The Randall Raiders didn’t waste any time showing they can put points on the board this season.
Behind a huge debut from sophomore quarterback Hendrix Funk and a rushing attack that piled up 290 yards, Randall opened the season Friday night with a 50-37 shootout victory over Roswell (N.M.) at Happy State Bank Stadium.
Funk looked comfortable in his first varsity start, completing 19 of 27 passes for 269 yards and four touchdowns. He spread the ball around to seven different receivers as the Raiders rolled up 550 yards of total offense in front of a crowd of about 2,000.
Senior running back Drayden Ray provided plenty of help on the ground, carrying the ball 21 times for 171 yards. Junior Jett Hall added one of the night’s biggest plays with a 75-yard run, while senior Danny Nunez finished with 38 yards on eight carries.
Randall came out firing.
Funk connected with senior Phoenix Sherwood for an early touchdown, and Ray scored on a short run out of the Wildcat formation to give the Raiders a 13-0 first-quarter advantage.
Roswell, however, wasn’t going away.
The Coyotes chipped away at the deficit with a touchdown pass and field goal before eventually moving ahead 17-13 late in the second quarter.
That lead didn’t last long.
Funk responded by finding junior Kobe Baccas on a corner fade for his second touchdown pass of the night, sending Randall into halftime with a 20-17 advantage and giving the Raiders momentum heading into the locker room.
The second half turned into an offensive showcase.
Randall scored 30 points over the final two quarters, including 21 in the fourth, to keep Roswell at arm’s length and secure the season-opening victory.
Baccas emerged as Funk’s top target, hauling in six passes for 101 yards. Sherwood also caught six passes and finished with 90 receiving yards, while junior Jordan Long provided another explosive play with a 54-yard reception that helped set up a scoring opportunity.
The balance may have been the most encouraging part of Randall’s offensive performance. The Raiders threw for 269 yards, rushed for 290 and produced explosive plays from multiple positions.
And at the center of it all was a sophomore making his first varsity start.
Funk’s four-touchdown performance gave Randall plenty to be excited about after Week 1, but the Raiders won’t have much time to celebrate.
