Vandals face defending state champion Gilmer on the road Friday, Oct. 18
DAVID BARBER
With a 5-1 record overall and a 1-0 mark in District 7-4A, Division 2, play, the Van Vandals will now face their biggest challenge so far in 2024 as they will take on the defending Class 4A, Division 2 state champion Gilmer Buckeyes on the road in Gilmer with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18.
The Vandals are coming off a 38-16 victory at home over the Spring Hill Panthers Oct. 11 while Gilmer blanked the Pittsburg Pirates, 49-0, in Pittsburg on the same night.
As they did last season when they won the state championship, Gilmer (4-2, 1-0) started this campaign slowly at 0-2 but are currently on a four-game winning streak.
“This is the sixth time that we have played Gilmer since I have been here at Van, including three times in the playoffs,” said Vandal Head Coach Jared Moffatt. “Their head coach (Alan Metzel) does a great job there with their program. This is his fourth season at Gilmer. They have played in the state championship game three out of the last four years. Coach Metzel is a great person as well as a great coach. I root for Gilmer except when they are playing against us. We know exactly what we are up against Friday night. They are a tremendous opponent. We will have to play our very best game to win in their stadium.
“I know this,” continued Moffatt. “We have a lot of respect for Gilmer. Our kids will be ready to play when they get off the bus. We will fight, scrap, and claw, do the things we need to do to come out of Gilmer with a victory Friday night. Our kids are excited about the challenge. They look forward to playing in big games like this. Our guys believe they are going to win every time they step out on the football field. One of the greatest things about being in Van is the confidence that our kids have. They expect to win. Our mentality and our ability as coaches to put our players in good position always gives us a chance to win against any opponent. This has the potential to be a great football game Friday night.
Gilmer will show an ‘even front’ defensively, according to the Vandal head coach. “They were an ‘odd front’ forever and I think their move to an ‘even front’ was personnel driven,” pointed out Moffatt. “Offensively, they have one of the McCown quarterbacks move in from Jacksonville to play for them. Their quarterback from last year is still there. We will see both of them Friday night. Gilmer scored 50 points against Brenham, who was an undefeated Class 5A team. They will operate out of the ‘spread’ formation. They are very dangerous offensively with lots of speed and athleticism. Gilmer is a well-coached football team in every phase of the game. There are very few weak points on their team.”
In addition to Van and Gilmer winning their district openers Oct. 11, the Texarkana Pleasant Grove Hawks dominated the Paris North Lamar Panthers, 56-0, in Texarkana.
While Van is facing Gilmer in a battle of 1-0 district teams, other games in the district Oct. 18 will have Paris North Lamar traveling to Pittsburg in a matchup of 0-1 teams while Texarkana Pleasant Grove (1-0) will visit Spring Hill (0-1) in Longview.
So far as the sub-varsity schedule is concerned Thursday, Oct. 17, the Vandal freshmen and junior varsity will host Gilmer at Van’s Memorial Stadium but the J.V. game will be played first at 5 p.m. followed by the freshmen game. The Vandal junior high teams will travel to Gilmer.
For results of the Van/Gilmer game Oct. 18 as well as a preview of the Vandals’ home game Oct. 25 against Pittsburg, check out www.vanzandtnews.com.