Verbena on Friday played perhaps its best game of the season to spoil Isabella’s homecoming, 32-6.

The Red Devils (3-2 overall, 1-2 Class 1A, Region 4) were clicking in all phases of the game: Quarterback Brad Boswell completed six passes in nine attempts for 85 yards and three touchdowns, Kelly Lucas led the rushing attack with 90 yards on 17 carries, the Verbena defense forced four turnovers, and Bay Lucas started the second half by running the kickoff back 76 yards for a touchdown.

The Mustangs (1-4, 0-3 Class 2A, Region 4) dug themselves a hole early. They went backwards 12 yards on the game’s first possession, punted, and then couldn’t stop Verbena from driving 72 yards in 5:11 for a touchdown.

The drive was capped off by an 8-yard pass from Boswell to Bay Lucas on a fourth-and-goal, but the 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

The visitors made it 12-0 with 6:20 left in the second quarter on another Boswell-to-Lucas connection.

Isabella seemed to grab the momentum when Allen Edwards ran back the ensuing kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown, then the hosts recovered a fumble on the next kickoff.

But Verbena’s Blake Gore recovered a fumbled snap on Isabella’s first play of the possession, and the Mustangs would never threaten again.

Bay Lucas’s runback to start the second half—and his brother, Kelly’s, 2-point run made it 20-6.

Bay Lucas intercepted a pass on Isabella’s next possession, and Verbena put the game out of reach on the very next play, when Boswell found a leaping Brandon White in the end zone, and the receiver was able to stay inbounds.

Kelly Lucas concluded the scoring with a 20-yard run with 4:32 left in the game.