The RAIDER NATION would kick off thier 2012 season with a very familiar foe in the Falcons from East Laurens hosting a pre-season "scrimmage" game. Though the word scrimmage couldn't be used any more loosely. These cross county rivals would line up to play best on best in a real game atmosphere for all sixty minutes. As it turns out, we'd need all sixty of those minutes before we would decide a winner in Laurens county's first football action of the year; East verses West.
With the Falcons playing host on this sticky, muggy August night, the opening kick would go to the Raiders. Early on the nerves would show. West Laurens took their opening drive and turned it over on downs with a failed fourth down conversion attempt. The Falcons wouldn't keep the pigskin long though; the second offensive series of the night led to the first Falcons turnover of the on the first Falcon drive of the season. But my how quickly this rivalry would turn bitter for starting sophomore quarterback Garrel Quainton of the Raiders. Quainton's second drive of the night ended with a 72 yard interception returned for a touchdown with 7:30 to go in the 1st quarter. WLHS 0 - ELHS 6.
Gerald Carr, senior running back for the Raiders (and the nights recipient of the Fairview Medical Group Orthopaedics player of the week trophy) made his presence known on the Raiders third possession of the night. Carr worked inside the tackles of the Raider offensive line all night and set the tone for what would become the focus of the Raider attack for the rest of the night. I only took the WLHS offense 2:53 to push the ball down the field and set up a 1 yard touchdown run by Carr. With the PAT, the Raiders had thier first lead of the season according to the scoreboard, WLHS 7 - ELHS 6.
On the Falcons next possession, the Raiders defense would give up a quick strike of thier own. Falcon running back (#22) took a sweep around the left end down the Raider sideline for a 52 yard touchdown run. This came at the 1:45 mark in the first quarter. A two-point conversion made it WLHS 7 - ELHS 14. After a WLHS punt, the Falcons would commit thier second fumble of the night which the Raider defense would recover. Big blue wouldn't be able to capitalize though, the offensive series would end on another fourth down attempt that wouldn't convert.
The second half of the second quarter would see the Falcon offense methodicaly move the ball down the field. Then, with 4:01 left in the first half the Falcons would make good on a five yard "Tim Tebow like" short toss for the touchdown completion to go up by two touchdowns WLHS 7 - ELHS 21. The Raider offense would get the ball back with time to go in the half; but Garrel Quainton's second INT would come on a pass that skipped through the hands of senior tight end Evan Penney. The Raider defense would put a stop to what looked to be another Falcons attempt at points when senior linebacker Johnny O'Neal recorded his first sack of the night by punishing the Falcon quarterback as time expired on the first half of play.
The second half of football saw the fatigue of the early season and a humid night play havoc as neither team would accomplish anything in the third quarter of play. With the fourth quarter though new life would breathe into the Raider offense as the constant attack on the Falcons interior defense started to pay off. Gerald Carr and junior running back Nick Turner would beat the black and gold back into a one touchdown game. Nick Turner got his first score of the season at the 8:45 mark on a four yard touchdown plunge. WLHS 14 - ELHS 21.
Here's where the game would get interesting. On the next Falcon possession the Raider defense would flip the field and again see a highlight reel type play from their defensive leader. On a fourth and twelve attempt to convert by the Falcons, Johnny O'Neal shined. The Falcons offense went back to their bread and butter offensive play of the night, the sweep play from that wing "T" set. Johnny O'Neal read the play out, demolished the lead blocker and walked Falcon running back (#22) down and made a first down (and game ending) saving tackle. This would ultimately position the Raider offense to tie this game up when the unthinkable would happen. Senior running back Gerald Carr fumbled the football back to the Falcons near the midfield stripe.
The Raider defense would again turn the tide at Falcon field though; only two plays later the Raider defense had stripped the football and given it right back to Garrel Quainton and the Raider offense who at this point started to find some rhythm. Garrel, while running the hurry up offense had found his groove with the football. He wold make two high quality throws...one completed, and one was dropped down inside the Falcon twenty. Sophomore quarterback Garrel Quainton would show off his natural abilities and command of the hurry up offense on this final drive as he converted first downs twice and used the ol' "clock" play to perfection. Now, with no timeouts and roughly 25 yards to go to tie the game, Garrel's first down pass attempt fell incomplete. Second down was a near disaster. Garrel faked left, then half rolled right with pressure. The Falcons caught a huge break when a defensive lineman managed not to sack, but to push Garrel just enough to make his lose his balance and ten yards on the play. With the clock running and under a minute to go third down was again the clock play. This set up the final play for the Raider offense. Through the thick muggy night, through the miscues, through it all it would come down to this. Quainton would set up in the shotgun and call for the ball. Flushed to his left Garrel would buy some time and then we all saw it; a crossing Raider receiver broke open running toward the Falcon sidelines and right at the goal line. With a flip of the wrist the ball sailed through the air and looked as if it would carry the Raiders to salvation. But then as the diving Falcon defensive back, the Raider receiver, and the ball fell to the ground the referee wiped all hope away. Incomplete. Then with one final snap, the Falcons of East Laurens celebrated at falcon field. WLHS 14 - ELHS 21.
All in all, it was exactly what you'd expect from a cross county rivalry...and a great point to teach from for RAIDER NATION head coach Stacey Nobles. They blue and white gathered together, and prayed together. Coach Nobles delivered his message with conviction. Yes, the game was just a scrimmage, but for all these young men involved, it was history.
