The Plant City Raiders turned what was shaping up to be a trap game into a home win on Friday, Sept. 23.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Raiders and East Bay traded leads, penalties and big plays back and forth to keep all of the fans on their feet. But it was the Raiders who prevailed in the end, with a 31-24 win.
The Indians got things started at the 10:21 mark in the second quarter, setting up a quick punch-in with their first deep pass attempt of the game. The Raiders answered on the next drive, with defensive back Calvin Richardson setting the home team up with a long kickoff return, in which he hurdled an East Bay special teamer next to the home sideline. Treshaun Ward scored on a 45-yard run shortly afterward, tying the game at 7-7.
East Bay pulled ahead at the 2:08 mark, following up another deep ball with a short sweep play to the left side of the field. But Plant City was able to answer again shortly afterward, when an overthrown ball ended up in the hands of wideout Jordan Wiggins, who surprised the Indians defense with a long run for a touchdown.
The Raiders were able to get the ball back and nail a field goal as time expired to take a 17-14 lead into the locker room at the half.
Right after the second-half kickoff, Ward scored his second touchdown of the night on another 45-yard run. The Raiders scored again at the 4:47 mark, as quarterback Corey King went 25 yards on a draw play and found the end zone.
With a 31-14 lead, and with the Indians receiving several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, it looked as though the Raiders had a win in the bag. But East Bay refused to give up, taking advantage of both big plays and big Plant City penalties to score on a 25-yard pass with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was even more loaded with drama.
East Bay took advantage of a lost King fumble at the 9:51 mark and drove downfield with a lot of help: calls for defensive pass interference and unsportsmanlike conduct were able to help bring the Indians to the Plant City 18, where they connected on a 35-yard field goal that took a lucky bounce off of the left upright at the 5:38 mark.
The Raiders got the ball back and, although the offense was struggling, decided to go for it on fourth down at the 3:04 mark. Ward's run up the middle was a success, allowing Plant City to drain almost two full minutes from the clock, but a failed fourth-down option play at the 1:24 mark gave East Bay the ball back with plenty of time to drive.
East Bay got lucky on its own fourth-down play with 45 second left, getting the benefit of a measurement, and was able to drive all the way up to the Plant City nine-yard line with 17 seconds left. Needing a touchdown on fourth down, quarterback Tanner Morris slung a pass to the right side of the end zone.
Running back Ge'Sean Parker, subbed in on defense, saved the game by breaking it up. The Raiders were able to kneel the final seven seconds off the clock and come away with a hard-fought win.
In other area action, the Durant Cougars flattened the Lennard Longhorns, 44-0, and Tampa Bay Tech routed Strawberry Crest, 54-0.