DAVID BARBER
davidb@vanzandtnews.com
A familiar rallying cry among teams participating in the March Madness basketball tournament each season is ‘survive and advance.’
That can also apply to the high school state football playoffs as well as the Van Vandals held off a late fourth quarter rally by the Van Alstyne Panthers before securing a hard-fought 45-42 victory Nov. 22 at Mesquite Memorial Stadium in the Class 4A, Division 2, Area Championship game.
Coach Jared Moffatt’s Vandals, 9-3 overall, will now have a rematch against the Sunnyvale Raiders in a 2 p.m. kickoff Friday, Nov. 29 back at Mesquite Memorial Stadium in the regional semifinal round of the Class 4A, Division, 2 state playoffs.
Against Van Alstyne, the Vandals registered some impressive offensive numbers as they finished with 30 first downs and 449 yards of total offense including 98 yards rushing and 351 yards passing while executing 67 offensive plays.
Vandal quarterback Jaxon Moffatt completed 20 out of 27 passes for 351 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. He also had one rushing TD as he accounted for all six Van TD’s in the game.
Van had two receivers with at least 150 yards receiving against Van Alstyne led by Caden Rowe with seven receptions for 162 yards and one TD while Easton Hinch caught seven passes for 150 yards, and three TD’s. Asher Hawkins caught six passes for 39 yards and one TD.
Running back Austin Moffatt led the Vandal running attack with 91 yards rushing on 28 carries.
Van Alstyne finished with 28 first downs and 506 yards of total offense including 317 yards rushing and 189 yards passing while executing 58 offensive plays.
Panther QB Brady Carson had 259 yards rushing on 30 carries and three TD’s in addition to completing six out of 12 passes for 128 yards before leaving the game midway in the third quarter due to an injury.
Defensive back Cade Christensen led the Vandals with 16 total tackles followed by defensive lineman Waylon King with 14 total tackles.
“For two weeks in a row, our games have been exciting to watch but not the most fun so far as coaching is concerned,” summarized Jared Moffatt. “It was back and forth and really tight. We were fortunate to get a win and have the opportunity to keep on playing. Our kids really battled. They found a way to win the game. 
“Offensively, we played really well at times, as we scored on every offensive possession except the first one and the last one,” recalled Jared Moffatt. “We scored a lot of points but our running game was just okay, not great. We were effective at times. Jaxon threw the ball really well. Our receivers made great plays. Caden Rowe and Easton Hinch were both just unbelievable. Offensively, we found a way throwing and catching.
“Defensively, we did not play well and their quarterback had a lot to do with that,” continued Jared Moffatt. “He is an exceptional player. He was tough to tackle and he is a tough player.”
Following a Vandal punt, the Panthers opened the scoring with an 85-yard drive in 10 plays with RB Michael Upchurch ending the march with a 5-yard TD run. Jacob Janek added the extra point giving Van Alstyne a 7-0 lead with 7:45 remaining in the first quarter. Key plays in the first Panther scoring march included pass completions from Carson to wide receiver Jaxon Skinner for 11 and 31 yards in addition to a 21-yard run by Carson.
The Vandals responded by moving 75 yards in eight plays to tie the game as Jaxon Moffatt connected with Hinch on a 26-yard TD pass play to end the drive on the first of seven consecutive scoring marches for Van. Aiden Moore made the first of his six extra points to deadlock the contest at 7-7 with five minutes to play in the first quarter. A personal foul penalty against the Panthers was a key play in the Vandal scoring drive.
Van Alstyne broke the tie on its next offensive series as they moved 75 yards in nine plays with Brayden Miller ending the march with a 7-yard TD run. Janek added the extra point giving the Panthers a 14-7 lead with 2:11 remaining in the first quarter. Key plays in the tie-breaking scoring drive for Van Alstyne included a 33-yard pass completion from Carson to Miller and running gains of 10 yards by Cayden Benedict and 16 yards by Carson.
Van came right back with an 80-yard scoring drive in 11 plays as the Jaxon Moffatt/Hinch connection worked again, this time on a 17-yard TD pass play. Moore added the extra point to tie the game at 14-14 with 9:32 to play in the second quarter. Pass completions from Jaxon Moffatt covering 10 yards to Hawkins and 12 and 22 yards to Rowe in addition to a 10-yard run by Austin Moffatt were key plays in the Vandal scoring drive.
Following a Van Alstyne punt, the Vandals took the lead for the first time in the game as they drove 77 yards in six plays with Jaxon Moffatt ending the march with a 2-yard TD run. Moore added the extra point giving Van a 21-14 advantage with 3:35 to play before halftime. Pass completions from Jaxon Moffatt covering 10 and 39 yards to Rowe were key plays in the tie-breaking scoring march for Van.
It did not take long for the Panthers to respond as they advanced 70 yards in four plays with Carson ending the drive with a 60-yard TD run. Janek added the extra point to tie the game again at 21-21 with 2:06 to play in the second quarter.
