Vandals fight off Comets; now 6-0

Photo by Rich Bauer After catching a pass from Qwentyn Stombaugh, Andrew Casey trots into the end zone to score a touchdown that helped seal Vandalia’s win over Greenville on Friday.

Friday’s matchup between Vandalia and Greenville was proof that when the two rivals meet up, season records can be thrown out the window.
Vandalia entered the game with a 5-0 record, which made them eligible for the IHSA playoffs, and Greenville was 3-2, with hopes of still making the playoffs.
And while the Comets stuck with the Vandals for three quarters, Vandalia exploded for four scores in the fourth quarter for a 28-18 win to improve to 6-0, retain the Pink Bowl trophy and secure a playoff spot.
Deferring on the coin toss, Greenville kicked off to open the game, and in hopes of getting early momentum, the Comets used an onside kick, and recovered the kick.
In just over a minute, Greenville scored on a 26-yard run and added a two-point conversion to go up 8-0.
The Comets would hold that lead until just before halftime.
The Vandals recovered a Greenville fumble and quickly knotted the score at 8 with a 33-yard pass from Qwentyn Stombaugh to Kohnor Depew and a two-point conversion pass from Stombaugh to Andrew Casey.
Greenville would go up 11-8 midway through the third quarter on a field goal, but that would be the Comets last lead of the night.
In the fourth quarter, Vandalia would increase its lead to 21-11 on touchdown runs by Dillon Hinton and Stombaugh, and that would be enough points for the win.
A Greenville touchdown with 6:40 left would narrow the Vandals’ lead to 21-18, but a 28-yard pass from Stombaugh to Andrew Casey and an extra-point by Cole Durbin pretty much sealed the win.
Greenville using an onside kick to start the game was no surprise to Vandals coach Jason Clay.
“We predicted that they would kick it onside to start the game,” he said. “They were trying to get some momentum on their side.”
In the first half, Clay said, “Our offense was struggling, we were struggling with play calling, we were struggling to move the ball at times.
“First possession, we drove it down and scored and killed ourselves with a penalty,” he said about the Stombaugh to Depew pass-play touchdown that was negated.
“After that, they’re still in it, and the longer the game goes on, with them having the lead, the more confidence they get,” Clay said.
“They had a good game plan and their kids played well, and I don’t think we blocked very well,” he said. “So, we go back to the drawing board and see what we need to work on.”
Clay had high praise for the Vandals defense, particularly at the start of the second half.
“They got a good kickoff return and set up a short field,” he said. “They got a good drive together, but we stopped them and made them kick a field goal.
“I thought that was big.
“Then, we kind of sputtered the next time we had the ball, but our defense did a great job of getting them behind the chains, and then getting them to turn the ball over. We were to get a score and make them chase from behind.
“But they didn’t give up,” Clay said.
The Vandals head man said that he didn’t feel the need to give his players a fiery halftime speech.
“I told them I was proud of them for rallying right before the half, and getting that score was big for momentum.
“I just told them I was proud of them for the way they fought back and made some adjustments,” he said.
Clay said he believes several factors played into the score of the game.
“We’re in a situation where we’re confident but haven’t had a super big challenge the last couple of weeks, and they’re mad, they’re furious about the way they played last week (a 47-7 loss to Pana), and embarrassed.
“They’re back at home and I guarantee their coaches challenged them.
“You look at the rivalry, and their kids have big hearts and always get their kids to play hard” Clay said.
“I’m proud of our kids for the fight that we showed. Even there, when they scored with a field goal, we were able to drive it down and score, and score again with the touchdown pass to Andrew to put us back up 10.
“So, I was just proud of how we answered back in those situations,” Clay said.

Vandalia 28, Greenville 18
TOTAL OFFENSE – 354 yards
RUSHING: 40 for 180 yards, 2 TD’s
• Qwentyn Stombaugh 22 carries for 95 yds, TD
• Kohnor Depew 5 carries for 45 yds
• Dillon Hinton 8 carries for 27 yds, TD
• Jordan Colburn 3 carries for 8 yds
• Padric McDowell 1 carry for 4 yds
• Brody Matthews 1 carry for 1 yd
PASSING: 10 for 18, 174 yards, 2 TD’s, INT
• Q. Stombaugh 10 for 18, 174 yds, 2 TD’s, INT
RECEIVING: 10 for 174 yards, 2 TD’s
• Kohnor Depew 3 rec for 97 yds, TD
• Andrew Casey 3 rec for 39 yds, TD
• Jordan Colburn 3 rec for 32 yds
• Brenton McCarty 1 rec for 6 yards
TACKLES
• Sam Bowers 4 solo, 11 assists
• Jordan Colburn 3 solo, 6 assist
• Padric McDowell 3 solo, 1 assist
• Isaac Forbes 2 solo, 4 assists, 1 sack for -18 yds
• Lucas Bowers 2 solo Dillon Hinton 1 solo, 7 assists
Scoring Summary
G 1st 10:56 26 yd run, Dayton Oliver; 2pt-conv pass, Austin Wall to Paxton Ackerman. G 8-0
V 2nd 0:53.3 33 yd pass, Qwentyn Stombaugh to Kohnor Depew; 2pt-conv pass, Stombaugh to Andrew Casey. 8-8
G 3rd 6:22 21-yd field goal, Gavin File. G 11-8
V 4th 9:09 6 yd run, Dillon Hinton; Cole Durbin kick. V 15-11
V 4th 7:55 4 yd run, Stombaugh; kick blocked. V 21-11
G 4th 6:40 4 yd run, Dayton Oliver; File kick. V 21-18
V 4th 2:34 28 yd pass, Stombaugh to Casey; Durbin kick. V 28-18
Statistics provided by Hannah Edgar & Brittany Hawkins