Raiders fall; clinch second in SAC-6

Brandt Young|Sampson Independent

The Midway Raiders traveled to St. Pauls to take on the Bulldogs for the SAC-6 conference championship, but the hometown team was too much for the Raiders as they fell to St. Pauls, 59-22.

Midway kicked off to the Bulldogs to open the game up, and St. Pauls had a decent return that was called back due to a penalty on the return, which set the tone for the night. This gave the Bulldogs first and ten at their own 18 yard line.

St. Pauls tried digging themselves out from being pinned deep, but to no avail. A big third down stop in the backfield from Wyatt Scott, Jayden Stox, and Ryan Naylor led to the Bulldogs punting on fourth-and-short.

Midway took over at St. Pauls’ 45. Third-and-long prompted the unique “swinging gate” formation from the Raiders, but Tanner Williams couldn’t connect with his receiver on the pass. A fake punt from Midway came on fourth-and-short, but the ball carrier was short of the line to gain, giving it back to St. Pauls.

The Bulldogs took over near midfield, and pushed downfield quickly, but an illegal procedure penalty stalled their drive in the red zone. Thomas Perez had a big backfield tackle on second down that further stalled things out for St. Pauls. A long field goal attempt was good, and it was the Bulldogs over the Raiders, 3-0, with 4:46 left in the first.

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