The Greenville Comets suffered a heartbreaking overtime football loss Friday night at Vandalia by the score of 28-27.
Regulation time ended at 20-20. The Comets scored a touchdown in their possession and the extra point kick was good. Vandalia also scored in OT, then won the contest with a successful two-point play.
Vandalia led 6-0 after one quarter, but the Comet offense came alive with two touchdowns in the second. Isiah Matthews caught a pass from Bauer Ackerman, then sped 80 yards into the end zone. Drake Graber’s extra point kick was good to give the Comets a 7-6 lead.
Less than two minutes later, GHS had the ball back and Ackerman connected with Cannon Hamel for a 27-yard TD pass. Graber’s kick put the visitors in front 14-6, but Vandalia posted a score with just under two minutes left in the half. The Comets stopped the extra point run and led 14-12 at halftime.
The Vandals regained the lead, 20-14 early in the third period. The Comets scored again in the third on Demetrius Lucas’s 27-yard run. The extra point kick was blocked.
In overtime, Graber scored on a one-yard run and booted the extra point kick. Vandalia was called for a penalty and had the ball at the 20. On fourth down, the Vandals scored on an eight yard pass, then won the game on an extra point run.
For the game, Vandalia had 227 yards rushing and 206 passing yards. The Comets totaled 196 yards on the ground and 218 through the air.
Graber ran for 101 yards and Lucas had 93. Bauer Ackerman completed 9 of 22 passes for 218 yards. He had 2 TD passes and threw an interception.
Graber caught three passes, and Hamel and Aiden Linnabary, two each.
On defense, Cylas Smith, Chris Rivers and Graber had interceptions, and Lukas Jefferson recovered a fumble.
