The Pine Raiders football team faced off with a game Red River football team last Friday in Pine. In a game of two totally opposite halves, the Raiders trailed at halftime 16-0 and did not have a first down to their credit, before ripping off 31 points in the third quarter to take control of the game, winning 38-16.
The Raiders will now travel to Avoyelles to play in the second round. Avoyelles is the 23 seed and upset the 10 seed Kinder last week, 28-22. If Pine is successful, they will play the winner of
18 Mansfield vs 2 Sterlington. If Mansfield wins, the game would be at Pine but if Sterlington wins the game would be at Sterlington.
Red River opened the game as they drove to the Pine 20 before turning the ball over on downs and after a three and out by Pine the Bulldogs scored with 10:40 in the first quarter for an 8-0 lead. After another three and out by the Raiders the Bulldogs again drove inside the red zone of the Raiders but again turned the ball over on downs there.
The Raiders punted again before holding the Bulldogs to a fourth down just short of midfield with :15 left in the half. The Bulldogs faked a punt and scored on that fake with a 53 yard run to go up 16-0 at the halftime intermission.
The Raiders opened the second half looking like a different team as they scored on their first offensive play when James Owens went 58 yards for the touchdown, making the score 16-8.
The Bulldogs were held on downs at the Raiders 37 before Raiders senior quarterback Luke Spears hit Owens for a 63 yard touchdown to tie the game at 16-16 with 5:00 left in the third.
On the ensuing kick Raider Christian Williams stripped the ball from the Bulldog ball carrier and returned it for a touchdown to give the Raiders their first lead of the game at 24-16.
After a Bulldog three and out the Raiders scored again on Von Johnson’s three yard run for a 31-16 lead with 1:13 left in the third period.
The Raiders scored again in the final period when Aiden McIntosh scored on a two yard run. The Bulldogs futilely went against what they normally do and began passing the ball and were unsuccessful at any sort of comeback and the Raiders won 38-16.
Pine’s veteran head coach Bradley Seal about adjustments at halftime. “Yes, we made adjustments. But the big thing is James Owens gave us life early in the second half. He made us believe and Ethan Rester played his best half of football in the second half. Once Chris returned the fumble on the kickoff there was no doubt we were going to win. Down 16-0 and after two plays of offense in the second half it was 24-16. Unbelievable. There were adjustments but it was our kids not quitting that was the difference.”
Quarterback Luke Spears was 2 of 7 passing for 107 yards and a touchdown. James Owens caught a pass for 63 yards and a touchdown and Thomas Bernard caught one for 44 yards. Von Johnson rushed 9 times for 30 yards and a touchdown, James Owens rushed three times for 100 yards and a touchdown and Aiden McIntosh rushed 3 times for 44 yards and a touchdown.
