Behind a Big night from Keller Morey the Moore County Raiders downed the Wayne County Tigers 26-13 Friday Night in Lynchburg.
Moore County opened the scoring on the opening drive of the game with a 1 yard touchdown run from Logan Hegwood, the PAT was good giving the Raiders a 7-0 with 8:43 to go in the first. The teams traded possessions the rest of the 1st quarter and Moore County held onto a 7-0 lead after one.
Wayne County got on the board early in the 2nd after a Austin Whitson punt return set the wildcats up inside the raider 5. Three plays later Whitson scored from a yard out. The extra point was good to tie the game with 7:45 to go in the half. That’s when things got weird.
A flag for illegal participation appeared to wipe out a Wayne County’s second interception of the night. However, it was ruled a dead ball foul as the flag was for players coming off the bench to celebrate the interception. Thus, Wayne County kept the ball all be it backed up to their own 30 instead of deep in Moore County territory where the pick occurred. All this for the ensuing drive to end with a punt.
Following a Moore County punt and Wayne County turnover on downs the Raiders regained the lead just before the half as Morey hit Dawson White on a screen, white slipped a tackle and raced down the sideline 60 yards for a score. The PAT was no good, but it gave Moore County a 13-7 advantage at the break.
Both teams were scoreless in the third before Wayne County capped off a 73 yard 6:34 second drive on the opening play of the fourth on 4th and goal from the 4 with Whitson’s second rushing touchdown of the night. However, the snap sailed over the holder’s head on the PAT attempt keeping the game tied.
Moore County countered quicky marching right back down the field in a little over three minutes and six plays. Chunking off 25 yards on play one with a pass to White and then another 48 on a run my Morey the Raiders took the lead for good with 8:30 minutes to play in the game on a 5 yard White run. The PAT was good giving the Raiders a 20-13 advantage.
After a Wayne County three and out and then a promising Moore County drive stalled due to a personal foul penalty for helmet to helmet contact the Wildcats got the ball back down 7 90 yards from the endzone with 3:06 to play. That’s when Morey sealed the Raiders win picking off a Whitson pass and taking it 20 yards to the house for a pick six to ice the game.
Wayne County returned the ensuing kickoff to the Moore County 46 but fumbled on 4th down short of the line to gain giving the Raiders possession and allowing them to run out the clock for a 26-13 win.
For his performance on both sides of the ball Keller Morey was named the Riddle Agency Player of the Game.
The victory which was the Raiders first of 2021 on the field, their other win a COVID forfeit vs Bledsoe County in week two, moves Moore County to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in Region 5-1A.
After an open date next week, the Raiders will continue their 5 game homestand vs Loretto on October the 8th. Pregame coverage starts at 6:00 with kickoff at 7:00 on WHMT 105.1 and 95.9.
