Lamar opens season with convincing victory
By By Ryan Satcher/staff writer
August 23, 2003
There's a special feeling about football Lamar School this season and on Friday night the Raiders showed why.
Lamar used depth and defense to take out MPSA Class A power Wayne Academy 35-12 at Grey Cobb Field.
Lamar allowed just two first downs in the game while racking up 17 first downs and 368 total yards.
The Raiders paid a special tribute to fallen teammate Drew Denney by playing with only 10 players on their first defensive play of the game. Denney, who was a standout football player for Lamar, was killed in a traffic accident in the spring. After the play, the game ball was presented to the Denney family.
The Raiders got on the board first in the first quarter as Lane Rush broke free for an 18-yard touchdown run. The extra point by Tommy Edgerton made the score 7-0 with 4:24 left to play in the first.
The Jaguars came back with a big play later in the quarter as Jamie Shirley stepped in front of a pass and returned the ball 49 yards for a touchdown. Vaughn Waters blocked the extra point, allowing the Raiders to hold on to a 7-6 lead.
Lamar answered with a touchdown with 16 seconds left in the first quarter. Drew Moffett hit Blake Olmsted with a pass and 41 yards later the Raiders took a 14-6 lead.
In the second quarter, Lamar continued to use great field position to its advantage. After a fumble gave the Raiders the ball at the Wayne Academy 16-yard line, Lamar scored on a Dylan Anderson 8-yard run just three plays later. Edgerton's kick made the score 21-6.
After another Wayne Academy fumble gave Lamar great field position once again, the Raiders came down to score another touchdown before the half.
Moffett hit David Haggard with a six-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds left in the half to cap the seven-play drive. Edgerton's kick made the score 28-6 at the half.
Lamar continued to control the game in the second half and came out to score on its first possession of the third quarter.
Anderson found the endzone from five yards out on a run around the right end to make the score 35-6 with 9:50 left to play in the third quarter.
The Jaguars finished out the scoring in the fourth quarter as Garet James hit Clark Joiner with a 31-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion failed to make the score 35-12.
Lamar drove the ball down the field on its next possession and ran out the clock to take the 35-12 victory to improve to 1-0.
Rush led the Raiders on the ground with 113 rushing yards on 14 carries. Anderson finished with 29 yards on six carries and Zeb Swain also had 29 yards on eight carries.
Moffett finished the night 9-for-17 and threw for 128 yards. Backup quarterback Scott Owen was 2-for-3 for 40 yards on the night.
Lamar plays host to Heidelberg Academy next week, while Wayne Academy visits Presbyterian Christian.
