WAURIKA — Having fallen victim once again to the “Velma-Alma Dogma,” Waurika’s football team comes into the fourth week of the season still seeking the “X factor” — and a victory.

The “Velma-Alma Dogma” is Larry VanBeber’s catch-phrase for the 20-year hold the Comets have maintained on the district and on Class A football statewide. Along with Ringling, Velma-Alma has consistently been a contender for a district title and making a long run into the Class A playoffs.

Following a basic format of program-building laid out by Glenn Pool in the early 1990s and maintained by Greg Gothard for the past 11 years, the “V-A Dogma” produces teams that are well-schooled, fundamentally sound, physical, talented, focused and filled with the confidence that comes with winning.

In the aftermath of Waurika’s 24-7 loss in Week Three, the “V-A Dogma” also includes the Comets’ dominance over the Eagles, which extends back to the mid-1990s.

“At least, 24-7 is a competitive game, but we’re still 0-3. And it’s still the same old ‘Velma Dogma’; they still get teams by the back of the neck and won’t let them go.” VanBeber said, after the Eagles’ home-opener resulted in another V-A win in the series.

“We’re going to keep pluggin’ away, because what else can we do? But it’s frustrating, because we just don’t do the little ‘X factor’ things that help us turn the corner; the things someone like Velma does, but we don’t.”

For a WHS team that’s struggled to score in all three of its outings, one missing “X factor” element against the Comets was maintaining a drive and making key plays offensively.

On their second possession of the game, with fourth-and-9 at the V-A 36-yard line, the Eagles attempted a fake punt. A direct snap went to running back Gil Griffin, who then pitched to wingback Jace Dunn. But the Comets weren’t fooled and Dunn gained only 1 yard.

After Velma-Alma replied by going 65 yards on 14 plays and taking a 7-0 lead on a touchdown by Trenten Files, the Eagles put together their longest drive of the game, eventually facing fourth-and-4 at the VA 30. But Henderson was stopped 2 inches short on a play that could have sustained the drive.

Leading just 7-0 at halftime, the Comets struck quickly to go up, 14-0, after the intermission. Waurika again seemed to be responding, converting two fourth-down plays as it moved from WHS 48 to the V-A 31. Still, after a 5-yard run by Dunn on fourth down revived the drive, a procedure penalty on the next play put the Eagles first-and-15 at the VA 36, and the drive fizzled.

The Comets jacked the lead to 21-0 on Tanner Jenkins’ second touchdown of the third period, then WHS tried to get something going early in the fourth quarter. A drive that started on the VA 44 reached the Comets’ 11, but the series became a dry hole on a dropped pass on fourth-and-6.

A fumble recovery gave the Eagles possession at the VA 12 late in the fourth quarter and they avoided a shutout, when Fuller scored on a 5-yard run to cut the deficit to 21-7. But the Comets came right back by driving 45 yards to the WHS 7, where Cord Gothard hit a 24-yard field goal as the game clock ran out.

Skipper Greg Gothard wasn’t comfortable calling for the late kick attempt, but with an eye on the playoffs, the Comets needed the 15 playoff tie-breaker points they would get for a victory of 15 or more points.

To VanBeber, it was another illustration of the “Velma-Alma Dogma.”

“I don’t blame Coach Gothard, I would have gone for the field goal, too,” VanBeber said. “He needed his 15-point differential for the playoffs, and that’s the difference in our programs.

“We couldn’t stop them from scoring when they needed to, and when Greg’s thinking about the playoffs, we’re just hoping everybody will come to practice on Monday.”

EAGLES NOTES: Friday night is Homecoming at Cy Sloan Stadium, with Elmore City-Pernell in town for a game that could be key in both team’s playoff hopes. The Badgers want to prove a rare playoff appearance in 2008 wasn’t an aberration, although they lost several key players from that 7-4 team.

ECP began the season by losing to Wayne and then dropped a 35-14 decision to Velma-Alma to open District A-4 play. However, the Badgers’ offense may have gained some confidence by hanging a 48-7 loss on Wilson in Week Three.

Sophomore quarterback Jay Anderson is a run/pass threat for ECP, while senior Colby Kile and junior John Roady are veteran running backs. Although the teams matchup physically on the offensive and defensive fronts, the Badgers have veterans at linebacker and in the secondary.

The Eagles are surprised to be 0-3, but the season’s a long way from being over. There were expectations of coming out games with Snyder and Healdton with at least one victory, and that didn’t happen. So, the clash with the Badgers becomes crucial to hopes of matching or bettering last year’s 5-5 mark and finding a spot in the playoffs.

A victory over ECP would create momentum for a Week Five game at Maysville, which slipped past Rush Springs, 32-26, in Week Two and then lost, 25-20, last week to Healdton.