Raiders roll over Knights with new attack

APPOMATTOX — Unleashing a new triple-option offense implemented by first-year coach Ben Martin, a former assistant at Amherst, Appomattox’s football team passed its first test, beating Buckingham 26-6 Friday night at home despite passing the ball just three times.

The Raiders put the ball on the ground more than Martin would have liked in the opener, fumbling six times and losing three. But they also exploded into the Knights’ secondary often enough to consider the night a success, breaking five plays of 20 yards or more and racking up 369 yards on 38 rushing attempts.

“The offense this year, I’m not going to say it’s more effective, (but) we came out here with new coaches, a new system and caught onto it quickly,” said sophomore tailback Joe Reed, who led all rushers with 166 yards on 12 carries. “We caught onto it real quick (and) I think the Raider fans like what they’ve seen.”

Appomattox’s triple-option threat proved equally productive as the double wing used by former coach Jeremy Haymore last year.

“We came out with that intensity that we could score, pretty much, if we execute on offense, we can pretty much move the ball on anybody,” said Reed, who broke a 45-yard run on the game’s first play from scrimmage and added a 70-yard touchdown carry, the final score of the game, on Appomattox’s first play from scrimmage in the second half. “We came out there with that kind of mindset and those two plays gave us a lot of confidence.”

The Raiders didn’t exactly declare themselves the Lancers of the Dogwood District. But they displayed the depth of speed and talent that should make them a player again in the district race, after finishing 8-3 and reaching the Region B playoffs last fall.

“Our kids … know they made mistakes and they know there’s ways we need to get better, but I think they walked away with some confidence from this game,” Martin said. “This is a good start for us to get us prepared for those teams in the Dogwood District.”

Kenny Scott, who missed the second half of last season with a back injury, returned to the form he showed as a sophomore, rushing 18 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns. He extended the Raiders’ lead to 20-0 early in the second quarter when he read the defense on an option to his left and followed a crushing block by Rico Rose on Buckingham split end Jason Stevens before turning on his speed up the left sideline.

“It feels good getting a first win with a new system,” Scott said. “I got to read what the defense does. They did what they did and I just took the ball and ran with it. Rico and his little brother J.J. (Rose), helped me out a whole lot on that.”

Buckingham’s D.J. Jones responded with a 76-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff after recovering his own fumble, cutting through the middle and sprinting outside.

But the Raiders’ defense, which held the Knights to 101 yards of total offense, never let the Knights back in the game.

Rico Rose went up near his goal line to haul in a key interception at the end of the first quarter, returning it just past midfield. Appomattox’s defense also got some intensity-raising hits from middle linebacker M.J. Pennix, who put a hurting on Buckingham freshman quarterback Tarian Ayers with one.

“He’s a big boy,” Scott said of Pennix. “As long as he keeps doing what he’s got to do, we’ll be good.”

For the game, the Raiders sacked Ayers twice and held him to 0-for-10 on pass attempts.

“M.J. stepped up big for us tonight on defense,” Martin said. “They had a freshman at quarterback and we were able to get some pressure on him at times. Our defense stepped up and played very well tonight.”