Van Buren had to wait two hours longer than anticipated to notch its first win of the season.

Widespread severe weather delayed play Friday throughout the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas. When Van Buren and Siloam Springs finally kicked off their non-conference game just before 9 p.m., each came out bursting with pent-up energy. In the end, the Pointers were able to harness theirs enough to overtake the visiting Panthers, 25-18.

With the score tied at 18, Van Buren junior running back Walter Green scored on a 10-yard sweep with less than two minutes remaining. Josue Recinos' extra point set the final margin.

On Siloam Springs' ensuring possession, Van Buren's Miles Malone intercepted Panther quarterback Luke Lampton's pass in acrobatic fashion with 1:27 left to seal the win.

“We didn't play well at all for three quarters – we played pretty bad, actually – but it's a sign of a great group of kids that they kept fighting, kept grinding and didn't get down on themselves,” Van Buren coach Greg Werner said. “Finally, we started making things happen and in the fourth quarter, we played football. I'm excited about that and excited about what we can do from here on out.”

7A Van Buren (1-2) and 6A Siloam Springs (0-3) battled to a 10-10 tie at halftime. The Pointers controlled the pace with their up-tempo option attack, more than doubling the Panthers' offensive plays. Fullback Josh Aden (17 carries, 70 yards) was the catalyst for Van Buren early, but he went down with an ankle injury late in the second quarter and didn't return.

The Pointers couldn't capitalize on a blocked punt and an interception as both teams struggled offensively in a scoreless third quarter. Lampton's one-yard plunge, followed by a successful two-point conversion, gave Siloam Springs an 18-10 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

But four plays later, Van Buren's Green turned in the play of the night. Taking a pitch right, Green slipped and slid past a host of Panthers defenders, cut back to the left, picked up some blocking downfield and raced 32 yards for a Pointer TD. His two-point conversion run tied it at 18.

“Losing Aden was a tough blow for us,” Werner said. “We felt like we had to get the ball on the edge to some of our kids. Once we got some speed and space, we felt like we could do some things. We knew what we were doing and what would work; we just couldn't get it going for a while and finally, it broke open. I'm proud of our kids for staying with it and not giving up on it.”

As the Pointers prepare to open 7A-West play next week at Bentonville West, the goal is get healthy and build on Friday's positives.

“In Van Buren, Arkansas, a win is a win and we're happy with it,” Werner said. “Going into conference play in a really, really tough conference, we've got to pick it up. We know we've got to get better, so that's what it's all about now.”