Leopards put end to losing slump, beat winless Van

VAN, Texas—If Liberty-Eylau got a tongue-lashing from head coach Brian Brown at halftime, it was because they deserved it.

The Leopards were completely out of sync the first two quarters, but came out a different team in the second half. If not for two turnovers, L-E (2-3) might have surpassed its 17-6 deficit in the third quarter. They did in the final 12 minutes by outscoring the Vandals 210 for a 27-17 victory to end a three-game losing streak.

Senior quarterback Rashaan Donelson struggled at times, but kept his composure, and finished Friday night's game at Van Memorial Stadium with 20 of 30 completions for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Donelson also rushed for 90 yards and two more scores, including a 50-yarder with 52 seconds left to put the game on ice.

Senior Keith Wynkoop was another Leopard standout on offense with nine catches for

110 yards, including a 60-yard scoring run with 4:05 left in the game to put L-E on top for good at 20-17. Donelson also completed a 2-point conversion pass to Wynkoop.

Brown’s message at halftime also woke up the Leopards’ defense, which held Van’s stud running back Matt Savis to 46 yards in the second half. Still, he finished with 183 yards on 32 carries, scoring both of the Vandals’ touchdowns.

L-E had no defense in the first half with Savis running for 137 of Van’s 217 yards and scoring twice in the second quarter.

After yielding an early field goal, the Leopards temporarily captured the lead on a nine-play drive that covered 64 yards.

Six of those plays were pass completions, including the final 11 yards on a quick screen to Keith Wynkoop, who caught six of Donelson’s completions in the first two quarters. L-E’s PAT attempt with 1:36 left in the first quarter was blocked.

The Leopards’ offense did little in the second quarter, while Van marched up and down the field behind Savis and junior quarterback Peter Maddox.

Van drove 67 yards in 11 plays for its first touchdown, a 4-yard run by Savis with 9:11 left in the half.

It was three and out for LE, and the Vandals were driving again as Savis and Maddox broke arm tackles consistently. Maddox raced 25 yards for an apparent score, breaking seven tackles, but a hold nullified the score.

Seconds later on third-and-7, Savis went up the middle of the field untouched for his second TD with 1:10 left before intermission.

L-E is off next week, and will play its first home game of the season in its District 13-3A opener against Pleasant Grove.