Wills Point Falters Late In 50-21 Loss To Van Vandals

VAN—The scoreboard operator at Van’s Memorial Stadium was kept quite busy as two Van Zandt County rivals tried to match each other’s offensive numbers.

In the end, the District 14-3A leading Van Vandals pulled away from the upset-minded Wills Point Tigers as Van registered a 50-21 victory Friday night.

With two games remaining, the Vandals hold a 7-1 overall mark and a 3-0 mark in district play as they will travel to Canton for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday against the Canton Eagles.

Canton (5-3, 2-1) rallied to defeat the Mineola Yellowjackets (4-4, 1-2) 30-23 at Canton Friday night.

The Van/Canton county rival encounter will go a long way in ultimately deciding the District 14-3A champion.

Wills Point (0-8, 0-3) will try again to register its initial win of 2008 when they travel to Eustace Friday at 7:30 p.m. for a meeting with the Eustace Bulldogs (4-4, 2-1).

In the Van/Wills Point matchup, the Vandals and the Tigers combined for 38 first downs and nearly 800 yards of total offense.

The two teams also totaled 47 completions out of 73 attempts for 548 passing yards.

As it turned out, the difference was the balanced offensive attack for the Vandals which totaled 489 total yards (319 passing and 170 rushing).

Wills Point finished with 297 total yards (229 passing and 68 rushing) but the Tigers were held to 88 total yards in the second half.

The Tigers received the opening kickoff but suffered a turnover on the second play from scrimmage as Jurica was sacked and fumbled with Van defensive tackle Jace Huddle recovering the ball at the Wills Point 24.

On Van’s first play from scrimmage, quarterback Tyler Sharpe (24 completions, 35 attempts, 319 yards, three touchdowns, one interception) connected with tight end Joey McMinn (six receptions, 116 yards, two TD’s) on a 24-yard TD pass play. Blake Pennington, who was six out of six on extra point attempts, added the extra point to give the Vandals a quick 7-0 lead with 11:02 to play in the first quarter.

Following a Wills Point punt, the Vandals extended their lead by moving 60 yards in 12 plays (six running and six passing).

Running back Michael Terry ended the drive with a 6-yard TD run. Pennington added the extra point to give the Vandals a 14-0 advantage with exactly four minutes to play in the first quarter.

Key plays in the TD drive for the Vandals included pass completions from Sharpe covering 15 yards to McMinn and 16 yards to receiver Damon Hightower (six receptions, 53 yards).

The turnover bug bit the Tigers again on their next possession as a pass completion from QB Trent Jurica to wide receiver Marquis Burch was fumbled by Burch after a nine-yard gain and recovered by Vandal safety Hightower at the Tiger 49.

Wills Point’s defense stiffened and forced a Vandal punt.

Four plays later on second down and six at the Vandal 39, Jurica’s pass over the middle was intercepted by Vandal free safety Tye Hughes and returned to the Van 28.

Seven plays later, including a 10-yard pass completion from Sharpe to Hightower and a 14-yard run by Terry, the Vandals had a second down and six at the Tiger 30 when Sharpe fumbled and Wills Point recovered the ball at the line of scrimmage.

Wills Point’s offense then put together a 70-yard scoring drive in eight plays.

The march ended when Jurica (23 completions, 38 attempts, 229 yards, two TD’s, one interception) connected with WR Brett Bradshaw (four receptions, 55 yards) on a 43-yard TD pass play. Evan Pavilla added the extra point to cut the Vandal lead to 14-7 with 9:04 remaining in the second quarter.

A 14-yard pass completion from Jurica to Cyle Henderson was a key play in the Tiger scoring drive.

Van responded by moving 80 yards in six plays for a TD.

Sharpe ended the march by connecting with WR Hughes (four receptions, 91 yards) on a 65-yard TD pass play. Pennington added the extra point to give the Vandals a 21-7 lead with 6:08 remaining in the second quarter.

Van was able to overcome an apparent 68-yard TD pass play from Sharpe to McMinn that was nullified by an illegal receiver downfield penalty.

Wills Point showed no signs of giving in as they rallied with a 70-yard march in six plays, all passing.

Jurica ended the drive by connecting with WR Steve Cunigan (four receptions, 66 yards) on a 43-yard TD pass play. Pavilla added the extra point to cut Wills Point’s deficit to 21-14 with 4:58 remaining before halftime.

The scoring drive included a 16-yard pass completion from Jurica to Cunigan.

A 44-yard return of the ensuing kickoff by Hughes set up the next Vandal TD drive as they moved 45 yards in three plays.

The Sharpe to McMinn connection worked again for the Vandals, this time for a 43-yard TD pass play. Pennington added the extra point to give the Vandals a 28-14 advantage with 3:56 to play before intermission ending a wild second quarter in which each time scored two TD’s.

Wills Point appeared to be on its way to another TD as they moved from its own 34 to the Vandal 27 in six plays including a 20-yard scramble by Jurica (11 carries, 54 yards).

On second down and 10 at the Van 27, the scoring threat ended as Cunigan fumbled after receiving a short pass from Jurica.

Vandal cornerback James Whatley recovered the ball at the Van 21.

The Vandals moved as deep at the Tiger 45 in seven plays including running gains of 16 and 10 yards by RB Chase Rabe but the first half clock ran out before Van could run another offensive play.

Van received the second half kickoff and turned the ball over on its first play from scrimmage in the third quarter.

Sharpe’s pass over the middle was intercepted by Tiger DB Cunigan and returned to the Vandal 34.

Nine plays later, the Tigers pulled closer to the Vandals as Henderson ran three yards for a TD. Pavilla added the extra point to cut Wills Point’s deficit to 28-21 with 8:34 to play in the third quarter.

An 11-yard pass completion from Jurica to Burch (five receptions, 36 yards) was a key play in the Tiger scoring march.

As it turned out, that would be as close as the Tigers would get as the Vandals registered the final 22 points of the contest.

The Vandals began to put the game out of reach as they moved 69 yards in nine plays to extend their lead.

Rabe (15 carries, 130 yards, three TD’s) ended the march with a 2-yard TD run. Pennington added the extra point to give the Vandals a 35-21 advantage with 3:54 to play in the third quarter.

Pass completions from Sharpe covering 23 yards to McMinn and 19 yards to Hughes were key plays in the scoring march.

A strong return of the ensuing kickoff by Cunigan gave Wills Point possession in Vandal territory at the 45 but the Tigers could not register a first down.

The drive stalled on fourth down and seven as Jurica’s pass was incomplete due to a heavy Vandal pass rush.

Van then moved 57 yards in nine plays for their next TD drive.

Rabe ended the march with a 5-yard TD run. Faking the extra point, Hightower took a reverse handoff and scored the two-point conversion to give the Vandals a 43-21 lead with 10:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.

An 11-yard run by Rabe and a 22-yard pass completion from Sharpe to WR Whatley were key plays in the Vandal scoring drive.

Following a Wills Point punt, the Vandals closed out the scoring by moving 82 yards in five plays.

Rabe ended the march by racing 64 yards for a TD. Pennington added the extra point to give Van a commanding 50-21 lead with 7:08 to play in the game.

Wills Point had one final scoring threat as they moved from its own 38 to the Vandal 21 in 15 plays including a 12-yard run by Jurica.

The drive stalled on fourth down and 10 when Jurica’s pass was complete to Pavilla for nine yards, short of the first down marker allowing the Vandals to run out the clock.