WARTRACE, Tenn. — There were clear skies over Wartrace Friday night but that didn’t keep Moore County’s “Thunder and Lightning” — option quarterback Dawson White and running back Logan Hegwood — from making it rain Raider touchdown to help Moore County earn a 34-5 season opening win over the Cascade Champions.
Last year, the Raiders hosted the Champions at Doug Price Field – mounting an impressive 32-20 win in a game where then junior Dawson White made his debut as the Raiders new option QB. He put up 334 total yards against the Champions last August including 113 yards on the ground. {To read our complete coverage of that game, click here.}
On the premiere episode of Moore County Friday Night Lights fans expected big things out of this year’s seniors including QB White, running backs Hegwood and Wes Clifton, receivers Keller Morey, Alex Copeland, and Will Parker as well as a tough defense led by senior Sawyer Parks, Eli Brown, and juniors Bryson Carter, Logan Cashion, Landon Smith, Peyton Martin, and Aydan Blair.they weren’t disappointed.
Two touchdowns in the first quarter
Hegwood got the first Raiders yards of the season when he returned the Cascade kickoff to the 23 yard line. Then, QB White got things going with a handoff to Hegwood and a completion to Morey to earn Moore County’s first down.
With a fresh set of downs, White then called his own number and scampered across the 50 yard line to the Cascade 46. The Champion defense tightened and White settled for short yardage to set up third and nine, then he found Morey for the first down. On the next play, White handed off to Hegwood who wiggled free, cut left, and then bolted right towards the end zone for Moore County’s first six points. Jax Ross’s PAT gave Moore County an early seven point lead.
Cascade went three and out on their first possession thanks in no small part to Eli Brown who gave the left side of the Champion offense all they wanted.
On the next set of Raiders downs, it took the Raiders just six plays to find the end zone again. White connected with Morey, Wes Clifton, and Alex Copeland to make two and 15, thanks to a penalty. With long yardage and a little over two minutes to play in the quarter, White tucked the ball and cut across field for six. The PAT was no good giving Moore County a 13-0 lead over the Champions. The first quarter ended with Cascade driving near the 30 yard line.
Cascade scored their first points of the game in the first series of the second quarter. The Raiders held the Champions to a field goal as the big-man against big-man contest a the line got a little chippy. With 9:55 to play in the half, Moore County led 13-3.
But the determined Raider offense wasn’t through putting up first half points. On their next possession, Hegwood returned the kick off to the 32 yard line and then rushed for a first down on the next play. Then on third and long, White connected with Morey — thanks in no small part to an outstanding block from Copeland — to earn another first down.
Back-to back penalties found the Raiders with first and 19, before Hegwood got a long run to set them up back at the line of scrimmage. Hegwood got another big run on the next play to set up the Raiders near the red zone. Then on fourth and four, a Determine White pushed through Cascade defenders to make it first and goal. White ran a near identical path on the next down to earn his second rushing touchdown of the game. Ross’s PAT made it Raiders 20 and Cascade 3 with 4:53 to play in the half.
The Raider defense set the tone for what good be a long season for openers on the next Cascade possession. The Champion QB got them to first goal and then the Raiders managed not one but two goal line stand plays to prevent the Cascade score. They earned the ball back on downs with one second to play in the half.
They Raiders suffered from 50 first half penalty yards in the first half but the right the ship in the second half of the game.
Fourteen second half points
The Champions fumbled on their first possession of the second half and Hegwood made them suffer for it with a rushing TD to make it Raiders 27 and Champions 3.
With the ball back, Brown forced another fumble and recovered for the Raiders — giving the Raiders another shot at the end zone. They couldn’t punch it and handed Cascade the ball back.
Moore County managers may want to have the Gatorade and pickle juice at the ready next Friday, because Raiders started dropping like flies from cramps in the third quarter. It didn’t matter. Moore County enjoys depths this season and the defensive subs held Cascade to a three and out.
On the ensuing kickoff, White returned to the ball to the near 50 yard line before Hegwood earned a first down. A hand off to Hegwood on the next play resulted in another first down and Cascade linemen stood with their hands on their hips. White then passed to Morey to get to the 20 years line as time expired in the third quarter.
With four fingers help high on the Raiders’ sideline, White found the end zone on the second play of the final stanza to give the Raiders a 34-3 lead. It would be the last Moore County points of the game. Cascade managed a safety late in the fourth quarter to make it 34-5.
Dawson White led for Moore County with three rushing touchdowns for 18 points. Logan Hegwood followed with two scores for 12 points. First year kicker Jax Ross was four of five in point-after attempts.
White led in rushing yards with 124 on 10 carries followed by Hegwood with eight carries for 46 yards. Keller Morey led the receivers with 92 yards followed by Logan Hegwood with 74. Alex Copeland and Will Parker both completed passes for 12 yards each.
On defense, Peyton Martin led with 13 total tackles followed by Logan Hegwood and Landon Smith with seven tackles each. Eli Brown and Logan Cashion managed six tackles. Dawson White and Coleman Phillips earned five each. Wes Clifton and Aydan Blair added four tackles each. Bryson Carter, Brantley Hill, Buddy Qualls, and James Laster got in on the action with a tackle each.
Alex Copeland, the Raiders’ ball-hawking corner, snagged an interception and Eli Brown and Peyton Martin recovered a fumble each.
Moore County will play their season opener against Fayetteville City on Friday, August 25. That game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Doug Price Field. You can watch it live on the NFHS Network or The Times will post live in game score updates on our Facebook page.
{The Lynchburg Times is a nonpartisan community newspaper serving Lynchburg, Tennessee and the surrounding counties. We also provide news and information for the 350,000 folks who come to Lynchburg to visit The Jack Daniel’s Distillery each year. We are dedicated to public service journalism for the greater good of our community. You can support us, by clicking here.}