Van downs L-E, 35-14

VAN, Texas — Van didn’t let Liberty-Eylau play spoiler to its Homecoming Night at Memorial Stadium Friday.

The Leopards fell to the Vandals in their non-district finale, 35-14.

“We have to get a little more focused,” Liberty-Eylau head coach Dewaski Davis said. “We had a so-so week of practice. We have to win everyday.We just didn’t have our best stuff tonight.”

Van scored 21 unanswered points coming out of halftime.

Javonta Thomas scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the night on a 1-yard plunge for the Vandals in the final quarter, giving Van a two-score edge over the Leopards with 8:54 left in the game, 28-14.

The Leopards fumbled the following possession, giving the Vandals favorable scoring position on their next drive.

Thomas was able to punch in his fifth touchdown of the night from 5 yards out, giving Van a commanding 35-14 lead.

“We needed this,” Davis said. “We got a little too confident. This is one of those ones where you get kicked in the teeth and you have to figure out what you’re going to do about it.We just have to grow up and learn from this one.”

Both schools were stagnant offensively coming out of the locker rooms to begin the second half.

Neither squad pressed the other’s defense nor made it past midfield, until Van’s third drive of the quarter with 6:10 left in the third.

Thomas scored his third touchdown of the night for Van on a 8-yard dive with 5:09 left before the final period, giving the Vandals a 21-14 edge.

The Leopards were able to adapt to Van’s spread no-huddle offense by the beginning of the second quarter.

Chris Lewis intercepted a Vandal pass deep in Van territory to stop a scoring drive and give the Leopards the ball to open the second quarter.

Thomas scored his second touchdown of the half for the Vandals on a 19-yard dash to the corner pylon with 9:19 left before halftime.

Lewis intercepted his second pass of the quarter for the Leopards in the end zone with 2:59 left before intermission.

Jace Banks ran past the Van defense to score on his 35-yard reception from JJ Hampton with 1:54 left in the half, tying the contest at 14-all.

Banks finished with three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Takylan Hampton intercepted a Van pass with 30 seconds left before halftime, halting a Vandals’ scoring opportunity.

Darrion Crabtree blocked a Van punt and Peyton Page recovered it for the Leopards on the Vandals 30-yard line, setting L-E up in a scoring position.

Lewis caught a 34-yard strike from JJ Hampton to opening the scoring for the Leopards, with 6:45 left in the opening quarter. Lewis caught three passes for 47 yards and a score offensively.

Two consecutive L-E personal foul penalties set the Vandals up in scoring position.

Thomas scored on a 1-yard dive for Van with 3:31 left in the period, bringing the contest to a 7-7 tie.

The Leopards are back on the road next week, traveling to Paris to face North Lamar in the District 8-4A opener for both teams.

“We’re in district now,” Davis said. “This is what we’ve been working for. We have to buckle down and get to business next week.”