The Randall Raiders are 2-0, but they certainly didn’t take the easy road to get there.
Randall erased a 14-point deficit in the final eight minutes Friday night before stunning Wichita Falls Memorial 35-34 in overtime at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls.
It was the kind of finish that seemed to get crazier with every play.
The Raiders trailed 28-14 with eight minutes remaining and appeared headed toward their first loss of the young season. Instead, Randall mounted a furious rally that ended with a touchdown on the final play of regulation, a clutch extra point and some overtime heroics.
Running back Drayden Ray started the comeback with a 30-yard touchdown run with just under eight minutes remaining, trimming Memorial’s advantage to 28-21.
Randall still needed another touchdown, and the Raiders waited until there was literally no time left to get it.
Facing their final play from the Memorial 10-yard line, quarterback Hendrix Funk found Phoenix Sherwood for a touchdown as time expired. Suddenly, Randall was within a point at 28-27 and had a chance to force overtime.
Then came another twist.
A celebration penalty after the touchdown backed up the extra-point attempt, leaving kicker Jacob Avalos facing a 35-yard kick with the game hanging in the balance.
No problem.
Avalos knocked it through to tie the game at 28 and send the Raiders to overtime.
Memorial (1-1) got the ball first in the extra period and scored a touchdown, but Randall came up with perhaps its biggest special teams play of the night by blocking the extra point. That left the door wide open for the Raiders.
They took advantage.
Ray scored his third touchdown of the night on an 8-yard run during Randall’s overtime possession, tying the game at 34. Avalos then stepped up again and delivered the winning extra point, completing an improbable 35-34 comeback.
Ray was the workhorse for the Raiders, carrying the ball 34 times for 114 yards and three touchdowns. Sherwood added six receptions for 59 yards, none bigger than his game-saving touchdown catch as regulation expired.
For most of the fourth quarter, Randall looked to be on the verge of leaving Wichita Falls with a loss. Eight minutes of football later, the Raiders were celebrating a 2-0 start.
It wasn’t pretty. It definitely wasn’t easy.
