DAVID BARBER

davidb@vanzandtnews.com

A bad start on the road at Center Oct. 17 only got worse as the night went on resulting in the Van Vandals being blown out by the Center Roughriders, 63-21.

Coach Jared Moffatt’s Vandals enter their bye week with an overall record of 5-3 and a District 8-4A, Division 2, mark of 3-1, with two regular season games remaining.

Van will return to action for their home season finale Friday, Oct. 28, where they will face their greatest challenge of the 2022 season hosting the undefeated Carthage Bulldogs (7-0, 3-0) in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Van’s Memorial Stadium.

The Vandals will close out their regular season schedule at Bullard Friday, Nov. 4, against the Bullard Panthers (3-4, 2-1).

Carthage, the number one ranked team in the state in Class 4A, Division 2, shut out the Rusk Eagles (4-1, 1-2) 49-0 in Rusk Oct. 17 and will host Center Oct. 21. Center is now 5-2 overall and 2-1 in district play.

Against Center, the Vandals finished with 22 first downs and 406 yards of total offense (108 rushing and 298 passing). Van suffered three turnovers (two fumbles and a pass interception).

Center registered 21 first downs and 561 yards of total offense in a balanced attack that featured 289 yards rushing and 272 yards passing.

Vandal quarterback Jaxon Moffatt completed 18 out of 33 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Sophomore receiver Easton Hinch led the Vandal receivers with five receptions for 101 yards and a TD.

“It was a tough night for us in Center,” summarized Jared Moffatt. “We did not play very well in any phase of the game. We did some good things. Center was a talented offensive football team. They were really explosive. We had a hard time with them. Offensively, we moved the ball, but we did not make the plays we needed to extend drives.”

The Roughriders received the opening kickoff and wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as QB Emonte Cross (11 completions, 17 attempts, 272 yards, five TD’s, no interception) connected with receiver Jake Morris (three receptions, 118 yards, three TD’s) on a 61-yard TD pass play on the second play of the contest. Carlos Hernandez added the extra point giving Center a 7-0 advantage with 11:25 to play in the first quarter.

Following a Vandal punt, Center added to its lead on their next offensive play as Cross connected with Hernandez on a 48-yard TD pass play. Hernandez added the extra point giving the Roughriders a sudden 14-0 lead with 10:20 to play in the first quarter.

The Vandals moved from their own 17 to the Roughrider 37 in six plays including a 10-yard run by running back Garrett Florey and a 27-yard pass completion from Jaxon Moffatt to Brayden Bradshaw.

Van decided to go for the first down on fourth down and four at the Center 37 but the pass from Jaxon Moffatt to Bradshaw was incomplete giving the Roughriders possession.

After a Roughrider punt that pinned the Vandals deep in their own end of the field, Bradshaw fumbled with Center recovering the loose football at the Van 6-yard line.

Two running plays later, Roughrider RB Kaden Dixon (20 carries, 238 yards, two TD’s) ended the short march with a 3-yard TD run. Hernandez added the extra point extending Center’s lead to 21-0 with still 5:13 to play in the first quarter.

The Vandals responded with one of their more impressive offensive drives of the game as they moved 73 yards in 14 plays (12 running) to get on the scoreboard as Florey ended the long time-consuming march with a 2-yard TD run. Tristan Miller added the extra point cutting the Vandal deficit to 21-7 with 11:02 to play in the second quarter. Key plays in the first Vandal TD drive included a 15-yard pass completion from Jaxon Moffatt to receiver Luke Horton and a 15-yard run by Florey.

Van’s defense forced a turnover as Center RB Jayden Kauai-Kekaha fumbled with the Vandals recovering the loose football at the Center 45.

Four plays later, on fourth down and five at the Roughrider 40, the drive for the Vandals ended when Jaxon Moffatt was tackled for no gain giving Center possession.

Four plays later, RB Timothy Davis of the Roughriders ended a 60-yard scoring march with a 1-yard TD run. Hernandez added the extra point extending Center’s lead to 28-7 with 8:08 remaining before halftime. A 53-yard run by Dixon opened the scoring drive for the Roughriders.

The Vandals moved from their own 32 to the Center 35 in eight plays including pass completions from Jaxon Moffatt to Bradshaw covering 11 and 12 yards but on fourth down and eight, Jaxon Moffatt’s pass to RB Demarcus Stinnett was incomplete giving Center possession.

