Football Recap: Darin Smith and Tyler Bell Secure Win for Atholton

Atholton's game last Friday was a loss, but they didn't let that memory haunt them on Saturday. They were the clear victors by a 32-7 margin over the Long Reach Lightning. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Raiders considering their 12-point performance the game before.

Leading Atholton to victory were Tyler Bell and Darin Smith. Bell threw for 261 yards and three TDs while completing 72.7% of his passes, while Smith rushed for 175 yards and one score on only 15 carries. Smith really tore up the turf during one magnificent 81-yard run. Atholton's leading receiver Landon Lawall was Bell's top target yet again, picking up 137 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Raiders

Rushing Yards

10/11/25 vs Long Reach	224
10/03/25 @ Guilford Park	98
09/26/25 vs Mt. Hebron	112
09/19/25 vs Reservoir	196
09/12/25 @ Wilde Lake	110
+ 3 more games

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Atholton was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 224 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in November of 2024.

Another reason for the win was Atholton's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Thomas MacKenzie, Joseph Ferguson, and John Emmns, who each picked up one sack apiece.

Atholton's record is now 4-2. As for Long Reach, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 3-3.

Atholton wasted no time getting back out on the field and has already played their next matchup, a 37-28 victory against Howard on the 16th. As for Long Reach, they also didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next contest, a 49-0 defeat against Oakland Mills on the 16th.