VAN – Lindale registered two rapid-fire scores in the waning moments of the first half, then held off the Van Vandals to claim its first win of the season, 24-21, Friday night at Vandal Stadium.

Lindale improved to 1-2 on the year, while Van fell to 0-3.

Junior running back Delenis Garrett bruised Van for 187 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, while Eagles quarterback Nash Walters completed 10-of-15 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown and had a big fourth-down run in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for Lindale.

Owning a 10-7 lead with less than two minutes left in the first half, the Eagles struck quickly with Garrett bursting up the middle and down the left side for a 60-yard score to make it 17-7.

Van then fumbled the kickoff and Garrett scored on a 3-yard run with 1:36 left in the half.

The Vandals jumped out to a 7-0 lead as quarterback Peter Maddox directed the offense on an eight-play, 67-yard scoring drive, which was capped by a 4-yard scoring run from Matt Savis.

Lindale bounced back to tie the game on its third possession of the game, traveling 62 yards on nine plays with Tayton Williams hauling in a 1-yard scoring toss from Walters.

Tate Coomer then boomed home a 37-yard field goal with 8:07 left in the half to give Lindale the lead for good at 10-7.

Van was its own worst enemy at times, accumulating 105 yards in penalties and misfiring on offense at inopportune times.

Maddox finished the night 17-of-30 for 199 yards and two scores. But at least four times his receivers found space behind the Lindale secondary and the passes were either overthrown or dropped.

Maddox connected with Layton Myers on a 37-yard touchdown to trim the Lindale lead to 24-14 and with just over five minutes left in the game. He hit Luke McGowan on a 10-yard scoring play, which capped a 10-play, 79-yard drive for the Vandals.

The ensuing kickoff then pinned the Eagles down at their own 14, but Walters found Tate Coomer on a big third-and-12 conversion. A few moments later, Walters faked a counter and sprinted to his right for a first down on fourth-and-3 from the Van 35, which enabled Lindale to run out the clock.

Lindale is back in action next Friday when it hosts Hallsville, while Van plays at Kaufman the same night.

More From East Texas Sports Network