Raiders roll over Cavaliers
The Raiders kicked off the 2016 season in a big way – a 55-8 win over the Jenkins Cavaliers Friday night.
The Lucas Ford era is off to a good start, and now the first-year Coach is working on building off the win toward more wins in the future.
- Photos by Chris Hollis Devon Hamilton goes up for a grab.
- Photos by Chris Hollis Hunter Jones was effiicent as QB, 4/8 passing for 86-yards and one touchdown.
- Photos by Chris Hollis Nathan Goins picks off a Jenkins pass at the end of the first quarter, setting up another Raider touchdown.
- Photos by Chris Hollis McCreary’s defensive line pressured the backfield all night, breaking through and disrupting several plays.
- Photos by Chris Hollis Brandon Troxell led the offense with over 200 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns
- Photos by Chris Hollis Ricky Woods-Clark tries to shake off a tackle
Junior Brandon Troxell led the ground attack for the Raiders, gaining 205 yards on 11 carries and scoring three touchdowns. Hunter Jones, on a night where the ground game was dominant, was efficient at Quarterback, hitting 4 of 8 passes for 86 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Raiders scored on all but one of their possessions in the game and took a 41-0 lead into the half as Jenkins could do little to low the Raiders’ advances.
The Raiders struck on their first drive off a 23-yard pass from Quarterback Hunter Jones to receiver Devon Hamilton, who leapt over a defender at the goal-line to make the grab and put McCreary ahead 6-0 in the first quarter.
Hamilton gave the Raiders their second scoring opportunity on the next series, intercepting a Jenkins pass at the Cavaliers’ 29-yard line.
Three plays later Troxell took the hand-off up the middle, but cut left while shaking off tackles and dove at the goal line for a 24-yard TD run. After a successful 2-point conversion the Raiders had a comfortable 14-0 lead mid-way through the first quarter.
An 11-yard TD run by Nathan Prosser, with 1:34 left in the first, put the Raiders up 21-0, then Nathan Goins grabbed the spotlight with an interception, taking the ball back around mid-field.
Drew Bell’s 44-yard over the shoulder grab of a Jones pass on the first play from scrimmage set up the next score – a 1-yard run from Bell that put McCreary up 27-0 at the start of the second quarter.
The Raiders forced their third turnover of the game on the next Jenkins drive, forcing and recovering a fumble, but the following drive was the only one that stalled in the half – ending after a Raider fumble.
McCreary did bounce back after that miscue by recovering another Jenkins fumble during the next series – recovering the ball on the Cavaliers’ 10. One play later Troxell scrambled across the goal on a 14-yard carry.
Jenkins put together one of their best drives late in the half – a 12-play series that made it all the way to the Raiders’ 5-yard line, but ended with a pair on incomplete passes.
The Raiders took over, deep in their own territory and with little time on the clock, but after a 15-yard pass completion and a sack, McCreary was faced with 2nd and 19 at their own 25 when Troxell wove through traffic on a 75-yard carry to put them ahead 41-0 at the break.
The Raiders added two more scores in the quick second half as the competition clock was running throughout the final two quarters.
Jones scampered in for a 12-yard run, and sophomore Caleb Cox ended the scoring with a 40-yard dash in the closing minutes.
Jenkins scored their only touchdown of the game at the start of the fourth quarter on an 8-play, 80-yard drive, ending with a 10-yard pass completion with 6:55 left in the game.
The Raiders hope to keep their momentum alive Friday night when they host Lynn Camp at 7:30 p.m. at Norm Parsons Field. The Wildcats are coming off a heartbreaking 35-34 loss last week at the hands of Perry County Central.
Last Year Lynn Camp bested McCreary, 26-22, on their home field.