DISTRICT 8-4A Division I

Van Vandals (6-0, 2-0)

vs.

Brownsboro Bears (4-1, 1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Bear Stadium, Brownsboro

Coaches

  • Van: Jared Moffatt
  • Brownsboro: Greg Pearson

Last week

Next week

  • Van: BYE
  • Brownsboro: at Kaufman, Oct. 20

Playmakers

Van

  • QB Garrett Moseley, Sr., 5-11, 190 (74-of-126, 1,586 passing yards, 19 passing TDs, 81 carries, 681 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs)
  • OL Kris Dike, Sr., 6-6, 275 (Committed to TCU)
  • LB Jake Kellam, Sr., 6-0, 210 (39 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 sacks)
  • OL Caleb York, Sr., 5-10, 250
  • WR/DB Bray Doring, Jr., 5-11, 155 (17 catches 440 yards, 6 TDs)
  • WR Gus Brewer, Sr., 6-0 (25 catches 529 yards, 6 TDs)
  • DL Tristan Gentry, Jr., 5-9, 170 (21 tackles, 2 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble)
  • DB Zeke Betancourt, Sr., 5-9, 160

Brownsboro

  • QB Jonathan Surlet, Jr. (18-for-31, 226 yards, 3 TDs)
  • RB/LB Kevon Thompson, Sr., 6-1, 190 (59 carries, 683 yards, 7 TDs)
  • RB/LB Kenneth Woods, Sr., 6-4, 233 (62 carries, 407 yards, 5 TDs, 7 catches, 109 yards, 2 TDs)
  • DB Saul Williams, Jr., 5-11, 160

Just the facts

  • Brownsboro is putting up 34.8 points per game on more than 400 yards.
  • The Bears are nearing 2,000 yards rushing for the year. They need just 52 yards in this game to reach it.
  • Meanwhile, Van is putting up an impressive 481.6 yards per game and scoring 47.2 points.
  • Garrett Moseley remains one of the top offensive threats in the area, having amassed more than 2,000 total yards so far.
  • Van holds a 10-1 lead in the series since 2004. The Bears haven't beaten the Vandals since 2005.
  • Last season the Vandals won, 49-7.
Elijah Rankine Stip Arms a Pirate Defender
Elijah Rankine and the Van receivers have been the best in the area this season. (© ETSN.fm)
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Key matchup: Van receivers against the Brownsboro secondary. No one has been able to stop Van's passing attack this season. That might be because of the plethora of weapons the Vandals possess.

Four Van receivers have more than 250 yards so far, and Ethan Robinson is hovering 300, with 299. Gus Brewer and Bray Doring have been the leaders, each with six touchdowns and more than 400 yards.

Whether it's the receivers that enable Moseley to play so great or vice versa is hard to say. What isn't hard to admit, though, is that Van boasts perhaps the scariest passing attack in East Texas.

It will be a tall task for Brownsboro to contain this group. There are simply too many receivers who can make big plays. However, if the Bears can hold Van under its typical production in the passing game, they might stand a chance.

Brownsboro RB Kevon Thompson(© Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)
Brownsboro RB Kevon Thompson(© Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)
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Don't be surprised if: Brownsboro puts up big numbers on the ground. It's what the Bears have done all season. They seem to be a one-dimensional attack on offense. They've run 225 rushing plays compared to 31 passing plays.

So far, it's been a formula for success. Brownsboro is 4-1 and the duo of Kevon Thompson and Kenneth Woods have combined for more than 1,000 yards. This will be a test for the Bears offense, though. Brownsboro has not faced a team of Van's caliber yet this season.

If the Bears can continue to find success, they might pull off an upset.

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