In a game that turned into an offensive coordinator’s dream and a defensive coordinator’s nightmare, the Van Vandals showed more offensive power in the end and as a result, the Vandals celebrated Homecoming Sept. 24 with a 52-35 victory over the winless Center Roughriders to remain undefeated at 5-0 for the 2021 campaign.

Coach Jared Moffatt’s Vandals, ranked seventh in the state in Class 4A, Division II, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine, will conclude their non-district schedule with their longest road trip of the season as they will take on the Liberty-Eylau Leopards in Texarkana in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday, Oct. 1.

Prior to the Van/Center contest, senior Idalia Pena was named as the 2021 Van High School Homecoming Queen and senior K.D. Erskine was selected as the 2021 VHS Homecoming King.

The Vandals and the Roughriders combined for 87 points, 135 offensive plays, 52 first downs, 964 yards of total offense including 423 yards rushing and 541 yards passing, 41 pass completions and 65 passing attempts.

Against Center, Van finished the contest with 29 first downs and 520 yards of total offense including 302 yards rushing and 218 yards passing. The Vandals were successful on seven out of 10 third down conversions.

Offensively for the Vandals, quarterback Jackson Rainey completed 15 out of 26 passes for 218 yards and four touchdowns. The senior QB also carried the ball 11 times for 84 yards and one TD.

Luca Kozhev led the Vandal receivers with seven receptions for 97 yards and two TD’s while sophomore Demarcus Stinnett led the running attack with 102 yards rushing on 10 carries followed by Alex Zifer with 11 carries for 83 yards.

Defensively, the Vandals were led by linebacker Beau Barton (16 tackles, four tackles for losses and two QB pressures); defensive tackle K. D. Erskine (13 tackles, four tackles for losses, one QB sack and one QB pressure); and cornerback Reed Parish (10 tackles and one batted pass/pass breakup).

Van’s defense had four QB sacks and stopped the Roughriders three times on fourth down in Vandal territory.

The Roughriders registered 23 first downs and 444 yards of total offense including 121 yards rushing and 323 yards passing.

Center sophomore QB Emonte Cross finished the game with 26 completions on 38 attempts for 323 yards and four TD passes. Cross also carried the ball eight times for 41 yards.

Roughrider receiver Christopher Evans caught 14 passes for 171 yards and three TD’s while running back J’Marion Crawford led the Center running attack with 62 yards rushing on 10 carries and one TD.

“Offensively, we played really well with the exception of one possession in the third quarter,” said Moffatt. “We threw the ball well in the first half and ran the ball well in the second half. We had over 300 yards rushing. Our offensive line played well. Defensively, we gave up some big plays. Center’s quarterback played really well. He is just a sophomore. He looked like Vince Young against USC a few years ago. We are not used to giving up that many points and we don’t like that but defensively, we did not play terribly. There were things we could have done better. In the second half, our defense played better, and we were able to get some separation on the scoreboard.”

Following an unsuccessful onside kick attempt by the Roughriders to start the game, Van had excellent field position at the Center 49 but its first play from scrimmage resulted in a turnover as the halfback pass by RB Garrett Florey was intercepted by Roughrider defensive back Evans and returned to the Roughrider 39.

After a Center punt, the Vandals got on the scoreboard first as they moved 55 yards in eight plays with Rainey ending the march by connecting with Kozhev on a 15-yard TD pass play. Eli Hartman made the first of his seven extra points to give Van an early 7-0 advantage with 7:38 remaining in the first quarter. The scoring drive opened with an 11-yard pass completion from Rainey to Kozhev.

Center responded by moving 67 yards in seven plays for its first TD drive of the contest as Cross connected with Evans on an 8-yard TD pass play. Carlos Hernandez added the extra point to tie the game, 7-7, with 4:59 to play in the first quarter. Key plays in the Roughrider scoring drive included pass completions from Cross covering 16 yards to fullback Demerus Berry and 35 yards to WR Lance Wilburn.

