Lamar punishes Winston for 4th straight win
For Southern Sports & Travel, By Daniel Balint
The Lamar Raiders hosted a big game Friday night at Grey-Cobb Field in Meridian as the Winston Academy Patriots came for a visit. A win would almost guarantee a birth in the playoffs for Lamar, no worse than the wild card position. The home team won the toss and elected to receive to begin the game. The Patriots of Winston came ready to play as on Lamar's first drive of the night, they forced a punt after 6 plays. The Raider drive stalled at mid-field. A good end over end punt by Chase Davis set up Junior QB Tyler Sullivan and company at their own 38 yard line. But the Pat's could only muster 17 yards on 5 plays before the drive came to a halt. One of the best punters in the state overall, Rob Moffitt came out and planted a pooch kick at the Raider 4. So the Raiders opened up their 2nd drive of the game 96 yards from the endzone. On the first play of the drive, Junior signal caller for Lamar, Tyler Harris hit J.C. McElroy on a play action route that was good for 38 yards. The Raiders, now out of the shadows of their own goal post, set up shop at their own 38 to continue the drive. 6 plays later, Lamar was halted on downs by the Winston defense at the Winston 28 yard line. On the ensuing drive for the Pat's, Tyler Sullivan got going as he led the Patriots 61 yards down the field. The Lamar defense put a stop to the drive and forced Winston to try a 27 yard field goal, which was good. At the 1:12 mark of the 1st quarter, Winston leads 3-0. The lead would be short lived as the Lamar offense took to an epic drive. The Moffit kick off was downed in the end zone to set up Lamar at their own 20. The Raider offense cooked up a 13 play, 80 yard drive that took 5 minutes and 10 seconds off of the first half clock. The drive was finished by a 9 yard run from JC McElroy out of the wildcat formation. The Tyler Roberts extra point was true and the Raiders took a lead of 7-3 with 7:50 to play in the opening half. Lamar would not let go of the lead, as it set up a monster ending of the first half for Lamar. Winston set up shop at their own 35 after a Dusty Weisner pooch kick. Tyler Sullivan and the Patriot offense moved the ball into Raider territory but a penalty set them back. On 3rd and long, the collision everyone had been waiting for happened midways through the 2nd quarter as Tyler Sullivan, all 6'4 230 pounds, met Will Fulton, the star DE for Lamar. The sack for Fulton was his 7th of the season. The monster shot rocked the core of the Grey-Cobb foundation. On the fourth down punt, the snap went over the head of Rob Moffitt and rolled all the way back inside the 15 yard line. Moffitt picked the ball up and turned to punt, but was met by Will Fulton and another big lick by the Senior. Somehow Moffitt got the kick away but it wasn't much as the ball got to the Winston 20 yard line and no further. The Raiders set up camp deep in Patriot territory at the 20. It took Lamar all of 4 plays to find pay-dirt at the 1:53 mark of the 2nd quarter. Tyler Harris hit Charlie Nosco for 16 yards on a play action pass that was executed to perfection. The Roberts PAT was good and Lamar leads 14-3. Winston took the kick back to the 22 yard line. With just over a minute to play in the half, Winston decided to try and make something of the remaining time but it was to no avail. Sullivan threw his 1st interception of the night as he was picked off on a tip drill by Chase Davis. Davis returned the INT to mid-field. From that point, Tyler Harris hit a 50 yard bomb to McElroy on the first play of the drive. 21-3 Lamar with :23 seconds left in the half. Sullivan and company again set up shop and tried to get greedy, and again the Pat's were denied. Michael Marcello picked off the first play of Winston's drive and returned it 44 yards to the house. The XP was no good by Roberts, but the momentum had already swung. At the half, Lamar 27, Winston 3.
