HOLLY POND – Good Hope is the reigning Cullman County Middle School football champion. Defeat has not been a part of the Raider program for the past two plus seasons.
The winning streak for the Raiders grew to 17 games Monday night as they ran past Holly Pond 38-12 at Thomas-Michelfelder Field.
Good Hope scored on its initial series of the game, driving 56 yards in five plays with four runs accounting for better than 10 yards and four first downs. The score came with 6:18 to play in the opening quarter and the two-point conversion made it 8-0.
But Holly Pond made a game of it after recovering a Raider fumble at the Bronco 44. The Broncos used two pass completions that covered 41 yards with the final coming on a 13-yard pass on the last play of the opening quarter. But the Raiders stopped the Broncos on the conversion attempt and led 8-6.
The Raiders drove 64 yards in eight snaps, all running plays and upped the margin to 14-6 with 3:35 to play until halftime. Then the defense got an interception and the Raiders were back in business at the 30 with 2:47 showing on the clock.
A 70-yard march to the end zone tool 2:22 of time with the score coming on a pass play of eight yards and a successful two-point play. Good Hope led 22-8 at the half with 216 yards of offense gained at the break, holding Holly Pond to 95 yards.
The Raiders had accounted for 176 of the yardage on the ground with 12 first downs. They allowed the Broncos only 28 yards of offense in the second quarter, seven by the ground attack.
After forcing a punt and taking over at their 20, the Raiders moved 80 yards in five plays with a 45-yard run the first play from scrimmage, getting the ball to the Holly Pond 35. The run came on a 15-yard dash by the fullback with 3:15 to play in the quarter. A successful conversion increased the Raider advantage to 30-8.
Good Hope's final score of the evening started at the Holly Pond 40 after a fumble recovery. It carried into the fourth period with the score coming first play of the final stanza. The Raiders tacked on the two-point play and enjoyed a 38-6 lead.
It stood that way until the final 36 seconds when the Broncos got the ball at their 20 after stopping the Raiders on downs. A 42-yard pass play and a couple of reverses by the tight end got the Broncos into the end zone as time expired.
The Raiders would finish with 345 yards of total offense, 242 coming by the run. The Raiders rushed for 122 in the third quarter with coach McDonald going deep into his list of reserves to finish up the final 8:00 of the game.
Now the Raiders look to extend their winning streak when they host the Hanceville Bulldogs at James Shabel Stadium next Monday evening.
Following the middle school game, the Raiders got by the Broncos 8-0 in the junior varsity game with the only score coming on a one-yard run with 37 seconds left in the first half and a successful two-point conversion.
