Cavaliers open MAC play by beating Tigers

VERSAILLES - Coldwater countered Versailles' hot start at the re-start of Friday's suspended game on Saturday by scoring at the end of the first half and at the start of the second half on the way to a 21-7 victory over the Tigers at Hole Field in the Midwest Athletic Conference lidlifter for both teams.

The Tigers (1-2) were driving when lightning suspended play on Friday night, and the Versailles' drive continued when action resumed on Saturday. Versailles' running back Mike Rutschilling and quarterback Nick Campbell moved the Tigers four more plays as Campbell found Jacob Barga for a 19-yard score with 4:14 to go in the second quarter to tie the score.

Coldwater countered with a quarter-ending drive spanning 80 yards as Austin Bruns found Friday's favorite target Josh Huber for a 45-yard strike on a third-and-six. Then after a holding play wiped out another big play, Bruns found Mitch Schoenherr for 22 yards as the Cavs had the ball at the four-yard line. Bruns then found Caleb Siefring for the go-ahead score to make it 13-7.

"(Versailles) got the momentum last night on the last drive (before the delay), and they did some good things," said Cavaliers' coach Chip Otten. "We made some adjustments after talking to the players in what was going on with their run. They're hard-nosed, (Campbell) is a good runner and passer."

The Cavaliers got the ball to start the second half and needed seven plays and just over three minutes to ice the game as Bruns hooked up with Huber and Siefring on the drive and gave the ball to Jordan Chapin for the 13 yards for the touchdown. The Cavaliers went with a hook-and-lateral on the two-point conversion as Huber snagged the pass, then lobbed the ball to Chapin.

"Their offense did a great job. They had two big plays to change those situations. Definitely changed the outcome of the game," said Versailles' first-year coach Adam Miller. "That's what they do."

Coldwater's defense held tough for the remainder of the game as the Tigers' two long drives were halted in the fourth quarter. One of Versailles' drives stalled and ended with a punt and the another was a turnover on downs as Campbell's fourth-and-four pass on the Cavaliers' 10 was incomplete.

Coldwater's All-Ohio punter Kyle Bergman booted a 72-yard punt with less than 20 seconds left to keep the Tigers from threatening again.

"I don't fault their effort at all," said Miller of his team. "Coldwater is a great team that is going to win a lot of games this year. They just made a couple more plays than us. That's what it boils down to."

Bruns finished 15-of-18 through the air for 267 yards, with Huber snagging five passes for 169 yards.

"Austin played really well again," said Otten. "Had that one throw at the end (an interception by Nick Campbell late in the fourth quarter), but other than that, after they scored, we had two scores. Good poise by the old guys (seniors) taking charge."

The Cavaliers return home Friday to host 2-1 St. John's while Versailles travels to Anna on Friday.