Raiders run past Blue Jays

PRAIRIE RONDE – The Northwest offense was balanced between passing and running as the Raiders rolled to a 42-6 win over St. Edmund Friday night in the season opener.
“The kids played with a lot of heart and they never quit,” St. Edmund head coach Andy Hargoder said of his team. “We have plenty to work on to stop the mistakes, but the effort was there.”
After consecutive punts to begin the game, Northwest quarterback Terrell Guillory connected with August Pitre for a 75-yard scoring strike with 4:39 left in the first quarter.
The extra point attempt was blocked as the Raiders held a 6-0 advantage.
Northwest’s Chase Guillory recovered a Blue Jay fumble near midfield to stop St. Ed’s third possession of the game.
After a couple of strong runs by Matthew Rideau, Guillory and Pitre teamed up for a 29-yard touchdown as Norhwest grabbed a 12-0 lead with 1:20 remaining in the first period.
A errant snap on the punt gave the Raiders the ball at the Blue Jay 29 midway through the second period.
Five plays later, Guillory found Mekhi Hammond open in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.
Brailand Bellard’s kick increased the Raiders’ lead to 19-0 with 6:37 left in the half.
After another Blue Jay punt, Northwest scored on just one play when Guillory found Pitre open for a 60-yard score.
Bellard’s PAT increased the Raiders’ lead to 26-0 with 1:57 left in the second period.
St. Edmunnd responded with a one-play drive of its own as Luke Doucet broke through the Northwest defense and rumbled 54 yards for the score.
The extra point failed, but the Blue Jays closed the gap to 26-6 with 1:34 remaining.
The scoring barrage continued when Northwest’s Abraham Gordwin raced 93 yards on the ensuing kickoff.
Bellard’s kick gave the Raiders a 33-6 lead with 1:34 left in the second period.
Northwest took the second half kickoff and went 53 yards in 10 plays to add to its onesided lead.
The five-minute drive ended when Terrell Guillory connected with Dylan Guillory for an 11-yard touchdown.
Bellard’s PAT gave the Raiders a 40-6 lead with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter.
The Blue Jays were forced to punt from their own 29 on their next possession and a high snap rolled out of the end zone The Blue Jays for a safety as the Raiders led 42-6 with 3:55 left in the period.
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, but Northwest mounted an eight-play drive that eneded at the Jay’s 11 as the Raiders missed on a field goal attempt that went wide left.
Northwest finished with 331 yards of total offense, led by Rideau’s 116 yards on 19 carries.
Terrell Guillory completed 6-of-10 passes for 202 yards, including three to Pitre for 164 yards.
Doucet gained 69 yards on eight carries for the Blue Jays, but St. Edmund was limited to 54 yards of total offense.
St. Edmund entertains Iota this Friday at Blue Jay Field.