Overton Keys on Ravenwood Mistakes

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Story and Photos by ANDREW DYRDAL

Ravenwood committed nine personal foul penalties, including seven in the first half, as it dug itself a hole too deep to climb out of in Friday’s 34-16 loss at Overton.

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The Raptors (4-4, 3-2 Region 3-6A) trailed 31-3 at halftime after committing 10 penalties for 125 yards.

Ravenwood opened the game with a 14-play drive that resulted in a 30-yard field goal and 3-0 lead. That advantage quickly evaporated after Overton scored on its first possession on a nine-yard run by Taverius Travis.

The score was set up by a 48-yard run by Travis on the previous play, and the junior running back finished with 219 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries.

“We started the game pretty well but we had penalties and lost our composure,” Ravenwood coach Richie Wessman said. “The good news is we got it back in the second half, but the damage was done.”

D’Angelo Rice led Ravenwood in rushing with 25 yards on eight carries, and the Raptors had a balanced effort out of their receivers. Griffin Lau caught five passes for 58 yards, followed by Nathan Freeman (4-55), Kyle Briggs (2-45) and Rice (3-37).

Freeman caught Ravenwood’s lone offensive touchdown on a fade in the back-corner of the end zone with eight seconds remaining in the game. The Raptors first touchdown was an 80-yard interception return by Tahj Williams late in the third quarter.

“You got to commend the defense for springing him loose,” Wessman said of Williams.

Ravenwood trailed just 7-3 at the end of the first quarter, until a flurry of penalties helped Overton march down the field and take a 14-3 lead in the second. Two late hits and a facemask penalty gave Overton 45 yards on 13-play drive that resulted in a Travis touchdown.

Three plays into Ravenwood’s ensuing drive, quarterback McCain Marrow’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by linebacker John Ford, who also intercepted the throw and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown and 21-3 lead.

Ravenwood lost a fumble on their fourth play of their next drive and again Overton capitalized, this time with a 33-yard field goal. After getting the ball back, Ravenwood punted and Travis scored his third touchdown on a 64-yard run just before halftime to give the Bobcats a 31-3 lead.

Ravenwood outscored Overton 13-3 in the second half, but was unable to close the gap left after the first half.