The Vandals broke the deadlock on their next offensive series as they moved 81 yards in nine plays. Facing third down and two at the Center 4-yard line, the Vandals sent in the short-yardage, goal-line ‘Bull’ formation as starting defensive tackle Erskine carried the ball into the end zone untouched on a 4-yard TD run. Hartman added the extra point to give the Vandals a 14-7 lead with 2:46 still remaining in the first quarter. Key plays in the Vandal scoring drive included running gains of 38 yards by Rainey and 10 yards by Zifer in addition to a 17-yard pass completion from Rainey to receiver Ryder Shoquist.

The Roughriders wasted little time in rallying to tie the game again as Center moved 65 yards in five plays. Cross ended the march by connecting with WR Da’nijhalon Gipson on a 45-yard TD pass play. Hernandez added the extra point to deadlock the game again at 14-14 with 23 seconds to play in a wild first quarter of action. An 11-yard run by Crawford set up the TD pass play.
 

Van’s offense again responded as they moved 65 yards in 11 plays to re-take the lead. Rainey ended the scoring march as he connected with receiver John Crow on an 18-yard TD pass completion. Hartman added the extra point giving the Vandals a 21-14 lead with 7:20 remaining in the second quarter. A 22-yard pass completion from Rainey to receiver Brayden Bradshaw was a key play in the scoring march for the Vandals.

Again, the Roughriders answered offensively as they advanced 40 yards in four plays. Crawford ended the drive with a 16-yard TD run. Hernandez added the extra point to tie the game at 21-21 with 5:59 to play before halftime. A 14-yard pass completion from Cross to FB Brayden Britt opened the scoring drive for Center.

The Vandals came back with a 62-yard scoring drive in five plays as Rainey connected with Shoquist on a 14-yard TD pass play to end the drive. Hartman added the extra point to give the Vandals a 28-21 advantage with 4:32 to play in the second quarter. Pass completions from Rainey covering 11 yards to Kozhev and 22 yards to Zifer were key plays in the go-ahead Vandal scoring drive.

Center rallied by moving from its own 25 to the Vandal 44 in five plays including a 33-yard pass completion from Cross to Evans but on fourth down and six at the Van 44, the Roughriders decided to go for the first down but Cross’s pass attempt to Evans was incomplete giving the Vandals possession with 2:28 to play before intermission.

The Vandal offense then executed their two-minute offense to near perfection as they moved 56 yards on three consecutive pass completions to extend their lead on the scoreboard.

Rainey connected with Kozhev on a 35-yard TD pass completion to end the short drive. Hartman added the extra point giving Van some breathing room heading into halftime as they led, 35-21, with 1:51 to play in the second quarter. A 12-yard pass completion from Rainey to receiver Reed Johnson opened the scoring drive for the Vandals.

The Roughriders received the third quarter kickoff and threatened to cut into Van’s 14-point lead as they moved from their own 26 to the Vandal 10 in 13 plays including pass completions from Cross covering 16 yards to Berry and 15 and 16 yards to Evans but on fourth down and two at the Van 10, Center decided to go for the first down, but Cross’s pass was incomplete in the end zone giving the Vandals possession.

Following a Vandal punt, Center drew closer on the scoreboard as the Roughriders moved 40 yards in three plays with Cross connecting with Evans on an 18-yard TD pass completion. Hernandez added the extra point to cut Van’s lead to 35-28 with 6:20 remaining in the third quarter. A 22-yard run by Cross set up the TD pass play for the Roughriders.

After a 29-yard return of the ensuing kickoff by Florey, the Vandals advanced 57 yards in two plays to extend their advantage as Rainey ran 34 yards for a TD after an apparent 42-yard TD run on the previous play by the Vandal QB was called back due to offensive holding. Hartman added the extra point giving the Vandals a 42-28 advantage with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter. A 15-yard run by Zifer preceded Rainey’s TD run.

Center moved from its own 25 to the Vandal 35 in seven plays including pass completions from Cross to Evans covering 10 and 13 yards and a 10-yard run by RB T. J. Davis but on fourth down and six at the Van 35, Cross’s pass to Gipson was incomplete giving the Vandals possession.

