Raiders send seniors off with big victory
By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Oct. 30, 2004
The game wasn't always pretty on Friday night at Grey Cobb Field but the results were for the Lamar Raiders.
Lamar started off slowly but rolled to a 56-14 win over visiting Columbia Academy on senior night for the Raiders.
The Raiders scored on their first two possessions of the game but struggled in stretches throughout the first half.
Lamar took advantage of several Columbia mistakes in the first half to jump out to an early lead.
The Cougars snapped the ball over their punter's head on their first possession and Lamar took over on the Columbia four-yard line.
Dustin Rivers walked in on the next play for a Lamar touchdown. Matt Owen hit the PAT to make the score 7-0 with 9:02 left in the first quarter.
On the Cougars' next possession, Nathan Harrison made his first of several big defensive plays. The junior safety picked off a Cougar pass to give Lamar good field position once again.
The Raiders capitalized nine plays later as Dustin Gray carried the ball around the right side for a 16-yard touchdown run. Owen's PAT made the score 14-0.
The Lamar offense struggled for most of the second quarter of the game but the Raider defense held Columbia the entire quarter.
Lamar's offense finally got going late in the quarter after another special teams mistake by Columbia.
The Cougars mishandled another punt snap and Jon McCormick recovered for Lamar at the Cougar 43.
Five plays later Scott Owen broke free for a 17-yard touchdown run to give Lamar a 21-0 halftime lead.
Harrison came through with his second big play for the Lamar defense in the third quarter. He recovered a fumble and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown to give Lamar a 28-0 lead.
Columbia didn't take long to answer back as it scored on its first play of the ensuing possession.
Ben Selman took a handoff and broke outside for a 66-yard touchdown run to make the score 28-6. The snap on the extra point was mishandled but Columbia was able to pick up the ball and run it in for the two-point conversion to make the score 28-8.
Lamar got the offense rolling on its next possession and moved 73 yards to pick up another touchdown. Parker Payne scored on a one-yard run to make the score 35-8 with 3:17 left in the third.
Columbia again needed just one play to answer back. Orry Thomas hit Johnny Spillman down the left sideline for a 72-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was wide to keep the score at 35-14.
The Raiders moved the ball down the field on their next possession and scored on a 30-yard pass from Scott Owen to Gray to make the score 42-14 going into the final quarter.
In the final quarter, Jeff Parke scored on a three-yard run to make the score 49-14.
Reauze Cole later picked off a pass to set up another Lamar touchdown. Daniel Bennett carried the ball in for the final Raider score to give Lamar a 56-14 victory.
Lamar, now 6-4 for the year, will travel to take on Hillcrest Christian next week before opening the postseason on the road against Magnolia Heights.
