Not even the turnovers could stop a determined Raider team
Arlington – Last season Dallas Skyline was shutout in national games and started the season (0-2). A new year, a new season and their swagger is back.
In the second of four games set for Cowboy Stadium, Skyline kept their record spotless with a second straight win over an out-of-state opponent, by handing Cocoa (Fla) its second loss of the young season, 36-20 in the Kirk Herbstreit National Kickoff Classic.
A year ago, Skyline (2-0) watched Glades Central (Fla), score a late touchdown in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to come away with a 6-0 win. The second loss was 31-3 whapping at the hands of St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla) (31-3). The Raiders have not been a team to shy away from national competition.
“We want to get better; this will help us down the road. We use these games to prepare us. We don’t worry about the early losses,” said Skyline’s Coach, Reginald Samples. Last year, these are the words of wisdom that have helped his team. But fast forward to this season’s team and you have an experienced, much improved Raider team.
As for Cocoa, a spotless season with a win over then No 2 ranked Abilene, who was without start RB Herschel Simms, in the Florida/Texas showcase in DeSoto. They went on to win their third consecutive state title. Now (0-2) this season, the Tigers find themselves in uncharted waters. A 17-7 season opening loss to Colerain (OH) snapped a 38-game winning streak.
“I thought Skyline is much improved from last year, obviously from what we saw on tape. Anytime you have a kid going to Texas on offense and a kid going to Texas on defense with some players around them it’s going to be tough for us. But we found our QB, this is his first year, that’s a good thing we can build on that, the bad thing is we’ve never had 36 points scored on us since I’ve been at Cocoa. That’s unacceptable. They had a good scheme, they did a good job”, said Cocoa’s Coach John Wilkinson.
An early relapse could have led Skyline to memories of previous national games, when Lorenzo Pratt returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. But the Raiders with a win over Memphis (Tenn.) Ridgeway, 47-7 in the opening week, weren’t ready to render its undefeated record.
A couple of punts later, Skyline settled in on a nine play 71 yard drive. The possession was highlighted by two receptions, 21, and 13 yards to Travandre Rabon which helped move them to the seven yard line before Peter Jinkens bulldoze his way to end zone. That tied the game and led after Thomas Johnson ran in the two point conversion to give the Raiders an 8-6 lead. Defense did its part, holding the Tigers but the Raiders sloppy play and unable to secure the ball left the door open for Cocoa.
Skyline looked as if it would run away with the game after marching 68 yards on a late second quarter drive that watched Johnson beat the Cocoa defense around the left end to stretch a 22 yard run to the end zone (15-6).
“There big fast and strong, but we had to compete with them and we lost the battle,” said Cocoa’s RB Antwan Lee.
An incomplete pass, delay of game, illegal motion pended the Tigers down inside the 10 yard line while they faced third and 20. On the next play Tarean Folston beat Skyline’s defensive back William Barrows deep, catching the ball down the right sideline before being brought down at the 15 yard line, a big play that setup a 10 yard scoring run curtsey of Antwan Lee, to draw within two points, 15-13. Throughout the game Cocoa couldn’t take advantage of all the gifts Skyline bestowed up on them.
“We knew they were a running team and that played into our hands. That’s our forte on defense, stopping the run. We rest our hat on defense. This year’s defense is better as a unit”, said Skyline’s Coach Reginald Samples.
Skyline’s Ellis Onic returned the kickoff to the Tigers 18 to begin the third quarter. Two plays later Green rushed in from six yards out, increasing the lead, 22-13.
Again the Raiders forced a punt with a chance to take possession of the ball, but yet another crucial mistake. Johnson who was waiting for the punt down at the 10 yard line reached after the ball, touching it, as the ball was tailing away from him. After the ball passed Johnson, the Tigers stopped the ball at the two yard line unaware of the fact that Johnson had touch the ball, until referees alerted Cocoa players that the ball was theirs. But the ball was moved back to the 10 yard line where Johnson first touched it. A play later, Lee turned the corner and sprinted the distance, trimming the deficit to two points (22-20) with 8:56 to go in the third quarter. Never the less, the Raiders responded with a 66 yard drive as Jinkens forced his will up the middle from three yards out to regain a nine point lead (29-20).
The Tigers received another gift at their 46 yard line when Greene dashed up the middle, where Skyline was having success, but he fumbled, killing the drive.
Near the end of the third quarter, Cocoa looked worn and never got going again. The Raiders closed out the scoring on Greene’s 37 yard scoring run.
