Van Wert takes care of Wildcats, 63-20

VAN WERT — Van Wert jumped ahead 28-0 after one quarter and cruised from there on the way to a 63-20 victory over Kenton in Western Buckeye League football action on Friday night.

The Wildcats drop to 0-8 on the season and 0-7 in WBL play. Van Wert, the defending Division IV State champion, is 8-1 and 7-1. 

The Cougars, who led 49-6 by halftime, had 539 yards of offense as quarterback Aidan Pratt completed 16 of 26 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown pass. Pratt also had a pair of two-yard touchdown runs.

His top target was Connor Pratt, who caught 8 passes for 72 yards. Maddix Crutchfield added 5 receptions for 51 yards.

Van Wert finished with 245 yards of rushing paced by Nate Jackson’s 10 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Brylen Parker added 10 carries for 58 yards with scoring runs of 18 and 2 yards and Keldon Bill had 4 carries for 73 yards with a 61-yard scoring run. 

Jackson also had a 15-yard scoring catch two minutes into the second quarter that made it 35-0 at the time.

The Cougars led 49-6 at halftime and the second half was played with a continuous clock. 

Garrett Campbell led the way for the Wildcats, racking up 162 yards with touchdown runs of 42 and 62 yards on 12 carries.

Kenton finished with 127 rushing yards.

Campbell’s first touchdown with 7:38 left in the first half pulled Kenton within 35-6 after the extra point kick was blocked. 

Wildcat quarterback Korbin Johnston was 10 of 30 for 101 yards and two interceptions. He had a 10-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Lawrence midway through the fourth quarter. 

Both of Johnston’s interceptions came in the first quarter. The first one led to Aidan Pratt’s 2-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 and the second one led to an 18-yard touchdown run by Brylen Parker that made it 21-0 five minutes into the game. 

Lawrence caught four passes for 29 yards for the Wildcats.

Kenton hosts Shawnee on Friday. 

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Score by quarters

K          0          6          7          7          –           20

VW       28        21        0          14        –           63

First quarter

9:45 VW – Nate Jackson 42-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

8:00 VW – Aidan Pratt 2-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

6:58 VW – Brylen Parker 18-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

3:21 VW – Nate Jackson 1-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

Second quarter

9:05 VW – Aidan Pratt 15-yard pass to Nate Jackson (Damon McCracken kick)

7:38 K – Garrett Campbell 42-yard run (kick blocked)

6:16 VW – Brylen Parker 1-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

:30 VW – Aidan Pratt 2-yard run (Damon McCracken kick)

Third quarter

4:13 K – Garrett Campbell 62-yard run (Parker Rarey kick)

Fourth quarter 

10:16 VW – Carson Smith 30-yard pass to Luke Wessell (run failed)

6:00 K – Korbin Johnson 10-yard pass to Tyson Lawrence (Parker Rarey kick)

3:22 VW – Kelden Bill 61-yard run (Kelden Bill run)