Winston took the ball to begin the 2nd half, but the Lamar defense stymied the Pat attack and forced a 3 and out. After a terrific kick by Moffitt, Lamar took over at their own 35. The Raider offense proved it can strike quick as Harris found McElroy on the first play of the 2nd half for 65 yards. The XP was good, just 1:22 into the 2nd half, Lamar opens up the lead to 34-3. Winston again was forced 3 and out and again the Raider offense responded with a 6 play, 69 yard drive that was capped by another McElroy touchdown, his fourth of the evening. This time, McElroy went 20 yards on a speed sweep. The Roberts extra point was true and Lamar opens it up even further now 41-3 with 7:04 to play in the 3rd. From their Lamar would roll. The defense crashing in on Tyler Sullivan and the Pat attack. The Raider defense would hold the Winston offense to 243 yards. Sullivan would throw 2 more interceptions, 4 total in the game. Winston got on the board for the 2nd time with 3:37 in the 3rd quarter as Sullivan ran the ball in from 6 yards out. 41-10, Raiders. The game got a little chippy, both teams talking alot on the field. It led to a number of personal fouls in the 4th quarter. Lamar took a roughing the passer and an un-sportsmanlike penalty on the same play and it set up Sullivan and company at the Raider 20 late in the game. The Pat attack wouldn't let this scoring opportunity pass them up and Tyler Sullivan ran in his 2nd touchdown of the night from 2 yards out with 4:47 to play. After a Lamar T.O.D.'s, Sullivan came back out for his final drive and on the first play, threw his 4th interception of the night. That led to Lamar in the victory formation to finish the game. Final score, Lamar 41- Winston 17. Tyler Harris went 12/18 243 yards and 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. J.C. McElroy ran 4 times for 51 yards and 2 scores. JC also had 7 receptions for 175 yards and 2 scores. Raider coach Mac Barnes said of his defense, " This was the hardest hitting, most emotional and well played games we have had since the 2006 Oak Hill playoff game. Our kids played tremendous tonight." A career night for McElroy led to the Lamar win. Lamar returns for senior night next week as Lamar host Simpson in a HUGE 3AA showdown that could determine the division champ.
For Southern Sports & Travel, By Daniel Balint
The Lamar Raiders hosted a big game Friday night at Grey-Cobb Field in Meridian as the Winston Academy Patriots came for a visit. A win would almost guarantee a birth in the playoffs for Lamar, no worse than the wild card position. The home team won the toss and elected to receive to begin the game. The Patriots of Winston came ready to play as on Lamar's first drive of the night, they forced a punt after 6 plays. The Raider drive stalled at mid-field. A good end over end punt by Chase Davis set up Junior QB Tyler Sullivan and company at their own 38 yard line. But the Pat's could only muster 17 yards on 5 plays before the drive came to a halt. One of the best punters in the state overall, Rob Moffitt came out and planted a pooch kick at the Raider 4. So the Raiders opened up their 2nd drive of the game 96 yards from the endzone. On the first play of the drive, Junior signal caller for Lamar, Tyler Harris hit J.C. McElroy on a play action route that was good for 38 yards. The Raiders, now out of the shadows of their own goal post, set up shop at their own 38 to continue the drive. 6 plays later, Lamar was halted on downs by the Winston defense at the Winston 28 yard line. On the ensuing drive for the Pat's, Tyler Sullivan got going as he led the Patriots 61 yards down the field. The Lamar defense put a stop to the drive and forced Winston to try a 27 yard field goal, which was good. At the 1:12 mark of the 1st quarter, Winston leads 3-0. The lead would be short lived as the Lamar offense took to an epic drive. The Moffit kick off was downed in the end zone to set up Lamar at their own 20. The Raider offense cooked up a 13 play, 80 yard drive that took 5 minutes and 10 seconds off of the first half clock. The drive was finished by a 9 yard run from JC McElroy out of the wildcat formation. The Tyler Roberts extra point was true and the Raiders took a lead of 7-3 with 7:50 to play in the