VAN — Van’s high-powered offense, fueled by the pass-catch combination of Garrett Smallwood and Colby Rucker, drove Brownsboro up and down the field all night as the Vandals coasted to a 51-18 victory on Friday.
Smallwood achieved no small feat, throwing for 369 yards and four TDs, and rushing for a team-best 91 yards and another score, in less than three full quarters. He delivered all four of his TD passes to Rucker, who hauled in five catches for 203 yards.
The Vandals piled up 585 yards of offense, including 465 by the midway point. Neither team found the end zone in a run-filled second half.
Dalton Santos scored twice for the Vandals on short runs to leave his mark on both sides of the ball. The standout linebacker, rated the nation’s top prospect at his position by ESPN, finished with 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a sack while playing only sparingly in the second half.
By halftime Van amassed 315 yards through the air while scoring on six of seven possessions.
Van (2-0) needed only 47 seconds to take the lead for good after Smallwood spotted Rucker in stride over the middle for a 31-yard score.
Santos capped Van’s next series with a blast up the gut.
After Brownsboro broke into the scoring column, Van answered in 81 seconds when Smallwood stood patiently in the pocket and waited for Rucker to get behind his defender on a deep post, resulting in a 49-yard score.
Smallwood faked most in attendance for Van’s next score, selling a handoff then leaking outside the pack and dashing 34 yards to give the Vandals a 29-6 cushion.
On its next possession, Smallwood sold a pump-fake, allowing Rucker to get wide-open for another 54-yard TD. Rucker recorded his fourth TD moments later, running a curl route to get to the ball and using his legs on the back end of a 64-yard scoring reception.
Santos powered his way into the end zone from 2 yards out on Van’s final first-half series, providing the Vandals a commanding 33-point lead at the halfway point.
Brownsboro quarterback Shelby Rogers paced Brownsboro (0-2), throwing for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns -– two to Davonte Givens and another to Cody Strickland.
Van 51, Brownsboro 18
At Van Memorial Stadium
Brownsboro 6 12 0 0 — 18
Van 15 36 0 0 — 51
First Quarter
VAN—Colby Rucker 31 pass from Garrett Smallwood (Jared Carter pass from Logan Sartain), 11:13
VAN—Dalton Santos 4 run (Chuy Alvarez kick), 7:05
BRO—Cody Strickland 29 pass from Shelby Rogers (kick failed), 1:17
Second Quarter
VAN—Rucker 49 pass from Smallwood (Alverez kick), 11:56
VAN—Smallwood 34 run (Alverez kick), 10:20
BRO—Davonte Givens 30 pass from Rogers (pass failed), 6:55
VAN—Rucker 54 pass from Smallwood (Carter pass from Austin Lockwood), 6:08
VAN—Rucker 64 pass from Smallwood (Alverez kick), 3:51
BRO—Givens 7 pass from Rogers (pass failed), 1:59
VAN—Santos 2 run (Alvarez kick), 10:35
EST.ATT.—3,000.
BRO VAN
First Downs 22 19
Rushes-Yards 26-94 29-201
Passing Yards 253 384
Com.-Att.-Int. 24-38-0 14-19-0
Punts-Avg. 4-30.3 1-34.0
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-1
Penalties-Yards 6-38 14-93
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Brownsboro, Johntae Harmon 10-49, Shelby Rogers 11-44, Mikey Ramirez 2-5, KT Thompson 3-(-4). Van, Garrett Smallwood 9-91, Rigo Lemus 3-40, Dalton Santos 3-36, Hayden Preston 6-24, Casey Smith 7-11, Matt Savis 1-(-1).
PASSING—Brownsboro, Rogers 24-38-0—253. Van, Smallwood 13-16-0—369, Logan Sartain 1-2-0—15, Colby Rucker 0-1-0—0.
RECEIVING—Brownsoboro, Cody Strickland 6-76, Davonte Givens 4-49, Thompson 4-45, Kris Bryant 4-40, Taylor Beall 3-23, Patrick McCarthy 3-20. Van, Rucker 5-203, Cody Hill 4-45, Jared Carter 3-81, Lemus 1-50, Austin Lockwood 1-5.