THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

The Crosby Tuck era began with a bang for the Van Buren Pointers on Friday night. Van Buren scored on four long plays, including a kickoff return, and won its season opener for the second year in a row with a 35-21 win over Siloam Springs. Van Buren (1-0) scored on pass plays of 52 and 56 yards, a 40-yard run, and a 99-yard kickoff return to kick start the season. Van Buren’s first possession ended with a punt, but after holding Siloam Springs, the Pointers grabbed a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Gary Phillips swung a pass out to Brayden Rivas, who went 52 yards for Van Buren’s opening touchdown of the season with 8:34 left in the opening quarter. Siloam Springs (0-1) answered, going 72 yards in seven plays. Quarterback Taylor Pool tied the game with a 14-yard touchdown run with 6:21 left in the quarter. Van Buren seized the lead for good and in exciting fashion. Jaiden Henry took the ensuing kickoff at his own 1 and sprinted 99 yards for a touchdown witrh 6:07 left in the quarter. Van Buren added to its lead in the second quarter. Phillips hit Henry on a screen, and Henry broke a tackle near the 20 and finished off a 56-yard touchdown play with 8:09 left in the half for a 21-7 lead. Again, Siloam Springs answered. The Panthers needed just three plays to get within, 21-14, on Pool’s 59-yard touchdown pass to Gage Weaver with 7:26 left before halftime. The Pointers took a 28-14 lead at the half after holding Siloam Springs on downs. Phillips capped a five-play drive with a 40-yard touchdown run with 1:42 left before half. Van Buren took advantage of a fumble, recovered by linebacker Devin Swearingen, to notch its final score and put the game away on Phillips’ 1-yard touchdown sneak with 10:29 left in the game. Chris Flores added his fifth extra point. Siloam Springs added a final touchdown on Hunter Talley’s sneak with 4:22 left. Van Buren had 446 yards of offense with Phillips completing 13-of-21 passes for 230 yards. Henry caught four passes for 97 yards, had the kickoff return for a touchdown, and intercepted a pass on defense. Rivas led Van Buren’s ground game with 79 yards on 11 carries.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

POINTERS START SEASON IN WIN COLUMN

LELAND BARCLAY

Times Record | 8/31/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Van Buren High School Athletics