Vandals pile on points, but still fall to Roxana

VANDALIA - The Vandals had three times as many points as in any of the first three games, but for the fourth time in four games allowed more than 40 in a 49-36 loss to Roxana on Friday.

Vandalia (0-4) failed to stop Roxana (1-3) on all but one third down in the game, allowing the Shells to post a season-high number of points.

The offense, however, looked sharp, as several running backs ran effectively, and Collin Nestleroad racked up plenty of yards in the passing game, connecting on several plays of more than 30 yards.

Vandalia got its first lead of the season when Dalton Smith scored on a 39-yard run just 55 seconds into the game, but the Shells followed with three scores to take a 21-7 lead.

C.J. Runkel carried the ball 4 yards for a touchdown with 4:01 left in the second quarter, but Roxana scored two minutes later and added another touchdown with 32.7 seconds left in the first half to go ahead, 34-13.

Vandalia's Wade Harre caught a 35-yard touchdown pass as the first-half clock expired and a two-point conversion run by Bobby Bradley cut that lead to 34-21.

Roxana had the only score of the third quarter.

Smith hauled in a 57-yard pass for a touchdown with 8:30 left in the game, but Roxana again followed with a touchdown to make the score, 49-28, with 7:06 left to play.

Harre caught his second touchdown of the game with 50 seconds left on the clock, bringing in a 33-yard pass.

Much more on this game will be available in the Seot. 26 edition of The Leader-Union.