Raiders drop homecoming game

The Raiders dropped their third game in a row last Friday when they lost to the Oroville Hornets 42-14.

The loss dropped Lake Roosevelt’s win-loss record to 0-3 in league and 3-4 overall. The Raiders are now tied with Bridgeport for last place in the Central Washington 2B League.

The game started slow until Oroville scored its first touchdown with 4:25 left in the first quarter. Kyle Holt returned the ensuing kickoff to the 45-yard line, setting up the Raider offense with a short field. Soon thereafter, an Austin Rosenbaum pass was picked off and Oroville took it into another touchdown to extend the lead to 14-0.

LR finally got back on track in the second quarter, stringing together a drive that ended with Rosenbaum running it in for touchdown. The extra point was no good.

Oroville then took the ball and drove down field, eating up over six minutes and scoring a touchdown to go up 21-6. With only 1:30 left in the second quarter, the Raiders tried to get into a position to score again. During that drive, Rosenbaum left the game with a head injury and Oroville was called for its third roughing-the-passer penalty, which brought the Raiders within striking distance of the endzone. After three dropped passes the Raiders lined up for a 45-yard field goal. The kick was no good and the score at half stood at Oroville 21- LR 6.

The Hornets were cautioned during halftime about the late hits against the quarterback.

"I was very proud of our effort and toughness against a physical opponent,” noted Raider Head Coach Steve Files. “We came back strong in the third quarter, making it a one-score game.”

Oroville confused the Raider defense by running multiple offensive formations featuring three running backs to four wide receivers. The Raiders put together a drive at the end of the third quarter with Holt running it in from two yards out. Chance Garvin ran in the two-point conversion to put the Raiders in a position to come back. At the end of the third quarter, Oroville led 21-14 but Oroville quickly pushed the lead at the start of the fourth quarter to 28-14.

The Raiders put together what looked to be a promising drive until the Hornets intercepted, put together another six-minute drive and punched in the go-ahead score. With only a 1:48 left in the game and the Hornets up 35-14, the Raiders looked to move the ball and try to score again. But a fumble at the exchange led to another quick Hornet score and a final result of 42-14.

“Three second half turnovers and an unsuccessful onside kick really hurt us,” Files said.

The Raiders ran for 166 yards against the Hornets. Holt picked up 86 yards on eight carries. Josiah Desautel ran for 42 yards on six carries. Rosenbaum picked up 33 yards on seven carries. In the passing game the Raiders only completed one pass, to Jacob Palmer, for 11 yards.

“We lost the turnover battle 4-0 against Oroville, and we’ll need to turn that around against Liberty Bell,” Files said of the upcoming contest this Friday in Coulee Dam. “I think our best football is still ahead of us. We’re looking forward to making improvement against Liberty Bell.”

Liberty Bell comes into the game 2-1, with two non-league games cancelled due to lack of players. All three of Mountain Lions’ games were league games. Liberty Bell defeated Manson 50-7 and Bridgeport 60-13. Their lone loss was to Oroville Oct. 11 at 30-27.

Friday’s game time is 7 p.m. at Greene Field.