COURTLAND
The Southampton Academy Raiders had a big first half as they outscored the visiting Parrott Academy Patriots 34-16 at the half and held onto to take a 42 -22 final score on Friday at Pilliar Field.

Coach Dale Marks remarked after the game, “We kinda thought going into it that we would have to stop their passing game and they would have to stop our running game, and I thought that we did a better job of stopping their passing game than they did with stopping our running game.”

The Raiders rushed for a total of 377 yards during the game. They were led by Sam Rose with 169 yards and Roy Hill with 125 yards. Rose also ran for touchdowns of 3 and 12 yards. Rose in the air connected on a 61-yard touchdown pass to Brooks Holland. Holland also picked off a Patriots’ pass and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders’ last score of the game resulted from a 3-yard touchdown run by Caleb Kidd in the 4th quarter.

Marks added that he was pleased with the front line and that they did a good job of opening up holes for the running game.

“This is the first game that we flip-fobbed our line to create a strong side and a quick side,” Marks stated as the Patriots shifted their line defense he countered and went back to the other side. He was pleased with his zone read game and the way that they could move the ball.

“We didn’t throw the ball that much, I have always been that type of coach that you run to set up your pass, and if they are not stopping your run you don’t need to pass,” he said. “What really stood off for me is that they hang their hat at being physical, but I thought that we asserted our will tonight on them … I thought at the end of the game that they were physically beat.”

But even with a physical game Marks thought that the sportsmanship of both teams was good. He encourages his players to go hard, but at the end of the play there is nothing unmasculine to extend your hand to help another player up.

The Raiders, now 5-0, will have a bye week for Friday, Sept. 23.