Amelia Raiders Lose in a Thriller to Parkview Dragons!

By:Darrell Owens

The Amelia Raiders come into the 2017 Football season extremely optimistic. Despite finishing the 2016 season with a record of 4 wins & 6 loses, the Raiders bring back key players in crucial positions. QB Jalen Brown (Junior), WR/S Gregory Archer (Senior), WR Howard Divens Jr.(Junior), RB Elijah Marshall (Sophomore) and LB Justin Pollock (Junior) just to name a few. Amelia has only 7 Seniors on this team, but quite a few players have returned from last year’s team, given this young Raiders team much need experience. Head Coach Justin Keeler enters his 3rd season at helm for the Raiders and has to be excited about the young talent on this team.
For the first test of the season, the Raiders took on the Parkview Dragons of South Hill, Virginia. Last year, Parkview went 9-1 in the regular season, losing in the playoffs to Tabb High School 35-16. This year’s edition of the Dragons will be completely different since they lost 21 players from last year’s squad. There were a few Dragons that stood out in Friday’s game. RB German Neville (Senior), RB Ra’San Coates (Sophomore), and LB Brandon Vaughn (Senior).

Amelia started the 1st Qtr off with a 60 yard drive, capped off with 14 yard pass from Jalen Brown to Gregory Archer. After a failed 2-Point conversion, the Raiders had a 6-0 lead. Amelia had would score again on early in the 2nd Qtr, when Brown was able to find Ziayahn Jackson for a 21 yard TD pass given the Raiders 12-0 lead. Parkview would fire back with a 52 yard drive, that ended in a German Neville touchdown run, putting the Dragons down by just a touchdown, 12 to 6. Late in the 2nd Qtr, Amelia had possession until Brown hit Divens Jr. across the middle for a reception and German Neville would strip the ball from Divens Jr. give the Dragons the ball and eventually setting up another Parkview touchdown by Neville, tying this game at 12 a piece going in to Halftime.

The second half start with the Raiders being able to reclaim the lead as Jalen Brown would find Jamon Reed in the end zone with his 3rd TD pass of the game, making this a 18-12 game in favor of the Raiders, but Parkview wasn’t out of this game yet. With 4 minutes left in 3rd Quarter, the Dragons would take the lead for the first time in this game with Ra’San Coates rushing touchdown and converting the first 2-point conversion by any team in this game.

As this game entered the final stages of the 4th Qtr, Parkview would extend there lead with a 4th and Goal QB Sneak by Josh Jones putting Parkview up 26-18 with a little over 3 minutes to go in this game. Nevertheless, Amelia wasn’t going down that easy. On the very next drive, Brown finds Divens Jr. deep for a 44 yard TD pass, tying this game at 26 after punching in the 2-Point conversion with 2 minutes to go. On the very next possession, Parkview would put this game away in thrilling fashion. With 50 seconds left in the game, The Dragons would go to German Neville to put this game away. It was 4th and 1 on their own 48 yard line & the Dragons would hand the ball off to Neville as he broke loose up the middle for a 52 yard touchdown run that would seal this game.

The final score of the game, Parkview wins 32-26 over Amelia. After a great first game of the season for both teams, they both have so much to look forward to this season. Parkview has a special talent in German Neville, who finished with 3 TD including the game winner. The Raiders combo of Jalen Brown & Howard Divens Jr. could prove to be dangerous this season for opposing defenses. Brown threw for 305 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Divens Jr. had 15 receptions, 184 yards and a touchdown. Not to mention having guys like Gregory Archer, Ziayahn Jackson, Jamon Reed & Elijah Marshall will keep this offense as a thing to watch out for in the oncoming season. Justin Pollack & Harry Swank III could be an unquestion leaders on the Raiders defense with their play on the field. After a very exciting Week 1, Amelia heads to Brunswick County, VA to take on the Bulldogs on Friday, September 1 at 7 PM.