Raiders playing for all the marbles

Two-way Raiders standout Austin Scherff has posted two games with four touchdown passes, and four games with 10-plus tackles.

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

The Moore County Raiders are set for a middle school championship showdown against South Lincoln at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Lincoln County High School.

The Raiders’ season was a tale of three parts, ultimately culminating in a strong run that carried them into the playoffs. Moore County opened the season on a high note, racking up a decisive three-game win streak.

They started by defeating Cornersville 34-22, followed by a 15-0 victory at Unity, and capped the streak with a 47-20 win over South Giles.

However, the team then faced a tough two-game skid, falling 14-0 at South Lincoln and suffering a 50-22 loss at Highland Rim.

The Raiders rallied to close out the regular season with a crucial three-game win streak, securing their championship berth. The final run included a 40-0 shutout against Flintville, a hard-fought 26-14 victory at South Franklin, and a convincing 44-6 win over rival Huntland.

The team’s 6-2 record is a testament to their mid-season turnaround.

The culmination of the Elk Valley Conference Bowl Week presents a rematch against South Lincoln, the very team that handed the Raiders their first loss of the season on Aug. 26.

The Raiders will lean heavily on their defense. Four players have combined for 13 double-digit tackle efforts during the Raiders’ 6-2 season: Caseon Casteel (5), Austin Scherff (4), Kurt Smith (3), and Mason Sandefur (1).

Moore County will be looking to flip the script and avenge that defeat on the biggest stage of the season.