The Pine Raiders football team travelled to Avoyelles this past Friday night for the second round of the Division III playoffs and came away with a 28-6 game after pulling away from Avoyelles in the second half.
Pine, now 10-2 on the season, is traveling to 2 seeded Sterlington on Friday of this week to play the Panthers. Sterlington is located just north of Monroe in North Louisiana.
Sterlington is currently 11-1 on the season. The winner of this game would have to play the winner of the 6 Many - 3 St James game. Pine would be on the road against either team.
The Raiders got on the scoreboard on their opening possession as Chris Williams scored from the three yard line with about three minutes to go in the first period. The Mustangs answered on their following drive as they drove 62 yards, slowly and methodically until they scored from two yards out early in the second period. Their two point conversion was stuffed and the Raiders remained ahead 7-6.
The Raiders moved deep into Mustang territory on their next drive but an interception ended that threat. Their next drive also ended in Mustang territory as a fumble ended another promising drive. The 7-6 score would stand at the halftime intermission.
The Raiders opened with second half possession and scored on a fifty yard drive after the Mustangs attempted an onsides kick. James Owens scored from 25 yards out to put the Raiders up 14-6 with 9:08 left in the third.
The Mustangs then had their best drive of the second half thwarted at the Raiders 32 when Pine held them on downs there.
The Raiders scored on that drive as Von Johnson went in from sixteen yards out for a 21-6 lead with 10:39 left in the game.
After a Mustang punt the Raiders again scored as Spears passed to tightend Zach Thomas for a touchdown to go up 28-6 with just 4:33 left in the game. The game ended with the Mustangs futilely attempting to move the ball down the field.
Coach Bradley Seal was proud of the way his team played. "Great win for our program. The defense played well all night. Offensively we started fast, got a little sloppy in the second quarter bug got back in rhythm in the second half. It's a big accomplishment to be playing Thanksgiving week. At Sterlington next. They have an excellent program."
The Raiders senior quarterback, Luke Spears, passed for 87 yards and a touchdown with one interception completing five passes of eight attempted. DJ Garrett caught three passes for 65 yards, Zach Thomas caught one pass for 22 yards and a touchdown and James Owens caught one for 8 yards.
James Owens was the leading rusher with 130 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries. Von Johnson rushed nine times for 48 yards and a touchdown while Chris Williams had 7 carries for 6 yards and a touchdown and Aiden McIntosh rushed four times for 11 yards.
