Vandals smack Staunton to go 7-0

By Rich Bauer
After a sluggish performance in the win over Greenville, Vandalia was looking to rebound with a strong performance on Friday against Staunton.
The Vandals got just that, building a 49-8 lead by halftime and giving their reserves ample playing time in the second half.
The 56-21 win allowed the Vandals to remain unbeaten at 7-0 and continue their hold on first place in the South Central Conference.
“Obviously,” Vandalia coach Jason Clay said, “we were disappointed with last week.”
Clay feels the Vandals had a good week to prepare for Staunton, which included everyone reminding themselves of the season-long mission.
“We had a really good film session, kind of a look-in-the-mirror moment,” he said.
The Vandals led 7-0 four minutes into the game on a Qwentyn Stombaugh-to-Kohnor Depew pass play, and went up 14-0 on a 32-yard run by Depew about two minutes later.
Stombaugh’s 1-yard run with two minutes left in the quarter made it 21-0.
The Vandals added four scores in the second quarter, with Stombaugh connecting with Depew, Brenton McCarty and Lucas Bowers, and the QB scoring on a 23-yard run.
With the Vandals up 49-14 after three quarters, they tacked on a 2-yard run by Bentyn Diveley for their final score, with placekicker Cole Durbin going 7-for-7 on extra-point kicks.
Clay said his players rebounded well.
“When you don’t perform the way you want to, then that forces you to look at things, and I thought that our best people stepped up their game tonight,” he said.
“Things start with our perimeter blocking,” Clay said. “We had receivers who were burying people, and then they kept loading the box, and trying to play seven in the box and playing man (-to-man).
“So, we were just trying to call some stuff to take advantage of that.
“There are always games like that (against the Comets), and Greenville is a good football team and a rival of ours and it was the Pink Bowl, so that all plays into being a tough game.
“So, tonight, it’s good to see them come out and put a good performance on,” he said.
“It’s Homecoming week and it’s one that they’ll remember.
“I’m proud of them for the effort they gave and the way they brought it on tonight,” Clay said.