touchdowns), 6-3 junior wide receiver Tanner Barnhart, 6-5 senior wide receiver Blake Henry and 6-5 senior wide receiver Joey Schaufelberger.

“We can put four receivers into the game that are 6-3 or taller,” Recker explained. “They have a good combination of size and athleticism that should create good matchups for us.”

Another option may be 5-10, 175 sophomore Owen Treece, who will also see time at quarterback and running back.

Jake Hilleary appears to be in line to be Van Wert’s starting running back. The 6-2, 190 junior is a physical back with underrated speed.

Up front, Austin Clay (6-2, 245 senior) will open the season at left tackle, 6-3, 240 junior Colin Place will play left guard, 5-9, 240 senior Mason Place will man the center position, while 6-1, 210 senior Nathan Temple will play right guard and 6-0, 250 senior Garrett Black will play right tackle. Butch Eutsler (6-1, 205 senior), Keegan Hammons (6-0, 190 junior), Hayden Maples (6-0, 190 senior) and Turner Witten (5-11, 205 freshman) will also play along the offensive line.

“As with any football team ever, we need five offensive linemen to step up and take it upon themselves that we will be a good football team this season,” Recker said.

On the defensive side of the ball, Bagley (eight sacks, 51 tackles in 2017) and Schaufelberger will line up at the ends, while Temple and Hammons will play tackle. Black, (Colin) Place, Maples and Witten will see time on the defensive line.

Eutsler and Parker Conrad (6-0, 185 junior) are back at linebacker, with TJ Reynolds (5-7, 170 junior) and Bradley Fuerst (6-0, 170 senior) also slated to see time at linebacker. The secondary will feature several players, most notably (Nate) Place, Henry and Jalen McCracken, who led the Cougars with 74 tackles in 2017.

Bagley is back as the team’s punter, while Reynolds and junior Clayton Proffitt have been working at kicker.

“We will continue to work with both to see if we can get some consistency,” Recker said. “Both have kicked well at times in practice, but scrimmages have been a big issue with making extra points and being consistent on kickoffs. Going for two is the other solution.”

Recker’s 2018 coaching staff includes Cole Harting, Steve Sealscott, Josiah Poletta, Adam Tussing and Harry Florence.

The Cougars will open the season Friday at home against Bryan, team that finished 6-4 in 2017, including a 27-7 loss to Van Wert.

“Bryan’s quarterback throws and runs fairly well, so we will need to do a good job keeping him in the pocket but also putting pressure on him,” Recker said of the Golden Bears. “They have a pretty speedy wide receiver that they get the ball to with short, intermediate, and deep throws, and they also have some decent size up front on both sides of the ball.”

“Defensively they really attack well,” Recker continued. “They like to blitz their inside linebackers and make things difficult to run between the tackles, which is were we try to run. We will need our offensive line to be good at cutting off penetration and covering guys up on blocks so we can get some yards in the run game.”

Van Wert will open WBL competition at Wapakoneta in Week No. 2, then will return home to face defending league champion St. Marys the following week. A road game at Ottawa-Glandorf and a home game against Shawnee will round out the first half of the schedule. The Cougars will play at Kenton, home against Elida, at Bath and Celina and home against Defiance in weeks 6-10.