For the second time this season, the Van Vandals had to overcome an early double-digit deficit but in the end, the Vandals rallied in the second half and held off the upset-minded Liberty-Eylau Leopards, 27-25, Oct. 1 in Texarkana to remain undefeated.

Coach Jared Moffatt’s Vandals are now 6-0 after completing their non-district schedule. They are ranked seventh in the state in Class 4A, Division II, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine.

The Vandals will now enjoy some time off during their bye week as they prepare for their most important stretch of games this season.

Van will enter District 7-4A, Division II, play Friday, Oct. 15, on the road against the Mexia Black Cats in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Against Liberty-Eylau (3-2), which entered the game ranked as the number 20 team in the state in Class 4A-Division II, according to MaxPreps.com, the Vandals fell behind 13-0 after the first quarter and 13-7 at halftime before outscoring the Leopards 20-12 in the final two quarters of action.

Offensively, the Vandals finished with 25 first downs and 427 yards of total offense (255 yards rushing, 172 yards passing). Van executed 73 offensive plays from scrimmage which included 55 running plays.

Van’s defense held the Leopards to 11 first downs and 236 yards of total offense including 23 yards rushing.

Vandal quarterback Jackson Rainey completed 12 out of 18 passes for 172 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The senior QB also carried the ball 25 times for 103 yards and one TD.

Rainey was one of two Vandal ball carriers that had over 100 yards rushing as running back Alex Zifer led Van’s running attack with 126 yards rushing on 22 carries and one TD. Zifer also caught three passes for 47 yards. Luca Kozhev led the Vandal receiving corps with four receptions for 60 yards and a TD.

“It was an interesting game,” summarized Moffatt. “I was real proud of our kids for finding a way to win that football game because at times, we found ways not to win it. We battled back. The first half was a horrible half on offense for sure. That was our worst half of the season. We had to deal with issues regarding our center snaps early in the game with our starting center, Omar Hernandez, out due to illness. Later in the game, we moved Will Braswell to center, and we calmed down from the second quarter on. We didn’t do a lot of things well but we did run the ball effectively. They were daring us to run the ball all night. Defensively, we did not play terribly overall but we gave up a couple of long TD pass plays which is not good. We ran 35 more plays than L-E and we won by only two points. Our kicking game was inconsistent. This was a Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde type of game. In the end, we found a way to win.”

Van received the opening kickoff and saw their first offensive possession result in a turnover on first down at the Leopard 48 when Rainey’s pass was intercepted by Liberty-Eylau free safety Cal Jones at the Leopard 24.

Following an exchange of punts, Liberty-Eylau got on the scoreboard first as QB Jaydin Hampton connected with running back Marquarius Price on a 72-yard TD pass play. Jones added the extra point giving the Leopards a 7-0 lead with 5:38 remaining in the first quarter.

The Vandals suffered another turnover on its next offensive series. Following running gains of 13 and 14 yards by Rainey, Van faced a third down and two at the Leopard 47 when Zifer fumbled. The Leopards recovered the ball at the Vandal 48.

Hampton connected with wide receiver Ian Jones on a 20-yard TD pass play to complete a 48-yard scoring drive in eight plays extending Liberty-Eylau’s advantage to 13-0 over the Vandals with 28 seconds to play in the first quarter. The extra point attempt failed. Key plays in the Leopard scoring march included a 16-yard pass completion from Hampton to Ian Jones and a defensive pass interference penalty against the Vandals.

Following a 22-yard return of the ensuing kickoff by Van’s Demarcus Stinnett, the Vandals got on the scoreboard as they advanced 74 yards in 10 plays with Rainey ending the march on a 4-yard TD scamper. Eli Hartman added the extra point cutting Van’s deficit to 13-7 with 8:09 remaining in the second quarter. Key plays in Van’s first scoring drive included an 18-yard run by Zifer and pass completions from Rainey covering 28 yards to Zifer and 15 yards to Kozhev.

After a Liberty-Eylau punt, the Vandals appeared to be on the verge of taking the lead as a 31-yard run by Rainey set up a second down and long two plays later, but the turnover bug struck again for Van as Rainey’s pass was intercepted and returned to the Vandal 28 by Leopard middle linebacker Shawn White.

