Indians, Raiders face off for NE8 control
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GIRARD -- With Girard and South Range each averaging more than 45 points per game coming into Friday night's battle for top honors in the Northeast 8 Conference, the contest promised plenty of offensive fireworks. Both teams delivered.
Riding a lightning fast start, the Indians raced ahead to a 28-20 halftime lead over the Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. The game was not complete by print deadline, so for the full story, go to vindy.com.
Girard wasted no time getting started, as Amire Brown ran back the opening kickoff 85 yards to put the Indians on the board.
It didn't take South Range long to respond, as Tyler Cole ripped off a 47-yard touchdown run roughly two minutes later.
Brown then quickly showed off his game-breaking speed once again, as Girard quarterback AJ Pearson hit him over the top of the Raiders' defense for a 71-yard touchdown on the first play of the ensuing drive.
Things started to snowball for the Indians from there, as Girard turned two South Range turnovers into touchdowns.
After Will Sanders recovered a Raiders fumble off a muffed snap, Pearson kept the ball himself for an 8-yard touchdown run, which put the Indians up 21-7 towards the end of the first quarter.
With South Range driving, quarterback Nick Toy was picked off by Brown in the end zone for a touchback. Girard quickly extended its lead to 28-7 with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Pearson to Braxton Sloan on the first play of the second quarter.
The Raiders weren't going to go away quietly, however. Despite a series of penalties that backed them up into third-and-goal from their own 27, Toy found Jason Vorshak on a jump ball in the back of the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown.
The Indians don't turn the ball over often, but Pearson was intercepted by South Range's Collin King and suddenly, the Raiders had new life.
In the final minutes of the first half, Toy threw his second touchdown pass of the night, finding Tommy Titus from 20 yards out to cut South Range's deficit to eight, as Girard led 28-20 at the intermission.