The Brownsboro Bears were unable to overcome a number of mistakes in another nailbiter as they dropped their home opener in overtime to the Van Vandals, 28-22, at Bear Stadium.

Van quarterback Tory Parsons hit wide receiver Colby Rucker for a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass on the Vandals’ first play of overtime. Brownsboro had possession first in the extra quarter, but fumbled on the 1-yard line.

The Bears had several opportunities to win, but they doomed themselves with turnovers, mental mistakes and costly penalties.

“Turnovers,” said Brownsboro coach John Settle in disappointment. “We just got to hang on to the ball.”

Brownsboro, playing its first game at the newly renovated stadium and field, moved the ball effectively on offense, but was unable to overcome a number of mistakes.

One of those mistakes happened after Van tied the score with 2:54 left to play. Brownsboro wasn’t able to field the kickoff cleanly, for the second time, which gave the Vandals possession at the Bears’ 23-yard line.

At left, the new scorebaord at Bear Stadium counts down the time to kickoff Friday night. At right, the Bears’ Cody Strickland hauls in a pass from quarterback Ryan Owens in the third quarter as a Vandal gives chase. A.J. Crisp Photos But Van’s Chuy Alvarez missed a 29-yard field goal wide right with 33 seconds remaining.

The Bears had an effective night offensively, racking up over 350 yards. Brownsboro quarterback Ryan Owens had a solid night for the Bears as he passed for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Deondre Taylor was the recipient of both of Owens’ touchdown passes.

The first of Taylor’s touchdown catches came on a 24-yard pass for the first score of the game, which gave Brownsboro a 6-0 lead, after the missed extra point.

“Our offense moved the ball all night,” Settle said. “We just made too many mistakes and turned the ball over.”

Van answered with an 11- yard touchdown pass from Parsons to Rucker with 9:44 left in the second quarter and gave the Vandals the lead after the converted extra point, 7-6. On the ensuing kickoff, Brownsboro committed its first big mistake of the game as the Bears let the ball roll along the sideline, thinking it would end up out of bounds to draw a penalty against Van.

But the ball never went out of bounds and Van recovered the kick with excellent field position.

Two plays later, Parsons connected with Rucker again for a 20-yard touchdown, putting Van on top, 14-6, with 8:25 left in the first half. Brownsboro answered later in the half with a two-yard touchdown rush, but the two-point conversion was no good, making the score 14-12 heading into halftime.

At left, fans line up Friday night at the new concession stand at Bear Stadium. At right, Brownsboro High School cheerleaders and the school’s mascot prepare to welcome the Bears onto the field. Below, the Bears gather at the south end zone before kickoff. A.J. Crisp Photos Brownsboro went back ahead, 15-14, with 6:14 left in the third quarter on a 32- yard field goal. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Owens hit Taylor for their second touchdown connection on a 13-yard pass, which made it 22-14 after the converted point-after.

Van then turned in a long, time-consuming drive that covered 74 yards, ending with a 1-yard quarterback sneak touchdown by Parsons with 3:01 left.

The two-point conversion to tie the game was good, eventually sending the game into overtime.

Brownsboro (1-1) will host Crandall (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Bear Stadium. Van (2-0) will face Palestine (0-2).

The Crandall Pirates are coming off a 36-6 loss at Commerce.

In each of Brownsboro’s two games this season, the game has ended on the final play.