Cornersville spoils Senior Night for Raiders

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Cornersville came to Doug Price Field averaging 45 points a game. Moore County held the Bulldogs to 28 Friday night, but couldn't find enough offense to make that defensive effort count.

Cornersville scored three times before halftime and went on to win 28-6, spoiling Senior Night and handing the Raiders their eighth straight loss.

Moore County moved the football in stretches, particularly behind Tucker Smith's running and several timely completions from quarterback Austin Scherff. But penalties stalled promising drives, a third-quarter fumble wiped out a scoring opportunity, and the Raiders didn't reach the end zone until midway through the fourth.

The loss eliminated Moore County from postseason contention.

Clear skies and 62 degrees greeted the Raiders for their final home game. By the final whistle, it had dropped to 52 degrees, and the Raiders had fallen to 1-8 overall and 0-4 in Region 5-1A.

Penalties put Raiders behind early

Moore County's defense opened with a three-and-out, forcing Cornersville to punt after quarterback Jackson Smith was dropped for a loss on third down.

Starting at their own 20, the Raiders turned to Tucker Smith. He broke loose for 11 yards, then ripped off a 22-yard gain two plays later. Scherff found Jose Garcia for another first down, moving Moore County to the Cornersville 31.

A personal foul knocked the Raiders backward. Two short runs followed, and Jax Ross punted the Bulldogs back to their own 13.

Facing second-and-27 from his own 16, Jackson Smith broke loose for an 83-yard scramble before being brought down at the Moore County 1. He found Levi Wentzel for a touchdown on the next snap.

The 2-point conversion failed, leaving the Bulldogs ahead 6-0 with 3:07 remaining in the first quarter.

Moore County again moved into Cornersville territory on its next possession. Scherff found Kason Ferrara for a first down, but a delay-of-game penalty, holding call, and personal foul turned the drive into another punt.

The Bulldogs (9-0, 4-0) made it 14-0 with 7:36 left in the half when Eli Cook bounced outside for a 17-yard touchdown. Jackson Smith ran in the two-point conversion.

Moore County's defense forced another punt later in the quarter, but the offense couldn't capitalize.

Cornersville put together one more scoring drive before the break. Smith connected with Cameron Fitzpatrick and Matthew Hunnicut to move deep into Raider territory, then kept the ball himself on third-and-goal for a 3-yard touchdown.

Kipton Luna's extra point made it 21-0 with 23 seconds left.

Raiders squander second-half chances

Moore County came out of halftime moving the football. A completion from Scherff to Tucker Smith, followed by another Smith run, moved the Raiders across midfield. When Cornersville was flagged for an illegal substitution on a fourth-down punt, Moore County got another shot.

Smith converted fourth-and-one, Paxson Embrey picked up seven yards, and Drew Hardison moved the chains to the Cornersville 26.

Then Smith lost the football. Cornersville recovered with 7:41 remaining in the third quarter.

The Raider defense forced Cornersville to punt after a loss, and a short completion left the Bulldogs facing fourth-and-19.

Moore County took over at the Cornersville 40 but came away empty again. An offside penalty gave the Raiders fourth-and-two, only for Scherff to be stopped short of the marker.

The defense held again on Cornersville's next possession, stopping a fourth-down quarterback keeper near the Moore County 39 and keeping the Bulldogs scoreless in the third quarter.

Moore County mounted another drive late in the period, with Scherff finding Ferrara for a first down. A fourth-quarter completion to Embrey kept the possession alive, and Garcia later hauled in a pass to the Cornersville 31.

But Scherff's fourth-down pass fell incomplete, ending another Raider drive.

Ferrara's interception sets up touchdown

Cornersville appeared to have put the game out of reach midway through the fourth quarter when Hayden Cherry broke loose for a 53-yard touchdown on a direct snap, but a holding penalty erased the score.

A few plays later, Jackson Smith went to the air on third down. Ferrara intercepted the pass, giving Moore County first-and-goal.

Hardison picked up short yardage before Scherff carried to the 1. Scherff finished the drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Ross missed the extra point, leaving Cornersville ahead 21-6 with 5:06 remaining.

The Raiders tried an onside kick and initially recovered, but a whistle forced a re-kick. Cornersville's Carter Bennett secured the second attempt.

After Cherry converted a third down, Jackson Smith found Fitzpatrick for a 40-yard touchdown pass. Luna added the extra point, stretching Cornersville's lead to 28-6 with 3:17 to play.

The game turned chippy in the closing minutes. Scherff connected with Westin Byrom, and Cornersville drew three personal fouls and an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty during Moore County's final possession.

The flags helped the Raiders reach the Bulldogs' 5, but Tucker Smith's fourth-down pass fell incomplete with 1:17 remaining.

Cornersville ran out the clock.

Moore County will close the season Thursday, Oct. 29, at Richland. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.