GREENSBORO – Penalties and the lack of a passing game crippled the Greensboro Raiders, as they fell 28-14 to the Jemison Panthers.

The Raiders (2-1) took hits all during the first half and were unable to put much together on either side of the ball, giving up 21 unanswered points in the first half.

The second half look as if it might be a continuation of the first, but Coach Michael Reynold’s Raiders picked up momentum after taking a 5-yard penalty on the kick off for the band being on the field too long at half time.

With just six minutes left in the third quarter, Greensboro caught its first break on an interception for a TD, but a blocked point after left only six points on the board, for a 21-6 Jemison lead.

A crippled Jemison punt with 4:49 left in the quarter left the raiders on Jemison’s 36-yard line, unfamiliar territory for the Raiders. After an incomplete pass and short screen pass, the Raiders had scrambled to the 28-yard line when Reynolds called a time out for a sideline pep talk with just a half-yard to go for the first down.

Greensboro would pick up the first down on a quarterback keeper, grunting their way to the 24-yard line.

The momentum was soon to stop, however, with an offside penalty and a Jemison interception on their own 23-yard line.

Payback would come for the Raiders on Jemison’s third play of the possession when Melvin Williams nailed the Panther runner in the backfield. One play later, the Raiders’ defensive line would intercept a pass taking it almost 13 yards to just inches from the Panther 20 yard line.

Once again the Raiders’ momentum would be broken – this time for the buzzer.

A nearly intercepted pass in the end zone seemed to set a bad tone, but the Raider offense refused to give scrambling to the 3-yard line when an offside penalty on Jemison on a first-and-goal moved it half the distance to the goal. The quarterback keeper carried the Raiders to pay dirt.

A two-point conversion set the score at 21-14.

Late in the fourth quarter with just over four-and-a-half minutes left to play, a valiant inside-the-five stand by the Raiders finally gave way allowing the Panthers to punch their final touchdown.

“I’m real proud of this team for coming back and playing real tough in the second half after being down 21-to-nothing in the first half,” Reynolds said. “Jemison played a fine ball game and we’re going to have to work hard to improve next week. It was a tough, hard-fought ball game.”

That next game will pit Greensboro against Greene County at home.

Reynolds real proud for coming back playing real tough in second half after being down 21 to 0; JEM played fine ball game; work hard to improve next week

Green County in Greensboro

Tough hard fought ballgame28-14 final

Rushing

GB 29 for 80 yards

Jem 35 for 134 yards

Passing

GB 14 for 6 and no int for 49 yards

JEM 16 for 6 with 2 int 61 yards

Penalties

GB

8 times for 80 yards

Jem 4 for 37

Punts

GBS 5 for 33.6 yard average

Jem3 for 24 yard average