opening half. Lamar would not let go of the lead, as it set up a monster ending of the first half for Lamar. Winston set up shop at their own 35 after a Dusty Weisner pooch kick. Tyler Sullivan and the Patriot offense moved the ball into Raider territory but a penalty set them back. On 3rd and long, the collision everyone had been waiting for happened midways through the 2nd quarter as Tyler Sullivan, all 6'4 230 pounds, met Will Fulton, the star DE for Lamar. The sack for Fulton was his 7th of the season. The monster shot rocked the core of the Grey-Cobb foundation. On the fourth down punt, the snap went over the head of Rob Moffitt and rolled all the way back inside the 15 yard line. Moffitt picked the ball up and turned to punt, but was met by Will Fulton and another big lick by the Senior. Somehow Moffitt got the kick away but it wasn't much as the ball got to the Winston 20 yard line and no further. The Raiders set up camp deep in Patriot territory at the 20. It took Lamar all of 4 plays to find pay-dirt at the 1:53 mark of the 2nd quarter. Tyler Harris hit Charlie Nosco for 16 yards on a play action pass that was executed to perfection. The Roberts PAT was good and Lamar leads 14-3. Winston took the kick back to the 22 yard line. With just over a minute to play in the half, Winston decided to try and make something of the remaining time but it was to no avail. Sullivan threw his 1st interception of the night as he was picked off on a tip drill by Chase Davis. Davis returned the INT to mid-field. From that point, Tyler Harris hit a 50 yard bomb to McElroy on the first play of the drive. 21-3 Lamar with :23 seconds left in the half. Sullivan and company again set up shop and tried to get greedy, and again the Pat's were denied. Michael Marcello picked off the first play of Winston's drive and returned it 44 yards to the house. The XP was no good by Roberts, but the momentum had already swung. At the half, Lamar 27, Winston 3.
Winston took the ball to begin the 2nd half, but the Lamar defense stymied the Pat attack and forced a 3 and out. After a terrific kick by Moffitt, Lamar took over at their own 35. The Raider offense proved it can strike quick as Harris found McElroy on the first play of the 2nd half for 65 yards. The XP was good, just 1:22 into the 2nd half, Lamar opens up the lead to 34-3. Winston again was forced 3 and out and again the Raider offense responded with a 6 play, 69 yard drive that was capped by another McElroy touchdown, his fourth of the evening. This time, McElroy went 20 yards on a speed sweep. The Roberts extra point was true and Lamar opens it up even further now 41-3 with 7:04 to play in the 3rd. From their Lamar would roll. The defense crashing in on Tyler Sullivan and the Pat attack. The Raider defense would hold the Winston offense to 243 yards. Sullivan would throw 2 more interceptions, 4 total in the game. Winston got on the board for the 2nd time with 3:37 in the 3rd quarter as Sullivan ran the ball in from 6 yards out. 41-10, Raiders. The game got a little chippy, both teams talking alot on the field. It led to a number of personal fouls in the 4th quarter. Lamar took a roughing the passer and an un-sportsmanlike penalty on the same play and it set up Sullivan and company at the Raider 20 late in the game. The Pat attack wouldn't let this scoring opportunity pass them up and Tyler Sullivan ran in his 2nd touchdown of the night from 2 yards out with 4:47 to play. After a Lamar T.O.D.'s, Sullivan came back out for his final drive and on the first play, threw his 4th interception of the night. That led to Lamar in the victory formation to finish the game. Final score, Lamar 41- Winston 17. Tyler Harris went 12/18 243 yards and 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. J.C. McElroy ran 4 times for 51 yards and 2 scores. JC also had 7 receptions for 175 yards and 2 scores. Raider coach Mac Barnes said of his defense, " This was the hardest hitting, most emotional and well played games we have had since the 2006 Oak Hill playoff game. Our kids played tremendous tonight." A career night for McElroy led to the Lamar win. Lamar returns for senior night next week as Lamar host Simpson in a HUGE 3AA showdown that could determine the division champ.