The Vandals took the lead again before halftime as they marched 75 yards in 11 plays and again, the drive ended on a Jaxon Moffatt to Hinch connection, this time for 26 yards and a TD. Moore added the extra point giving Van a 28-21 lead with 23 seconds remaining before intermission. Pass completions from Jaxon Moffatt covering 13 yards to Hinch and 11 yards to Rowe were key plays in the scoring drive for the Vandals.
Van Alstyne took the third quarter kickoff and immediately tied the game again as Carson raced 69 yards for a TD on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. Janek added the extra point to deadlock the game at 28-28 with 11:49 remaining in the third quarter.
The Vandals responded by moving 75 yards in five plays as Jaxon Moffatt connected with Rowe on a 46-yard TD pass play. Moore added the extra point giving Van a 35-28 lead with 9:50 to play in the third quarter.
Van Alstyne came right back as they moved 70 yards in 12 plays with Carson running 10 yards for a TD to end the drive. Janek added the extra point to tie the game once again, this time at 35-35 with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter. Pass completions from Carson covering 30 and 18 yards to Miller were key plays in the Panther scoring march.
Van stormed back to re-take the lead as they advanced 75 yards in eight plays with Jaxon Moffatt connecting with Hawkins on a 7-yard TD pass play to end the drive. Moore added the extra point giving the Vandals a 42-35 lead with 1:53 remaining in the third quarter. Pass completions from Jaxon Moffatt covering 33 and 26 yards to Hinch were key plays in the go-ahead scoring march for the Vandals.
The Panthers threatened to tie the game again as they moved from their own 30 to the Vandal 18 in seven plays including an 18-yard run by Carson and a face mask penalty against Van but the scoring threat ended on fourth down and four at the Van 18 when the pass from reserve QB Miller to Skinner was incomplete giving the Vandals possession at their own 18.
During the Van Alstyne drive, they lost the services of Carson due to an injury as he did not return to the game.
“That was real unfortunate for them,” emphasized Jared Moffatt. “He has had a great career at Van Alstyne. Defensively, we got the stops we had to have. Football is a three-phase game. Against Van Alstyne, we gave up 42, and we needed 45 to win. Luckily, we got it. It is great to still be playing. This is the 11th time that Van has played at least 13 games in a season.”
The defensive game plan for the Vandals against the Panthers did not change much even after Carson left the game due to injury, according to the Vandal head coach.
“I don’t know that it changed our defensive game plan as much as it changed the dynamic of the game,” said Jared Moffatt. “There is no doubt that he had carried their offense all season long. That young man not only plays quarterback, he also plays corner on defense so when he is on the field, he is one of the best players out there overall on either side of the ball. It obviously changed what they wanted to do. It was tough for them to recover from that but having said that, in a 10-point game, they went right down the field and scored with their backup quarterback. It was a crazy ending to the game. Their kids played hard.”
The Vandals then proceeded to go on a long time-consuming drive from their own 18 to the Panther 7-yard line in 12 plays that included two Panther defensive penalties (holding and pass interference) in addition to a 25-yard pass completion from Jaxon Moffatt to Rowe.
Facing fourth down and goal at the Panther 7-yard line, Moore was sent in to attempt a critical 24-yard field goal which was good extending Van’s lead to 45-35 with 4:45 to play in the fourth quarter.
“Aiden Moore has been a huge part of what we have been able to accomplish,” pointed out Jared Moffatt. “In addition to making six extra points and field goal, he had a touchback on one of his kickoffs. That field goal he made was big as it turned out. Our entire unit on extra points and the field goal were really good Friday night.”
The Panthers faced a fourth down and 16 at their own 19 on their next possession when Miller attempted to run for the first down on a scramble but was tackled two yards short of the first down marker giving Van excellent field position at the Van Alstyne 34.
Following a 16-yard run by Austin Moffatt, the Vandals attempted to put the game away on third down and nine at the Panther 17 when Jaxon Moffatt’s pass to Hawkins was intercepted by Panther free safety Skinner for a touchback with 2:44 to play in the game.
Van Alstyne, operating with their reserve QB, was not done as the Panthers moved 80 yards in 11 plays with Miller running seven yards for a TD. Janek added the extra point cutting Van’s lead to 45-42 with 49 seconds remaining. Pass completions from Miller covering 13 yards to WR Tim Moore, 10 yards to WR Kaster Fonseca, and 10 and 11 yards to Benedict in addition to a personal foul penalty against the Vandals were key plays in what turned out to be the final scoring drive of the contest.
An attempted onside kick attempt on the ensuing kickoff by Van Alstyne was recovered by the Vandals at the Van 48 allowing Van to run out the clock.
Jared Moffatt recognized the individual efforts of Jaxon Moffatt, Rowe, Hinch (offensively and defensively), Hawkins, Austin Moffatt; the offensive line, especially left tackle Cooper Hullum; receiver Aiden Willis for his blocking; Christensen, defensive back Da’Quavion Williams, and King.