DAVID BARBER

davidb@vanzandtnews.com

At a time when they needed it most, the Van Vandals thrilled their home crowd at Van’s Memorial Stadium on Friday the 13th as they rallied in the second half for their most important victory so far in 2023, running over and around the Center Rough Riders, 56-36.

Coach Jared Moffatt’s Vandals registered their sixth consecutive victory as their season record improved to 7-1 overall, but more importantly, they are now 4-0 in District 8-4A, Division 2, tied for first place with the defending Class 4A, Division 2, state champions, and the number one ranked team in the state, the undefeated Carthage Bulldogs (8-0, 4-0).

After a well-deserved open date Oct. 20, the Vandals will return to action when they travel to Carthage in the game that will decide the district championship in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday, Oct. 27. Carthage will play at Center (5-2, 2-1) Oct. 20.

Against Center, the Vandals lost the services of junior starting quarterback Jaxon Moffatt in the first quarter due to an injury but that did not slow down the running attack for Van as the Vandals finished with an impressive 560 yards rushing on 68 attempts for an incredible per carry average of 8.24 yards per carry.

Van’s offense had 31 first downs, despite not completing a pass during the entire game on three passing attempts.

The Vandals did not commit an offensive penalty throughout the contest against the Rough Riders. Van’s offensive line was led by right tackle Jose Suarez, right guard Ace Bostick, center Justus Anderson, left guard Trae Derrick and left tackle Cooper Hullum.

Running back Colton Miller led the stable of Van RB’s with 217 yards rushing on 17 carries and three rushing touchdowns.

Reserve QB Cannon Rainey, who also played safety on defense, registered 185 yards rushing on 29 carries and three TD’s against Center. RB Austin Moffatt contributed 133 yards rushing on 18 carries.

Defensively, after allowing TD’s on Center’s first four offensive drives in the first half, Van stiffened in the second half as they gave up one TD in the second half against the Rough Riders.

Center QB Emonte Cross was the leading offensive player for the Rough Riders as he rushed for 214 yards and four TD’s on 18 carries in addition to completing six out of 16 passes for 148 yards.

Van’s defense held Center RB Kaden Dixon, the leading rusher in East Texas in all classifications coming into the game, to 24 yards rushing on nine carries.

The first half of action at Van’s Memorial Stadium featured eight TD drives, four by each team, with Van lighting up the scoreboard first after receiving the opening kickoff.

Jaxon Moffatt ended the initial scoring march with an 8-yard TD run. Josh Christian, who converted all eight of his extra point attempts, added the point-after giving Van a 7-0 lead with 9:48 to play in the first quarter. Miller began the five-play running drive with back-to-back running gains of 22 and 23 yards.

Center came right back as the Rough Riders advanced 63 yards in three plays with Cross outrunning the defense on third down and nine for a 62-yard TD run. Carlos Hernandez added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:57 remaining in the first quarter.

The running game continued to be on display for the Vandals as their next offensive possession saw Van move 69 yards on nine straight running plays with Rainey ending the march, after coming in for Jaxon Moffatt, with a 5-yard TD run. Christian added the extra point giving the Vandals a 14-7 advantage with 4:31 to play in the first quarter. A 31-yard run by Miller was a key play in Van’s go-ahead scoring march.

The Rough Riders needed only four plays to move 66 yards as they forced another deadlock on the scoreboard with Cross racing 60 yards for a TD. Hernandez added the extra point to tie the game once again at 14-14 with 3:52 still to play in the first quarter.

Van again responded with another scoring drive as they moved 81 yards on eight running plays. Reserve RB Chris Fabian, on his only carry of the night, powered into the end zone on a 13-yard TD run to end the drive. Christian added the extra point giving the Vandals a 21-14 lead with 11:18 remaining in the second quarter. Key plays in the Vandal scoring march included running gains of 11 and 23 yards by Austin Moffatt and 13 yards by Rainey.

Center came right back as the Rough Riders advanced 59 yards in fourth plays to take their first lead of the contest as Dixon ended the march with a 1-yard TD run. Instead of kicking the tying extra point, Center went for the two-point conversion as Dixon also ran that in to give the Rough Riders a 22-21 lead with 10:32 remaining in the second quarter. A 44-yard pass completion from Cross to wide receiver T. J. Belin was a key play in the scoring drive for Center.

