By Tabitha Evans Moore, EDITOR & PUBLISHER
LYNCHBURG — With Hurricane Helene causing unnecessary roughness across Doug Price Field on Friday, Moore County got a sloppy yet gritty 26-0 win over the Cornersville Bulldogs. In admittedly less than ideal conditions, both teams struggled to hold on to the ball. Refs called more turnovers in the game than penalties.
Moore County came into the game hot off a decisive 32-8 road win at 5A Franklin County. Cornersville lost 44-7 to Richland last week.
{Editor’s Note: This year’s Raider’s football coverage is free to all readers thanks to a sponsorship from Greg Guinn Construction, Jack Collectible’s, and Reese’s Athletics.}
Tucker, Petty score in first half
The Bulldogs won the toss and deferred to the second half.
Despite the rainy, blustery conditions, the Raiders came out high energy. Cole Taylor and Isaac Petty got things started with positive yardage to make it third and five. Then Raider QB Gavin Wise threw an incompletion before calling his own number for a first down.
The Bulldogs stopped the Raiders on the next play, then Wise handed off to Taylor for two yards, but in a bit of two-steps-forward-and-three-steps-back action, the Raiders walked backwards five yards on a false start call to make it third and 13. Unrattled, Wise threw downfield to Tucker Smith who darted in for six points. The PAT missed.
With 9:25 to play in the first quarter, Moore County led Cornersville, 6-0.
The Bulldogs couldn’t get much going on the next series thanks to outstanding defense.
Buddy Qualls got a tackle for a loss on first down to make it second and 12, then Brantley Hill’s touchdown-saving tackle held them to just five yards to make it third and seven. Unfortunately, an offsides call gave the Bulldogs a first down.
With new life, a Bulldog ran right into the numbers of Hill and by the sound of the crunch, he paid for it. Then, on second and three, Logan Cashion landed a big lick to make it third and five. After an incompletion, the Bulldog receiver fumbled thanks to the Columbia blue wall known as Logan Cashion and Peyton Martin.
Cornersville recovered the fumble put it didn’t matter. They turned the ball over on downs. Moore County couldn’t do anything with it though, and returned the favor six plays later.
An opportunistic Raider defense, snagged an interception on the next series. Raider Trenton Sanders got a tackle for a loss, then the Raider line forced an incomplete pass. Rattled, on third and 17, the Bulldog QB threw a soft pass and Cashion plucked it out of the air — handing Moore County back the ball first and goal.
Back on offense, a handoff to Petty earned short yards, then Wise went right back to him. Petty juked right then spirited left for six.
Moore County added to their lead, 12-0, with 1:10 to play in the first.
Tripp Hammond and Peyton Martin shut down any thoughts the Bulldogs might have had about a score before the end of the quarter.
On the next series, Wise executed a bit of “trickeration” when he faked the handoff, then ran left for a 34 yard run. Petty got nine yards on the next down, then Wise called his own number again for first and goal. He handed off to Petty on the next play and he tiptoed in for six. Aiden Webster’s PAT went right between the uprights.
The two teams traded turnovers — five of them to be exact — for the rest of half. Neither could do any thing with the opportunity.
With the smell of sour mash from the distillery wafting in the air, the Raiders went into the locker room leading the Cornersville Bulldogs 19-0.
Raider D shuts out Cornersville
The Bulldogs got the ball first in the second half. They pieced together an eight-play drive but Landon Smith, Qualls, Sanders, Martin, Cashion, and Aydan Blair played bend-but-don’t-break defense to keep them out of the end zone. Taylor got a clutch stop on fourth and five to hand Moore County the ball back on downs.
With a wet ball, wet field, and rain coming down, Moore County fumbled the ball, and recovered. Then the Bulldogs intercepted a Raider pass to get it right back.
The Raider D stood strong. The D line held the Bulldog QB on first down, then Martin and Blair barreled toward the Bulldog QB at the snap for a one-yard gain. On third and nine, Martin again dragged the Bulldog QB down behind the line to force the punt. Petty blocked it to hand Moore County excellent field position.
The two teams traded turnover to end the third quarter, with the same score, 19-0.
Moore County would score one more time before calling it a night. With 5:23 to play, the Bulldogs fumbled and Moore County’s Cashion recovered. With Wise under center, he handed off to Chris Merical for five yards, then called his own number for the first down. He went back to Merical on the next play. He ran straight forward for six. Webster’s PAT put up the last points of the night.
Isaac Petty led for Moore County with 12 points. Junior Chris Merical and sophomore Tucker Smith added a touchdown each. Backup kicker Aiden Webster was two of three in point-after attempts.
On offense, Raider QB Gavin Wise was six of 15 for 116 yards. He ran another 90 on the ground for 206 total yards of offense. He led in rushing yards with 90. Tucker Smith was the top receiver with 78 yards.
On defense, Peyton Martin led with 12 tackles. Brantley Hill followed with eight. Both Trenton Sanders and Buddy Qualls had a breakout game – contributing a combined 10 tackles. Martin, Qualls, and Tripp Hammond all managed to get sacks on the Cornersville QB. Logan Cashion and Hill got interceptions and Chris Merical, Sanders, Martin, and Isaac Petty recovered fumbles.
Moore County will take a break from action next Friday and return on Friday, October 11 for a Homecoming game against Corrnersville.•
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