Center then advanced 65 yards in five plays to conclude the first half scoring as Cross connected with Morris on a 32-yard TD pass play to end the drive. Hernandez added the extra point giving the Roughriders a 35-7 lead with 2:18 to play in the second quarter. A 22-yard run by Dixon set up the TD pass play.

Van ended a frustrating half of play by moving from its own 25 to the Roughrider 1-yard line in nine plays including pass completions from Jaxon Moffatt covering 15 yards to Bradshaw and 43 yards to Hinch.

On what turned out to be the final play of the first half, Florey was stopped short of the goal-line and a personal foul penalty against the Vandals moved the ball back to the Center 16.

By rule, since the penalty occurred while the clock was running and Van was out of timeouts, the officials called for a 10-second runoff which ended the first half of action.

“That was really unfortunate for us,” recalled Jared Moffatt. “We had a chance to score right before halftime and then receive the second half kickoff. After we called our final timeout (with 15 seconds left) on the one-yard line, the thought process was that we would have two downs if we threw the ball on the first play. We called two plays in the huddle which were both running plays. With Garrett Florey carrying the ball, I thought we had a great chance to score. After the first play, there was a personal foul penalty called on one of our players stopping the clock with 10 seconds left. Since we had no timeouts remaining, there is, by rule, a 10-second runoff which ended the first half of play. We never got that second play to run.”

Van received the third quarter kickoff and moved 76 yards in 11 plays to draw closer to the Roughriders as Jaxon Moffatt connected with Hinch on a 12-yard TD pass play. Miller added the extra point cutting Van’s deficit to 35-14 with 7:10 to play in the third quarter. Key plays in the Vandal scoring march included a 35-yard pass completion from Jaxon Moffatt to Hinch and a 10-yard run by Stinnett.

Following a failed onside kick attempt by the Vandals, Center needed two plays to extend their lead as Cross connected with wide receiver Jamarion Evans (six receptions, 89 yards) on a 47-yard TD pass play. Hernandez added the extra point extending Center’s lead to 42-14 with 6:58 remaining in the third quarter.

After a failed onside kick attempt by Center, the Vandals got on the scoreboard on their next offensive play as Jaxon Moffatt connected with Stinnett on a 53-yard TD pass play. Miller added the extra point cutting Van’s deficit to 42-21 with 6:47 to play in the third quarter. The two teams combined for three TD’s in 23 seconds during the third quarter.

Center moved from its own 12 to the Vandal 33 in six plays including a 28-yard pass completion from Cross to Evans and a 25-yard run by Cross but on fourth down and 13 at the Van 33, the Vandal defense came through with a stop as Cross’ pass was incomplete giving Van possession.

Van advanced from its own 33 to the Roughrider 24 in six plays including a 26-yard pass completion from Jaxon Moffatt to Stinnett but on second down and eight at the Center 24, Vandal RB Beau Barton fumbled with Center recovering the loose football at the Roughrider 26 ending the Vandal scoring threat.

Eight plays later, Dixon put the game out of reach with a 32-yard TD run. Hernandez added the extra point giving the Roughriders a 49-21 advantage with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter. An 11- yard run by Dixon was a key play in the scoring drive for Center.

Following a Vandal punt, the Roughriders advanced 62 yards in eight plays as Cross ended the march by connecting with Morris on a 25-yard TD pass play. Hernandez added the extra point extending the Center lead to 56-21 with 9:37 to play in the fourth quarter. A 13-yard run by Dixon was a key play in the scoring march for the Roughriders.

A Vandal punt that rolled on the ground near midfield with several Vandal defenders waiting to down the ball was suddenly picked up by Center’s Da’nijhalon Gipson, who raced untouched down the sideline 48 yards for a TD. Hernandez added the extra point giving Center a 63-21 advantage with 7:05 remaining.

Van’s final offensive possession resulted in a turnover as Jaxon Moffatt’s long downfield pass on first down at the Vandal 49 was intercepted by Center defensive back Jakeyvius Polk at the Roughrider 12 allowing Center to run out the clock.

Jared Moffatt recognized the individual efforts of linebacker Beau Barton, QB Jaxon Moffatt, receiver Easton Hinch, receiver Brayden Bradshaw, and the overall play of the offensiv