The South Montgomery County Academy Raiders rode into Selma looking for their first win of the year after being embarrassed 49-7 in their opener and rode out with a 37-8 win over Ellwood Christian Academy.

The Raiders were led by quarterback Colt Hick who threw for 198-yards on 18 attempts with senior receiver Holden Grobe accounting for all the reception yards.

Although the loss leaves the Ellwood Eagles 0-2 on the year, head coach Mike Stokes said he’s starting to see a spark in his team, especially in the second half.

“I saw something in them tonight,” he said. “It’s been like this the past two ballgames. We play poorly in the first half and come out in the second half and play. They need to get that mentality that it takes four quarters to win a ball game and when we get that we’ll be okay.”

After a 13-yard touchdown run by Gauge Ballard and a field goal by Austin Evans to take a 9-0 lead, the Raiders put the game out of reach in the second quarter after recovering an Ellwood fumble on their own 21-yard line. Hick found Grobe streaking down the left sideline for a 50-yard pass play on third-and-eight and again for 10-yards to set up shop on the Eagles’ 12-yard line. Hick called his own number on the next play scrambling in for the TD. Evans’ PAT was good giving the Raiders a 16-0 lead.

The Eagles seemed to come to life on the ensuing kickoff after Michael Smith ran the return back deep into Raiders’ territory only to have the play called back on a penalty. After the penalty the Eagles turned the ball over on downs and the Raiders mounted an 11-play, 71-yard scoring drive capped by 1-yard TD reception by Grobe. Evans again added the PAT to close the first half scoring at 23-0.

The Raiders added two more scores – one on a long pass play and another after Hunter Pritchett blocked a punt and Ballard picked it up and ran for a touchdown.

In the fourth quarter Stokes changed offensive schemes, running Deriaun Glenn from the “wildcat” formation, which led to the Eagles’ lone touchdown after they mounted a 6-play, 53-yard drive with Glenn accounting for 45 of the yards.

“I wish we’d gone to it [wildcat] a little bit earlier, but they’re learning and I’m learning,” Stokes said.

The Eagles have little time to rest up as a rivalry matchup looms Thursday night when they play Meadowview, a game senior running back Denzel Smiley says they’ve been looking to all year.

“That’s our rivalry of the year,” Smiley said.

“We’re coming along, getting better and better every game. We just have to work extra hard.”