The season opener for West Laurens came at home verses a ranked opponent from the "AA" classification; #10 ranked Vidalia. This opening game of the season turned out to be just what you might expect. There were butterflies that equaled penalties, BIG hits, and special team mis-cues. What we got that you wouldn't have probably banked on was the overtime.
With the clear cool air of night came the lights and energy of Horseshoe stadium in Dexter. Opening night was finally here. A worthy opponent in Vidalia, this game was expected to be interesting and it certainly lived up to its billing. The sometimes referred to "hidden" part of the game turned out to be what would determine this nights outcome. First though, lets recap the rest of the game with broad strokes. Both offenses came out and sputtered a bit as you might expect. There were some game speed errors that were made, a couple of turnovers that three weeks later you'd hope never to see, and two defenses that were ready to hit someone else for a change. West Laurens however would also experience an injury and a late game ejection.
The high intensity football delighted fans from both sides of the stadium, the ups and downs...emotionally draining. All summer long the coaches preach the little things, on this night all those little things were magnified. The bands played loud and proud, the fans glistened in the last of summers' sweat. They cheered and yelled in full throat as the game dwindled down through four quarters to a 14-14 tie at the end of regulation.
The coaches had drawn conclusions that on this night though there would be no tie. The rules clearly state that in non-region play the teams must decide to play overtime and both coaches had chosen to have a fate seperate from the other on this opening night.
Special teams. The "hidden", sometimes overlooked element of the game would find it's way into the spotlight on this night. Early in the night after using the punting game to thier advantage, West Laurens would have thier hands firmly on the throat of their Indian opponent. After pinning Vidalia back inside thier own ten yard line, the defense of the RAIDER NATION had a loss and a gain on the very same play. Great defensive pressure would cause a turnover that in seconds gave the Raiders the ball and took away a starting junior defensive lineman. Penalties later, the Raiders would miss a chip shot field goal.
The teams exchanged blocked punts, and later the Indians would again circle their special teams' wagons with a blocked fieldgoal.
Back to the overtime. The Raiders would win the extra period coin-toss and elect to put a formidable but emotionally drained defense on the field first. Vidalia scores. 21-14 Indians lead. West Laurens would have thier shot now and it would be simple. Match the Indians or lose. First down, short gain. Second down, a pass to the back corner of the end zone slips through the hands of one of the Raiders' best, incomplete. Third down, the Indians bring pressure and the Raiders sophomore QB takes the "you can't take a sack here" sack. Now game one is down to this. Fourth and eighteen. The Raider Nation, on it's feet...the Indians faithful on the edge of thier seats...the snap, the pass, the first down if it's completed throw...the referee runs in and motions...incomplete. Jubilation and disappointment. Heavy, wet, and tired. Cool, elated, victorious. Two different reactions to one incomplete pass.
Maybe that night was about more than special teams, or maybe it was all about two special teams. Well see. One things for sure, it was a special opening night of football that two teams will not soon forget.
WLHS RAIDER NATION
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Cross-County Rivalry: WLHS vs. ELHS 8.16.12
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.
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.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Are you ready RAIDER NATION?
Friends of the Raider Nation good afternoon. Last week we visited WLHS just in time to catch all of the cheerleaders working hard as they get ready for the upcoming sports seasons. They were kind enough to get together with us and give us some word of encouragement as we get ready for Raider football on 104.9fm. Click the video link to the right of the blog to hear all the WLHS cheerleaders getting pumped up for this football season on "The Raider Nation Football Station" 104.9fm!
Thanks to all the cheerleaders and a special thanks to the cheerleading coaches staff for letting us interrupt!
Thanks to all the cheerleaders and a special thanks to the cheerleading coaches staff for letting us interrupt!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
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