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Raider runner Aaron Atkinson tries to slip from the grasp of Webster’s Justin Cochran during Friday’s game at County Stadium. DAVID HEDGES/SPENCER NEWSPAPERS

Daniels tackled Webster County quarterback Chance McCoy at the Roane 1-yard-line on the game’s final play to preserve a 24-18 victory for the Raiders, their first of the season after three defeats.

With 10.1 seconds left on the clock, the Highlanders faced a fourth down from the Raider 23. McCoy dropped back to pass, but scrambled left, then right, before he was met just short of the goal line.

“Here he goes and out of the blue I see Daniels,” Raider head coach Tom Hardman said. “The guy jumped at the three and Daniels hit him and flipped him.”

The official immediately ruled that McCoy had come up just short and Hardman said there was a divot where the quarterback’s helmet and ball had hit the turf.

“It was a long 10.1, brother,” Hardman said. “I immediately looked up at the clock and it was reading double zeroes.”

The drama ended a game that was close throughout. The Highlanders (2-2) got on the board in the first quarter when McCoy connected with Craig Wright from 35 yards out. The extra point try failed, as it did after all seven of the touchdowns scored in the game.

Roane retaliated on defense in the second period when Eric Jarvis gathered in a Webster fumble and raced 26 yards for the first of his three touchdowns on the night. He added another TD when quarterback Josh Drake hit him with a screen pass that covered 54 yards later in the same quarter.

Webster struck again just before the half on a 22-yard scoring pass from McCoy to Tim Miller.

The Highlanders got their final touchdown of the night in the third quarter when McCoy weaved through Raider tacklers from 18 yards out. The short drive was set up by a roughing the kicker penalty on Roane that set the Highlanders up at the Raider 21.

Trailing 18-12, Roane knotted the score with 5:01 left in the third when Jarvis hauled in a 33-yard pass from Drake and dashed down the right sideline. The key play on the 65-yard march was a 35-yard pass from Drake to his brother, Jordan Drake.

The Raider quarterback finished the night 9-of-15 through the air for 192 yards.

Josh Drake picked off McCoy to set the Raiders up at the Webster 25 early in the fourth. He then covered the final six yards with a TD keeper that capped a 5-play drive at the 7:56 mark.

Webster was stymied on its next possession thanks to key defensive plays by Josh Drake, Aaron Atkinson, Jarvis and Brad Parsons. The Highlanders then returned the favor, stopping the Raiders on downs and taking over at their own 25 with 1:41 on the clock.

That was plenty of time for McCoy to put a scare into the Raiders. He hit Quentin Robinson for 16 yards and Craig Wright twice for 18 and 16 yards to put his team in position to win. Rhett Atkinson, inserted as an extra defensive back for the Raiders, broke up two passes in the end zone to set up the final play.

But thanks to Daniels, McCoy — literally — fell just short.

Hardman, who had been critical of his team’s effort in the past, praised them this time and said a return to fundamentals during the week led directly to the win. The Raiders were also able to overcome the loss of two starters because of personal problems.

“There was a lot of effort,” he said. “That was huge man, that was huge. We still have a lot of work to do, but this will bring a lot of confidence. It’s going to make a big difference for us.”

See stats in Sept. 20 print edition.