DAVID BARBER

Sports Correspondent

In a matter of minutes Nov. 3, the Van Vandals qualified for the Class 4A, Division 2, state football playoffs and improved their district playoff positioning after receiving help from an unexpected source.

Coach Jared Moffatt’s Vandals, 6-4 overall and 4-2 in district play, were anticipating a number four playoff seed in their district and a bi-district playoff matchup against the number two ranked team in the state in Class 4A, Division 2, the Gilmer Buckeyes, however, that would not be the case.

After a thrilling fourth quarter rally to defeat the Bullard Panthers, 35-28, in Bullard Nov. 3 to punch their ticket for post-season play, the Vandals learned a short time later that their district and Van Zandt County rival, the Canton Eagles, had pulled off a major upset as they outlasted the Rusk Eagles, 35-34, in Canton Nov. 3.

That result meant that the Vandals were moving up to the number three playoff seed with Rusk dropping to the fourth playoff seed and facing Gilmer in the bi-district playoffs.

Instead of facing the number two team in the state, the Vandals will now take on the seventh ranked team in the state, the Texarkana Pleasant Grove Hawks, in a Class 4A, Division 2, bi-district playoff matchup at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 at Maverick Stadium in Marshall.

Van will be the home team in Marshall, so Vandal fans are asked to sit on the press box side of Maverick Stadium.

“It was pretty wild after the game,” recalled Moffatt after the win over Bullard. “We had already met with Gilmer and even set up an officiating crew for the game which would have been played in Tyler. We did not think that there was going to be any other way that the scenario was going to go. We were planning on playing against Gilmer. Everything was set. We were celebrating our victory in the locker room when somebody came in and told us that Canton had taken the lead late in the game against Rusk. I could not believe it. That could not be happening, but it did. We were keeping up with that game. Going from Gilmer to Texarkana Pleasant Grove really did not give us much of a break in terms of the competition.”

Texarkana Pleasant Grove, 8-2 overall, is the runner-up team in District 7-4A, Division 2, as they lost to District 7-4A, Division 2, champion Gilmer and to Shreveport Byrd in non-district play.

“Coach Gipson has really done a great job with the Texarkana Pleasant Grove program,” pointed out Moffatt. “He has won two state championships there and played in another state championship game.

“I had not communicated with Coach Gipson until after our game with Bullard,” continued Moffatt. “He had the stadium reserved in Marshall for Thursday, Nov. 10. It is so hard to find a good stadium in the first round of the state playoffs, especially between Van and Texarkana. We thought about flipping a coin for home-and-home but with my luck recently involving coin flips, I decided that playing in Marshall was not a bad way to go. We know Marshall has a good place. We have played there before, and we are looking forward to being there again. We had the option of playing Thursday or Saturday. The stadium was not available for us on Friday. We decided on Thursday.

“When I called the Gilmer coach, he was unaware that Canton beat Rusk,” said Moffatt. “He was surprised. I told him that we were not playing against his team after all. That is high school football. On any given day or night, anything can happen. Look what almost happened to us against Bullard and what eventually happened to Rusk against Canton.”

Moffatt is impressed with the overall program that Texarkana Pleasant Grove has built over the past several years.

“They lost in the fourth round of the state playoffs last season to Gilmer,” recalled Moffatt. “They lost in the third round the year before that. They are a team that has played regularly in at least the regional final round. What they have accomplished there has been really impressive. They have a really good football team again this season. They have great team speed. Their quarterback is a dynamic player that can beat you throwing or running. We will need to run to the football and tackle well, or they will be heading to the end zone.”

On offense, the Hawks operate out of the ‘Wing-T’ formation but has shown more signs recently of utilizing a ‘shotgun’ formation as well, according to the Vandal head coach.

“This is a team that we have never played, at least since I have been at Van,” pointed out Moffatt. “Defensively, they are not afraid to blitz and play man coverage in the secondary. They will gamble defensively. They are showing odd and even fronts. They are trying to create negative plays on your offense. Also, they have a kicker who is kicking off all the way to the end zone. That impacts field position, and their kicker is a huge weapon.”

Moffatt recognizes that his team is considered to be the underdog against Texarkana Pleasant Grove in Marshall.

“I know one thing for sure, our guys will show up ready to play,” emphasized the Vandal head coach. “We are excited about being in the playoffs and the challenge that faces us against Texarkana Pleasant Grove. We also have a program that expects to win. We are not just happy to be here. Our kids are going to play with physicality and intensity, and I think this could shape up to be a really good high school playoff game in Marshall.”

In other bi-district matchups involving District 7-4A, Division 2, and District 8-4A, Division 2, the District 8-4A, Division 2, champion Carthage Bulldogs (10-0), the number one ranked team in the state in Class 4A, Division 2, will take on the fourth place team in District 7-4A, Division 2, the Pittsburg Pirates (2-8) Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. in Lindale.

The District 8-4A, Division 2, runner-up, the Center Roughriders (7-3), will tangle with the District 7-4A, Division 2, runner-up, the Liberty-Eylau Leopards (7-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 in Hallsville.

The District 8-4A, Division 2, fourth place team, the Rusk Eagles (6-4), will face the District 7-4A, Division 2 champion Gilmer Buckeyes (10-0) Friday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Tyler.

Moffatt commented on the other bi-district playoff matchups involving teams from District 7-4A, Division 2, and District 8-4A, Division 2.

“I believe Carthage will win,” emphasized Moffatt. “They beat Pittsburg during the regular season, something like 50-20. The road to the regional title in our region goes through Carthage. I think the matchup between Center and Liberty-Eylau is an intriguing matchup. I am interested to see how L-E’s defense matches up with Center’s offense. Gilmer has played really well this season and they are a tough matchup for Rusk.”

The winner of the Van/Texarkana Pleasant Grove matchup Nov. 10 in Marshall will take on the winner of the Nov. 11 contest between undefeated Caddo Mills and Sanger in the area round of the Class 4A, Division 2 state playoffs at a site, time, and date yet to be determined.

For results of the Van/Texarkana Pleasant Grove bi-district game, check out www.vanzandtnews.com.