Last-second TD gives Raiders split with 'Bucs

The Raiders gave the PIFL's most rush-heavy team a taste of their own medicine and got the last score of a back-and-forth 4th quarter to avenge their loss in the last meeting, beating the Louisiana Swashbucklers 50-43.

In a clash of opposing offensive styles, the grind-it-out Swashbucklers scored on the first play of the game when Freddie Harrison tossed a 30 yard bomb to Jordan Rideaux.  The Raiders responded with a 5 play, 30 yard drive that put them up 8-7 after an Antwun Williams TD catch and a PAT and uno by T.C. Stevens.  Before more confusion could set in on which team was wearing which uniforms, the 'Bucs returned to form with a nine play drive that netted no points, as the teams would trade missed field goals on their respective second possessions.  RoShawn Marshall picked off Harrison to set up a field goal that left the Raiders wanting more, after moving from the Louisiana 6 to their own 22 thanks to penalties, including a questionable personal foul that negated a touchdown.

Louisiana's offense got back on track in the second quarter as they continued to use the passing game almost exclusively.  Harrison threw touchdown passes to Rideaux and Sammy Knight, while Antwon Young ran in from a yard out to help the Raiders keep pace, and Richmond found themselves down by 2, 20-18, at the one minute warning.  They bled as much time as possible but again were hampered by penalties, which forced a 36 yard field goal attempt that Stevens missed with six seconds to go.

A Blake Berdegeay uno on the second half kickoff put the Swashbucklers up by 3, but the unfazed Raider offense moved 45 yards in five plays, and when Young threw a 16 yard touchdown pass to Jason Lovett, the Raiders once again had a four point lead.  The 'Bucs went back out in front on Harrison's fourth touchdown pass of the game, but the Raiders had to settle for a tying field goal when the Louisiana defense held strong on three straight plays from their four yard line.  Neither team could grab immediate momentum as both sides went four and out to end the third quarter.

A turning point in the game came early in the fourth quarter when Bercegeay lined up for a 48 yard field goal -- after being put behind the sticks on a first down sack -- and the low trajectory kick was blocked by Michael Woodhouse to set the Raiders up at the Swashbucklers' three yard line.  Two plays later, Herb Jones caught a short scoring pass and another Stevens uno gave the Raiders an 8 point lead.  The 'Bucs dug deep and engineered a seven play, 45 yard drive with Harrison finding Rideaux and Kendrick Perry for the touchdown and two point conversion respectively to tie the game midway through the quarter.  Young and Jones provided all the Raider offense on the ensuing possession -- including another touchdown called back on a penalty -- and when they scored to go up 7 with 2:43 remaining, the exciting final exchange was set up.  Louisiana got to the Raider one yard line at the one minute warning when Marshall made a touchdown-saving tackle, and with so little room to bleed the clock without scoring, left 55 seconds after Knight scored the team's only rushing touchdown of the night.  The Raiders, more concerned with scoring than with clock management, used mostly passes to get to the 'Bucs 14, and on third down Young bought lots of time by shifting in the pocket before throwing a strike to Williams in the back of the end zone with just 8 seconds left.  Two desperation Swashbuckler passes went incomplete, and the Raiders remained undefeated at home.

Player of the Game: Antwon Young, who threw for four TDs and ran for two more, singlehandedly running for more yards and more scores than the entire offense of the league's most prolific rushing team.

Offensive Stars: Hakeem Moore had a couple of long receptions among his team-high six for 95 yards; Antwun Williams was efficient, scoring TDs on two of his three catches; T.C. Stevens was perfect on PATs, made two field goals, and added two unos.

Defensive Stars: RoShawn Marshall had an interception and the game-ending deflected pass; Michael Woodhouse blocked his fourth kick of the year.

Other Links:

• Times-Dispatch article
• Raider website writeup
• Swashbuckler website recap

Next: at Alabama, Friday, 8pm