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Raiders blank Vikes
in first scrimmage
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John Ash of Roane County goes low to wrap up a Ripley ballcarrier during a Saturday scrimmage at County Stadium. |
What a difference a year makes.
Roane County’s Raiders turned the tables on Ripley by blanking the Vikings in a preseason football scrimmage Saturday morning at County Stadium.
The Vikings were a senior-laden team a year ago when they blasted the Raiders 27-7 in a scrimmage on the way to a 9-3 season and a Class AAA playoff run. Roane, 6-5 a season ago, returns several key performers from its Class AA playoff team.
On Saturday, the Raiders got two varsity touchdowns to none for the visitors and missed on both extra point kicks. Ripley’s JV outscored the Roane reserves one score to none.
“We were very pleased,” Raider offensive coordinator Paul Burdette said. Burdette helped direct the team in the absence of head coach Tom Hardman, who flew to Miami to watch his son, Derek, play in an NFL preseason game for the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Josh Wine scored on runs of 65 and 59 yards to account for the Roane points. Both TDs came on the same counter play, with Wine showing shifty moves on each once he got to the secondary.
“He made some good moves and there was some good downfield blocking,” Burdette said.
Burdette also praised the defensive effort.
“The ‘D’ flew around,” he said. “They were aggressive and got after it.”
The outcome should provide a boost for the Raiders, who got off to a slow start a year ago, both during their two scrimmages and in an 0-3 stretch to start the season.
“I think it’s a confidence builder,” Burdette said. “We were proud of our effort, but we told them not to let it go to their heads. It was only a scrimmage. We’re excited, but it wasn’t perfect by any means.”
Point Pleasant, another AA playoff team from a year ago, visits County Stadium for a scrimmage Friday at 7 p.m. Admission is $3.
The Big Blacks and their 90-player roster should be another good measuring stick for the Raiders.
“This week will be a good test,” Burdette said. “Traditionally, they’re always tough, so we’ll be able to see where we’re at.”