Van began to put the game out of reach as they advanced 65 yards in 10 plays on a long time-consuming drive that extended into the early portions of the fourth quarter.

Florey ended the march with a 4-yard TD run. Hartman added the extra point stretching the Vandal advantage to 49-28 with 11:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. Key plays in the Vandal scoring drive included back-to-back 10-yard runs by Zifer and Rainey and an 11-yard pass completion from Rainey to Braydon Hullum.

Following a Roughrider punt, the Vandals moved 59 yards in 10 plays for their final scoring drive. Facing fourth down and four at the Center 10-yard line, Hartman was sent in to attempt a 28-yard field goal which was kicked straight down the middle and good extending Van’s lead to 52-28 with 6:42 to play. A 24-yard run by Stinnett was a key play in the final Van scoring drive of the contest.

Center closed out the scoring following the ensuing kickoff as the Roughriders moved 65 yards in 12 plays as Cross connected with Evans on a 4-yard TD pass play. Hernandez added the extra point cutting Van’s lead to 52-35 with 2:08 remaining. A 21-yard pass completion from Cross to Evans and a 17-yard run by Crawford were key plays in the final scoring march for the Roughriders.

Following an unsuccessful onside kick attempt by Center, Van took over possession at midfield and executed five straight running plays, including a 36-yard gain by Stinnett, to run out the clock with the Vandals having possession at the Roughrider 12.

Moffatt was pleased with the success of his running game against Center. “Alex Zifer ran the ball well,” said Moffatt. “Demarcus Stinnett saw more action and he did a good job. He was productive in the second half. He has not had a lot of carries this year until Friday night and he did a good job for us. Alex and Demarcus are similar style running backs. Garrett Florey looked really good in the game. He did not wear a knee brace for the first time this season. We were able to utilize the ‘Bull’ formation for the first time since the Palestine game. It was good to see our defensive tackle score a touchdown and be named the Homecoming King on the same night.”

The Vandal head coach also discussed the passing game which featured another solid performance by Rainey at QB.

“It has become normal now to see Jackson Rainey play at the exceptional level that he has played in during our first five games,” emphasized Moffatt. “He is making our offense really dangerous. The threat that he puts on people really makes our running game and our passing game effective. We had seven different receivers catch passes against Center. It was great to have Brayden Bradshaw back in the lineup at receiver. We are still having too many incompletions.”

Moffatt said that he saw a number of positive signs in the Vandal kicking game against the Roughriders.

“We played well in the kicking game,” pointed out Moffatt. “We had some deep kickoffs and we made all of our extra point attempts. When was the last time we had a made field goal in a game? That was a great kick by Eli Hartman.”

Despite allowing Center to score 35 points and register over 400 yards of total offense, Moffatt said there were some good signs from the Vandal defense in the game, especially in the second half.

“We had four quarterback sacks and had a number of QB pressures on their QB, so we did some good things, at times, defensively,” recalled the Vandal head coach. “We don’t feel good overall about our performance. Our guys know that we have to play better. We did play better in the second half allowing 14 points. Give their QB credit for making some big plays. We stopped them three times on fourth down. I believe we will play better on defense against Liberty-Eylau.”

Other defensive statistics against the Roughriders released by the Vandals coaching staff were as follows:

Garrett Florey, nine tackles, one tackle for a loss, one QB sack, and one fumble caused; Braydon Hullum, nine tackles, one tackle for a loss and one QB pressure; Kaison Stanford, nine tackles and two QB pressures; Ryan Johnson, six tackles; Wyatt Dale, six tackles, one tackle for a loss and one QB pressure; Colton Miller, six tackles, one QB sack, and two QB pressures; Reed Johnson, five tackles, two tackles for losses and one batted pass/pass breakup; Mason Moffatt, five tackles, one tackle for a loss, one QB sack and one QB pressure; and Cayden Mitchell, three tackles and one batted pass/pass breakup.