BRAY — The Velma-Alma Comets and Bray-Doyle Donkeys got off to a slow start in Friday’s District A-4 clash. However, the scoring picked up dramatically in the second half, as V-A claimed a 38-24 edge.

The running game was at the forefront for both teams, as they combined for 410 yards on the ground.

Bray-Doyle’s Jordan Mayes led all rushers with 173 yards on 19 carries. V-A was paced by Trenten Files’ 123 yards on 20 totes. Files scored three touchdowns on the ground and one through the air for the Comets (4-2, 3-2).

Velma-Alma snapped a two-game losing streak with the win.

“Just the morale around Velma-Alma football the last couple of weeks has been pretty low,” V-A head coach Greg Gothard said. “We lost, counting junior high and high school, six games over the last two weeks, and I don’t think that’s happened in the 20 years I’ve been there. I’m not sure that we believed we could still win. That’s what it looked like.”

After taking a halftime lead of 7-3, Velma-Alma scored early and often in the third.

Files scored for the first time on a 12-yard run on V-A’s first play from scrimmage in the second half after a Bray-Doyle fumble. The PAT kick failed, but the Comets were up 13-3 after less than two minutes of play.

However, the Donkeys (2-4, 2-3) answered quickly, as Keaton Green picked up the kickoff and returned it 63 yards for the score. Logan Mayes booted the extra point to close the gap to 13-10.

Bray-Doyle got no closer in the game, as the Comets pulled out to a 25-10 edge at the end of the third period.

Velma-Alma’s lead went to 32-10 after a Tanner Jenkins six-yard run capped an eight-play drive and Cord Gothard kicked the point after with 9:31 left in the game.

The Donkeys didn’t go quietly, adding two late scores. Jordan Mayes caught a 31-yard scoring pass from Logan Mayes with 8:20 left in the fourth, and Jordan Mayes scored on a 20-yard run with 3:16 to go.

In between those two scores Velma-Alma added a scoring pass of it own, when Files caught an eight-yarder from Morgan at the 5:41 mark for a 38-17 cushion.

Morgan finished the night 5-of-10 passing for 104 yards to go with the touchdown. Logan Mayes was 3-of-9 for 72 yards and a score for Bray-Doyle.

Velma-Alma opened the scoring in the second stanza, driving 94 yards in eight plays.

Files carried the ball four times for 27 yards, and Morgan found Peyton Presgrove, who finished with three catches for 91 yards, for a 40-yard pickup. The Comets never faced a third down on the drive.

“I was proud of our effort in the second half,” Gothard said. “We still have a long ways to go. I was pleased with the running game. I was pleased with the blocking. I was pleased with the passing game. Dillon Morgan made some good decisions that we need him to start making.”

The Donkeys’ first points came on a 31-yard field goal by Jordan Mayes with one tick of the clock left before the half.

“Coach Gothard is a class act. Not only is he a class act, but you aren’t going to out-coach him,” Bray-Doyle head coach Warren Butler said. “His kids are well-coached, well-trained and the play fundamental. They stayed fundamental, and when we got unfundamental, it cost us.

“We had some major highlights. We stayed in the pocket and threw the ball like we’re supposed to. We played pretty well. If we played like that earlier in the year, we’d be undefeated.”

Velma-Alma will host Wilson Thursday night, while the Donkeys head for Waurika in a Thursday night tilt.