GOOD HOPE, Ala. – After advancing with a 31-7 win at West Morgan last week, the Good Hope Raiders were back home at James W. Shabel Stadium to host Plainview in the quarterfinals Thursday night. The Raiders had their hands full with the Bears in this one. The score was knotted at 7 at one point but Plainview found the end zone one more time before the half to take a lead at the break and the Bears tacked on two more scores in the second half to pull away with a 28-7 win, bringing Good Hope’s season to an end in round three.
It was the battle of the defenses early on, as both teams combined to get just two first downs on the first four drives of the game. Plainview would get the ball back after a Good Hope punt, and a pair of big runs put them at the 29. Later on in the drive, a penalty by the Raiders on fourth down kept their series alive, and three plays later, they scored on a five-yard run to give them a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Raiders looked to capitalize on their next drive. On second down, Web Buchanan found Ayden Young for five yards, and on the next play, Buchanan connected with Carter Rutherford on a huge 33-yard pass play. Three plays later, Buchanan hit Rutherford on a 26-yard pass, as that put the ball at the two. Mason Drake punched it in from a yard out two plays later to tie the game up at seven. The running game for Plainview wore out Good Hope’s defense on its next series, and they finished it off by scoring on a 28-yard quarterback keeper to take a 14-7 lead.
After collecting a first down on an 11-yard run by Rutherford, an illegal chop block penalty on the Raiders on second down quickly put them behind the sticks, and they were forced to punt. The Bears’ running game helped them get down the field on its next series. They got down to the 35, and Good Hope’s defense stuffed them on three straight plays, but on fourth down, a 30-yard touchdown pass stretched Plainview’s lead to 21-7 at the half.
The Raider offense started out on fire to start out the second half. Drake broke free for a 24-yard run on the first play of the third quarter, then Buchanan found him for 16 more, as that put them at the 29. On the next play, though, Good Hope fumbled the ball, and the Bears ended up recovering the ball. Back-to-back punts gave the ball back to Plainview, and a 53-yard run quickly put them at the 11-yard line. They scored on a seven-yard run two plays later to make it a 28-7 lead late in the third quarter. The running game helped the Raiders move the ball down the field, and a huge run on fourth down by Buchanan kept their drive alive. They didn’t do much after that, though, as they were forced to turn the ball over on downs.
After a 44-yard pass play put the Bears at the 28, they quickly went backwards after that, and they were forced to punt. Good Hope went on a long, methodical drive, as Buchanan used his arm and legs to help the Raiders move the ball down the field. He picked up back-to-back first downs, then two plays later, he picked up another first down on the ground. After a penalty moved them behind the sticks, he later found Rutherford for 10 yards and a first down. Another penalty backed them up to the 17, and they went backwards after that, as a sack on fourth down gave the ball to Plainview. The Bears kneeled a couple of times, and Good Hope ends their season with a 28-7 loss to Plainview.
Buchanan finished 15/22 for 174 yards for the Raiders in the loss. Drake collected 49 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Rutherford ended up with 109 yards on seven receptions.
Good Hope finishes the year with a 10-3 record, it’s third 10-win season in the last six years.
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