COURTLAND
Playing in a drizzle for most of the game, the Southampton Academy Raiders made it look like a piece of cake as they cruised to an easy 62-0 win over the visiting NCISAA Colonial Carolina 8-man opponent Northeast Academy Eagles Friday night at Pillow Field.

Every football team wants to win the homecoming game, as hundreds of alumnae and fans are packed in the stands. For this rainy game, they were packed under a large tent.

As for the Raiders not wanting to spoil the day for them, they scored their first touchdown on the second play from scrimmage after taking the opening kick-off. Ethan Edwards crossed the goal line on a run with just 11:35 showing on the clock. Nate Williams added the two point conversion and it was off and running for the Raiders.

After the Raider defense allowed no movement by the Eagles’ offense, Raider quarterback Matt Rose on a keeper crossed the goal on a 3-yard run. Brooks Holland scored the 2 point conversion as the Raiders went up 16-0.

The Raider defense crushed the Eagles on their next possession and Edwards for the Raiders added 6 more points for the home team, but the 2-point conversion failed. With 5:43 on the clock in first quarter, the Raiders increased their lead 22-0.

The Raider defense on the Eagles next possession pushed them back to their own 2-yard line. After a very short punt by the Eagles the Raiders got the ball on the Eagle 12-yard line. Now with 4:08 in the first quarter, Nate Williams found pay dirt on a 2-yard run and Edwards added the two-point conversion. The score advanced to 30-0.

A bad snap by the Eagles and quick thinking by the defense allowed the home team to get the ball back on the Eagles 30-yard line. Quickly after taking possession, they added 6 more points by Tyler Dodson on a 29-yard run and 2 points to Roy Hill on the 2-point conversion. Advance the score now to 38-0 in the first quarter of play.

Not having much to lose, the Eagles pulled off a fake punt and got a first down in the second quarter, but after turning it over on downs, the Hill got in on a 12-yard run, and Andrew Lowe crossed over the goal for the two-point conversion. The score moved to 46-0 and a running clock began in the second quarter of play, which allowed the lead to carry into the second half.

During the third and fourth quarters, many fresh jerseys were seen on the field for the Raiders. In the third quarter the home team added one touchdown by Hill and a two-point conversion run by Sam Rose. Tyler Dodson got the last touchdown score for the night on a 9-yard run and Hill added the 2-point conversion, ending the game 62-0 Raiders.

“I thought our first team came out on fire offensively, and ran a little bit of a hurry up and that is something that we have been working on,” Head Coach Dale Marks said. “We can call plays from the sidelines and the kids line up in it and it was just like clock work.”

The Raiders were led in rushing by Edwards with 83 yards and Williams with 52 yards.