The Vandals then moved 63 yards on 10 running plays to recapture the lead as Miller ended the march with a 4-yard TD run. Christian added the extra point giving the Vandals a 28-22 advantage with 8:28 to play in the second quarter. Running gains of 10 and 33 yards by Austin Moffatt were key plays in the scoring drive for Van.

Center needed only three plays to move 65 yards and take the lead again as Cross ended the march with an 18-yard TD run. Hernandez added the extra point giving the Rough Riders a 29-28 lead with 7:51 to play before halftime. A 47-yard pass completion from Cross to WR Lance Wilburn (four receptions, 100 yards) was a key play in what turned out to be the last time that the Rough Riders had the lead in the district contest.

An exchange of punts followed before Center threatened to add to their advantage as Cross connected with Wilburn on a 40-yard pass completion but as he turned upfield, Wilburn fumbled the ball with Van defensive back Easton Hinch recovering the ball for the Vandals at the Van 22.

Following another Vandal punt, Center ran out the first half clock to take a one-point lead over Van at intermission.

After a Center punt early in the third quarter, the Vandals began the first of four consecutive TD drives as they dominated the final two quarters of action.

Van advanced 84 yards on 10 plays (nine running) to take the lead for good as Miller raced into the end zone on a 17-yard TD run to end the march. Christian added the extra point giving the Vandals a 35-29 lead with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter. Running gains of 11 and 16 yards by Rainey, 13 yards by Miller, and 10 yards by Austin Moffatt, were key plays in the go-ahead Vandal scoring drive.

Van’s defense stiffened on Center’s next offensive series as the Rough Riders faced a fourth down and two at their own 45 when Vandal defensive end Logan Fattig tackled Dixon for a three-yard loss giving the ball back to the Vandals at the Center 42.

The Vandals took full advantage of the turnover on downs as they moved 42 yards on five consecutive running plays with Miller ending the march with an 11-yard TD run. Christian added the extra point extending the Vandal advantage to 42-29 with 3:06 remaining in the third quarter. Key plays in the scoring drive for Van included running gains of 12 yards by Rainey and 10 yards by Miller.

Following a Rough Rider punt, the Vandals began to put the game out of reach as they advanced 78 yards on six straight running plays with Rainey ending the march on a 20-yard TD run. Christian added the extra point giving the Vandals a 49-29 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. A 12-yard run by Miller and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Center were key plays in the Vandals scoring march.

Center rallied with its final scoring drive of the contest as they moved 57 yards in four plays with Cross running 35 yards for a TD to end the drive. Hernandez added the extra point cutting Van’s lead to 49-36 with 9:15 remaining.

Van’s final scoring drive used up over six minutes of the fourth quarter clock as the Vandals advanced 75 yards on 10 consecutive running plays to complete the scoring as Rainey ran eight yards for a TD to end the march. Christian added the extra point giving Van a 56-36 lead with 2:50 remaining. A 42-yard run by Miller was the key play in Van’s final scoring drive.

The Rough Riders’ final offensive possession ended at the Vandal 35 as Van linebacker Foster Rust sacked Cross for a five-yard loss allowing the Vandals to run out the clock.

Defensive statistics for the game against Center were recently released by the Vandal coaching staff and the numbers were as follows:

Logan Fattig, eight total tackles, two tackles for losses, one QB sack, and one QB pressure; Cannon Rainey, seven total tackles; Colten Miller, seven total tackles, two tackles for losses, one QB sack, and four QB pressures; Wyatt Dale, seven total tackles; Cade Christensen, six total tackles, one fumble caused, and one batted pass/pass breakup; Reggie Johnson, six total tackles, two tackles for losses, and one QB sack; Foster Rust, six total tackles, one QB sack, and one QB pressure; Tuff Arozamena, five total tackles, four tackles for losses, two QB sacks, and two QB pressures; Garrett Phillips, five total tackles; Easton Hinch, five total tackles, one QB sack, and two QB pressures; Gabe Bachert, five total tackles, one QB sack, and two QB pressures; Chris Fabian, four total tackles; Jackson Admire, two total tackles; Josh Christian, one total tackle, and two QB pressures; and Luke Horton, one total tackle.