(11-9-20) Saturday night in Piqua in the D IV Final Four playoff match-up the Wyoming Cowboys and Van Wert Cougars will decide who will compete for in the title game. This game could be a shoot-out or a defensive struggle…it has all of the ingredients of what a play-off game at this level should be.
Both teams come off of impressive Regional Final wins. Wyoming ranked 3rd in the final AP D IV poll knocked off previously unbeaten and #1 Clinton Massie, while unranked Van Wert handled #8 ranked Shelby 49-7.
In the D IV Region 16 Final game Wyoming beat #1 seed Clinton-Massie 28-9. The Cowboy’s CJ Hester (5’10, 170lb Soph) finished with 175 yards on 16 carries and two rushing (1 and 85 yards) touchdowns and a 6 yd TD catch.
Wyoming’s defense shut down Clinton Massie, who entered the game averaging 56 points per game, including an 86-54 win over Western Brown.
After the win Wyoming Head Coach Aaron Hancock said –
“Our goal is now be 1-0 next week.”
Van Wert the past two weeks has knocked off state ranked teams on the road. Saturday night in Shelby they scored 42 points in the 1st half. With a running clock in the 2nd half they went on to pick-up a 49-7 win and a Region 14 title.
Van Wert WR Dru Johnson had a 96-yard TD reception and a 25 yard interception for a TD. Johnson added four receptions for 136 yards and two more TDs.
Van Wert QB Owen Treece (5’11 190lb Sr), the Western Buckeye League Co-Offensive Player of the Year, went 14-for-15 passing with 228 yards and five passing touchdowns.
After the game Van Wert Head Coach Keith Recker wanted to talk about his defense, he told the VW Independent –
“I can’t say enough about our defensive line, they’re undersized but they play with a great motor, fight off blocks really well,. They do their job and then Nate Jackson from the secondary had 15 tackles and did a great job when we need to put one extra hat in there. Overall, a great effort by our defense.”
Saturday night in Piqua expect a game of two teams who are both on a mission to win a State Title…it should be one to remember.
You Tube Videos
Wyoming-Clinton-Massie
Van Wert-Shelby
Background on the two teams
Wyoming
8-28 – Reading 21-0
9-4 – Mariemont 40-6
9-11 – Madeira 21-3
9-18 – Deer Park 35-7
9-25 – Finneytown 63-7
10-2 – Taylor 49-0
Play-offs
10-17 – Taylor – Forfeit
10-24 – Graham – 28-14
10-31 – Valley View 34-28 (2 OT)
11-7 – Clinton-Massie 28-9
Van Wert
8-28 – Elida 55-20
9-4 – Defiance 56-20
9-11 – Wapakoneta 34-0
9-18 – St. Marys 34-28
9-25 – Ottawa-Glandorf 34-35 (lost)
10-2 – Bath 29-7
Play-offs
10-17 – Port Clinton 46-20
10-24 – Keystone 38-27
10-31 – Bellevue 41-22
11-7 – Shelby 49-7
FINAL 4 Division IV Info
Division IV State Semifinals Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m. Home team listed first.
- Mentor Lake Catholic vs. Carroll Bloom-Carroll at New Philadelphia High School Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium
- Van Wert vs. Cincinnati Wyoming at Piqua High School Alexander Stadium
Final D IV AP Rankings
#3 – Wyoming, #6 – Bloom-Carroll, Unranked – Lake Catholic and Van Wert
Play-off Seeding
- Region 13 – #12 Lake Catholic
- Region 14 – #5 Van Wert
- Region 15 – #3 Bloom-Carroll
- Region 16 – #3 Wyoming
*- Note no #1 seeds remain