Van’s defense rose to the occasion and held Liberty-Eylau without a first down forcing a 38-yard field goal attempt by Cal Jones, but the kick was short and wide keeping the Vandal deficit at 13-7 with 3:54 remaining before halftime.

Despite running gains of 14 and 12 yards by Zifer, the Vandals were held back by two offensive penalties (illegal block and illegal procedure) as they were not able to make further penetration down the field before the first half came to a close.

Liberty-Eylau received the second half kickoff but on its second play from scrimmage at their own 38, the Leopards suffered a turnover as Van’s defense responded with an interception by Vandal defensive back Garrett Florey at the Van 28.

The Vandal offense took full advantage of the Leopard turnover as Van advanced 72 yards in 12 plays taking over seven minutes off the third quarter clock to take their first lead of the contest.

Rainey ended the long time-consuming march by connecting with Kozhev on a 19-yard TD pass play on fourth down and two. Hartman added the extra point giving the Vandals a 14-13 lead with 4:30 to play in the third quarter. Key plays in the go-ahead scoring drive for Van included a 22-yard run by Rainey and a 12-yard pass completion from Rainey to receiver Ryder Shoquist.

Liberty-Eylau rallied with a scoring drive of its own following the ensuing kickoff as the Leopards moved 61 yards in eight plays to re-capture the lead.

Hampton ended the march as he connected with fullback W. T. Jones on a 9-yard TD pass play giving Liberty-Eylau a 19-14 lead with 1:56 remaining in the third quarter. The two-point conversion attempt failed for the Leopards. Key plays in the Leopard scoring drive included running gains of 11 yards by Jayce Banks, and 10 and 17 yards by RB Imahd Hicks, in addition to a 15-yard pass completion from Hampton to WR Chris Lewis.

Van quickly responded on its next offensive series as Rainey connected with receiver John Crow on a 27-yard TD pass play to complete a 50-yard scoring march in three plays. Hartman added the extra point to give the Vandals a 21-19 lead with 26 seconds to play in the third quarter. The go-ahead scoring drive for Van began with a 12-yard pass completion from Rainey to Shoquist and an 11-yard run by Zifer.

Following a Leopard punt which was returned 20 yards by Florey, the Vandals once again had excellent field position at the Van 46.

Eight plays later, Zifer raced into the end zone on a 6-yard TD run extending Van’s lead to 27-19 with 8:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. The extra point attempt by Hartman was wide right. An 18-yard pass completion from Rainey to Kozhev was a key play in the Vandal scoring drive.

Liberty-Eylau rallied almost immediately following the ensuing kickoff as Hampton again connected with Price on a 57-yard TD pass play ending a two-play, 55-yard drive as they cut Van’s lead to 27-25 with 7:51 remaining. The two-point conversion pass from Hampton to Banks was incomplete.

Van then put together one of their most impressive drives of the season offensively as they moved from their own 36 to the Leopard 13 on 11 straight running plays including an 11-yard gain by Florey. The drive consumed over six minutes off the fourth quarter clock.

The long time-consuming march did not result in any points for the Vandals, however, as on fourth down and four, Florey’s progress was ruled just short of the first down marker following a measurement giving the Leopards one final possession at their own 10 with 1:24 to play.

Following a five-yard QB sack, Hampton fired a long desperation pass down the center of the field on the next play which was intercepted at the Vandal 40 on a spectacular diving catch by Van DB Reed Parish with 54 seconds remaining which allowed the Vandals to run out the clock.

“With the changes at center, it did change our offensive game plan some,” recalled Moffatt. “Even with the changes, we had two guys rush for over 100 yards each. Jackson Rainey and Alex Zifer ran the ball well. Our offensive line played pretty well overall. We completed two-thirds of our passes against L-E. It was not easy. We had a couple of really good touchdown catches by Luca Kozhev and John Crow. This game turned into a war. I was impressed with L-E’s football team. We made just enough plays to win the game. Defensively, we held L-E to 11 first downs and 236 yards of total offense and we had two interceptions. K. D. Erskine and Beau Barton played well on defense.”