Van Buren upends Arcadia for first win of the season

VAN BUREN– Coach Ethan Percer finally came out with a victory in the Van Buren vs. Arcadia game. This time, however, Percer was on the opposite sideline. Percer had been Arcadia's coach since 2016, and picked up his first victory as Van Buren's new coach, in Friday's 22-8 home win against the Redskins. "I respect what they do over there," Percer said of Arcadia. "It's a great place, it's awesome. We went in knowing, they were gonna give us their best game, and it was gonna be a tough one for our kids." Friday's contest began with penalties and turnovers for both teams, but Van Buren was able to push through for a score early in the first quarter. After a 48-yard drive, senior quarterback Parker Beilharz found the endzone on a one-yard quarterback keeper. Beilharz was inserted by Percer as the team's starting quarterback prior to this season, with former starter Grady Mason transitioning to quarterback. Percer was able to see his strategy pay off with a win, and a big game from Beilharz. "It was good seeing that pay off," Percer said. "Parker's played very well. Parker is doing well at quarterback. He made a few mistakes tonight, but it's what he's doing after he makes those mistakes. Coming back on the field, running the ball hard, and getting after it." Beilharz was the key to the Black Knights offense. The 6 foot-4, 195-pound senior was a force to be reckoned with on the field. He finished with 140 passing yards, completing 11 of his 16 passes and throwing two scores. He also had 12 carries for 31 yards, including his touchdown run. Overall, Beilharz was responsible for all three of Van Buren's touchdowns. "I think we cleaned up some things at halftime, and got ourselves less nervous," Beilharz said regarding the team's performance. "After our talk at halftime, we finally cleaned up and fixed it." With just five seconds left before that halftime pep talk, Beilharz connected with Grady Mason on a 10-yard pass in the end zone. The Black Knights had to wait until the fourth quarter to score again, as the Redskins' defense came up with stop after stop. As Beilharz was being chased by a troop of Arcadia defenders, he made a last-second heave to the endzone, which Alex Homan pulled in for another Black Knights' score. It was a very well-rounded effort from the Black Knights' skill players. Mason Thorla-Lopez ended with four receptions for 44 yards, and also had 20 yards on the ground. Alex Homan caught three passes for 53 yards, including a touchdown. Grady Mason had three receptions for 23 yards, and Josiah Chapin finished with 27 rushing yards. "Our guys, they played their butts off," Percer added. "They knew it was gonna be a tight game. They (Arcadia) gave their best effort, and our guys played hard throughout." Although the score may not reflect it, Arcadia didn't go down without a fight. Isaac Stoner made a big play late in the first quarter, making an interception to stop another potential Van Buren scoring drive. Stoner made a handful of important plays defensively for Arcadia, as his stringent defense helped keep the Redskins in the game, despite their struggles offensively. Arcadia finished with just 145 total yards for the game, compared to Van Buren's 375. Arcadia QB Jacoby Ellis went 10-of-17 on passing attempts, for a total of 97 yards. Lamarion Tucker had 49 yards on six receptions, and 20 yards rushing on eight carries. Tailback Nick Myers finished with 34 yards on 15 carries. Wideout Adam Emerich added 41 yards on just two receptions. The Black Knights moved to 1-2 following this win, ahead of a big home BVC matchup with McComb next Friday. The Redskins now sit at 1-2 as well, and host Pandora-Gilboa next Friday, as they look to get back on the winning side of things.