In the season opener at home for the Leonardtown Raiders, two of the SMAC’s newest head coaches faced off against one another. 

As Anthony Pratley comes on for the Raiders with his new mindset and “play the next play motto”, Jeremiah Vedis steps in to continue doing what the Cougars have been doing.

The first quarter saw both teams moving the ball slowly down the field, until Josh Proctor ran in the first touchdown of the game, and Thomas Stone would go up 7-0.

The Cougars continued to keep the ball moving down field in the second quarter with a bomb from senior QB Marquis Hagens to Justin Davis and a goal line run to end the half up 19-0.

The Raiders came out and started the second half off with intentions of getting back into the game by moving the ball steadily and scoring a touchdown at the 6:16 mark of the third quarter, but before the quarter would end, the Cougars would respond with two scores of their own going up 32-6.

Leonardtown’s couch Pratley gathered his team to keep them focused and they responded from deep in their own end, with a one-play touchdown pass from quarterback Bruce Julian to wide out Mike Copenhaver to start the fourth quarter.

It was just too late in the game for the Raiders as the Cougars controlled the ball and ended the game 39-12 and take their season opener.