For the first time in 30 years, the Vandals lined up with the Greenville Comets for Homecoming and were able to come away with a 28 to 27 Overtime win on a very pleasant Homecoming Night at Mark Greer Field.
The Vandals got the game started off on the right foot when they scored on their opening drive on a 3 yard TD Run by Brody Matthews with 8:09 remaining in the 1st quarter. The PAT was no good and left the score at 6-0 Vandals. Early in the 2nd quarter, the Comets intercepted Vandals QB Qwentyn Stombaugh and would turn that into an 80 yard TD for Comets QB Bauer Ackerman and Isaiah Matthews. The kick was good and gave the Comets a 7 to 6 lead. The Comets would then recover an onside kick and turned that into a TD pass from Ackerman to Cannon Hamel two plays later to get their lead to 14 to 6. The Vandals would cut into that lead with a TD with 1:57 remaining in the 2nd quarter when Bentyn Diveley punched it in from 2 yards out. The Vandals attempted a 2 point conversion but failed and trailed 14 to 12 at halftime.
After stopping the Comets on the opening drive of the 3rd quarter, the Vandals would get on the board with 9:57 left in the 3rd when Stombaugh connected with Padric McDowell from 18 yards out. The Vandals 2 point conversion was good to give them a 20 to 14 lead. The Comets would score on the very next possession on a 27 yard run by Demetrius Lucas with 7:42 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The PAT attempt by Greenville was no good leaving the game at a 20 to 20 tie. And, it would stay that way through the remainder of regulation.
In the first overtime, Greenville went first and on a 4th and 1, Drake Graber would punch it in. Their PAT was good to give the Comets a 27 to 20 lead. On the Vandals possession, they would quickly get a penalty that have them looking at needing to get 20 yards instead of 10 to score. The Vandals were faced with a 4th down from the 7 yard line. Scrambling to get away from pressure, Stombaugh was able to extend the play and find Ayden Carroll in the far corner of the end zone to get the game to 27 to 26. The Vandals then went for the 2 point conversion to try and win it. Stombaugh kept it and was able to get around the corner and into the near corner of the end zone for a good 2 point conversion and getting the Vandals a 28 to 27 win.
After losing 17 in a row to the Comets between 2000 and 2015, the Vandals are 10-3 against the Comets since that time and now won 4 straight over Greenville. The Vandals have also gone to Overtime with the Comets 5 times all time and the Vandals have won all 5 of them–including 3 under current Vandals Coach Jason Clay.
The Vandals improve to 5-1 on the season with the win. They will be at Staunton coming up this next week.
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