It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but the Lumberton Raiders had no problem doing just that on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 40-14 margin over Athens. Winning may never get old, but Lumberton sure are getting used to it with their eighth in a row.
Lumberton's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Lucas Powell, who threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns while completing 75.9% of his passes, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. Jaddon Ward was another key contributor, rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
Lumberton has yet to lose a matchup at home this season, leaving them with a 8-3 record. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 46.5 points per game. As for Athens, they have not been sharp recently, as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-5 record this season.
Lumberton will take on Needville at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Needville is also coming in off of a big victory, so somebody is in for a big reversal of fortune. Athens does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
