ALMA -- The Battle of the Bone trophy made a visit to Alma, but it left again with the Van Buren Pointers thanks to some fourth-quarter heroics.

Van Buren scored twice in the final minute of the game -- once on offense to take the lead and once on defense to seal it-- to escape with a 37-27 victory against Alma.

Van Buren, on its drive to take the lead, used a 23-yard pass from Hayden Williford, making his first varsity start, to Austin Riggs to set up a 3-yard, go-ahead touchdown from Cameron Keller. That gave Van Buren its initial second-half lead 30-27 with 26 seconds left.

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The defense of Van Buren sealed the game with a defensive touchdown. Caden Webb stepped in front of a pass and took it back 39 yards for a 37-27 lead with 13 seconds left in the game.

In total, Van Buren scored three touchdowns in the final six minutes of the game to erase a 20-17 deficit at halftime. The Pointers trailed 27-17 at one point in the second half.

With Alma looking to run out the clock and close out the game, Van Buren received a fourth-down stop from Jace Ponder.

Carter Kelley was key, too, as the lead blocker on the go-ahead touchdown run.

Van Buren (1-0) was guided by Keller, who finished with 112 yards on 25 carries with the critical touchdown.

Williford, who didn't start for the Pointers in their scrimmage, stepped up to throw for 263 yards and three touchdowns.

Trenton Cooley caught 3 passes for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. Weston Wilcox hauled in seven passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Alma (0-1) was guided by Israel Towns-Robinson, who rushed for 197 yards on 28 attempts. He scored two touchdowns and was featured in many wildcat packages.

Alma took a 20-17 lead into halftime after a back-and-forth first half that featured touchdowns on offense and special teams. Alma received the ball first, but a fumble forced and recovered by Darren Mays stalled a 10-play drive.

Van Buren took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter with a 34-yard field goal from Manning Dodson. Alma bounced back with a touchdown for a 7-3 edge on its second drive. Towns-Robinson capped the drive with an 10-yard touchdown in a wildcat formation.

Alma turned to its special teams for a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. Ashton Chanhnouvong blocked a punt and Byron Standridge returned it 13 yards for a score.

Van Buren's Cooley made the most of his first catch of the season. He scored on a 19-yard pass from Williford to cut Alma's edge to 14-10. The drive was set up with a fumbled punt recovered by Phillip Steele.

Alma's Samuel Schlegel scored on a 4-yard rush from the wildcat formation for a 20-10 edge. It was set up by a 45-yard return from Cash Farris.

Cooley got going again for the final score of the first half. On his second catch of the night, he raced 73 yards for a touchdown to make it a 20-17 Alma lead.

Alma quarterback Micheal Taylor attempts to break a tackle Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, as Van Buren defensive back makes the tackle during the first half of play of the Battle of the Bone rivalry game at Airedale Stadium in Alma. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (Special to the River Valley Democrat-Gazette/Johnathan Brewer)