Raiders make good on first trip off the Island
August 11, 2009
Author: Dominic Abassi, VI Raiders TV
South Surrey athletic park was the setting for game 2 of the regular season
for the Raiders as they battled last years 3rd place team, the Big Kahuna
Rams. The Rams posed a much larger threat than last weeks visiting Kamloops
Broncos did to the Raiders, and the difference was noticeable early.
Big Kahuna was big up front on the defensive side of the ball and played
very physically. Size however couldn't compete with speed, and on a 2nd and
15 play at 10:35 of the first Andrew Harris took a stretch handoff to the
right and, behind a great double team by Bronson Nichol and Scott Milton,
promptly made the score 7-0 with a 70 yard touchdown jaunt. The Rams came
right back down the field and a near miss on a Cam Clark - Xavier Johnson
connection in the end zone resulted in a 30 yard Curtis Glawson field goal.
The fireworks kept coming on the next drive and Yantz connected with
Buchannon for a first down and then Jared Ralko made his first of 3 grabs on
the day, a 38 yard one handed grab to the Rams 21 yard line. Yantz capped
off the drive with a 21 yard completion to the corner of the end zone to
none other than Andrew Harris to make the score 14-3 visitors.
At the start of the 2nd quarter Harris recorded his 3rd touchdown of the
young game with a 17 yard scamper around the left corner. With Aaron Davies
off the field after taking a vicious block from Ryan Prasad on a punt, Cam
Clark went up top to perennial all star Thomas Rafuse for their first of
many long connections on the day. Rafuse finished the day with 4 catches for
169 yards and 1 touchdown. The drive ended the same as the first for the
Rams however, off the leg of Curtis Glawson, making the score 21-6 for the
Raiders. The reigning BCFC MVP made his 4th and final trip to the end zone
for the day after a 76 yard lead went untouched up the left side of the
line. Harris finished the day with staggering numbers, 14 carries for 248
yards and 3 touchdowns as well as 2 receptions for 30 yards and 1 more
touchdown. Thomas Rafuse made his presence known once again, running under a
Cam Clark long bomb and crossing into pay dirt with 8:06 left in the 2nd to
make the score 28-13. The 76 yard completion was the first touchdown of the
season for the Rams, as well as the first surrendered by the Raiders
defense. After a 5 minute drive deep into Rams territory the threat was
ended abruptly as Jamahl Knowles became the first player all season to pick
off quarterback Jordan Yantz. A Mark Mueller single and a Curtis Glawson
safety made the score 31-13 at the half.
Cam Clark became a victim of intense pressure from the Raiders front seven
at the start of the second half and an under thrown pass landed in the hands
of Ranji Atwall for the first of 2 Clark interceptions on the day. On the
next play Yantz went up top after some play action and found new comer Robin
Medeiros for a 40 yard touchdown to make the score 38-13. The Rams wouldn't
say die and marched the length of the field on the ensuing drive, on the
back of 2 long Rafuse grabs. A 3rd down plunge by Cam Clark from the 1 yard
line closed the gap, the extra point was blocked leaving the home side
trailing 38-19. After Yantz completed 2 passes to Medeiros, he couldn't
complete a pitch to Andrew Harris and the Big Kahuna defenders scooped up
the loose ball late in the 3rd quarter. The Raiders and Yantz made good on
the mistake on the last play of the 3rd quarter with a 35 yard touchdown
completion to Jared Ralko. Ralko finished with 3 catches for 77 yards and a
touchdown and was selected the PVL Mutant Mass player of the game by Raiders
TV. With the score 45-19 Walker Morrison continued his stellar play early in
the season grabbing a Clark pass at its highest point to force the second
interception of the day. After a missed Mueller field goal, Cam Hoffman
forced an Errol Brooks fumble that was recovered by Josh Williams. On the
next play Joe Holder got into the act scampering 19 yards untouched around
the right side of the field to push the lead to 52-19. That would be the
final score on the day as the Raiders move to 2-0 on the season. The Raiders
head into a bye week, their next action is August 22nd when the defending
National Champions visit the Vancouver Trojans. Catch all the action live on
Raiders TV, pre game show at 1:50 pm.
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In Depth Raider Stats:
- Jordan Yantz 13/21 for 239 Yards 3 TD 1 INT
- Andrew Harris 14 carries for 248 yards and 3 TD, 2 catches for 30 yards 1 TD
- Joe Holder 6 carries for 26 yards and 1 TD
- Jared Ralko 3 catches for 77 yards and 1 TD (PVL MM Player of the Game)
- Tyson Buchannon 3 catches for 52 yards
- Robin Medeiros 2 carries for 57 yards, 4 catches for 57 yards and 1 TD, 4 returns for 75 yards
- Andrew Smith 3 catches for 34 yards
- Loukas Stravropoulos 2 sacks
