Raider football team ready for first round of state following district playoff victory

The Lake Roosevelt Raiders football team is going to state, hosting a first-round game on Saturday, following a solid victory in the district crossover game.

In Coulee Dam on Nov. 8, the Raiders annihilated Liberty Christian, 61-14.

Liberty Christian started the game off looking good, leading 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

But those were the only points Liberty Christian would score.

LR put 27 points up on the board in the second quarter to lead 27-14 at the half.

The Raiders then scored 20 in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth to win 61-14.

"They came out and made some incredible plays, stuff they hadn't done all year long, fitting balls in tight windows," Raider Head Coach Tim Rasmussen said about Liberty Christian. Our

kids responded really well. You never want to get down like that. But it happens, it's football. It was nice seeing the kids come out and handle the adversity and adjust. We stuck to our game plan on both sides of the ball after being down early. We didn't change anything, we stayed positive with the kids and they stayed positive with each other."

Rasmussen commended defensive performances from Trevon Johnson, Sam Wapato, and Cameron St. Pierre, who returned an interception for a touchdown.

"We made it tough for them," Rasmussen said. "We got some pressure on the quarterback which made it tough for them to throw."

Offensively, Rasmussen noted three rushing touchdowns a piece from St. Pierre and quarterback Hunter Whitelaw.

"Overall, we played a great game," Rasmussen said, adding that the offensive line "did an excellent job of blocking. Just really winning that battle up front and creating some nice running lanes."

The Raiders are seeded sixth in the state for 2B schools and will host the 11th-seeded Friday Harbor Wolverines on Saturday, Nov. 16, at noon.

The Raiders and Wolverines both have a 9-1 win-loss record for the year.

"They've given up the least amount of points all year, 35 for the year," Rasmussen said about Friday Harbor. "They come out and run the ball at you and they're not shy about what they do. They're a big, physical, tough football team, and we're going to be prepared this week. It should be a fun game."