RAIDERS 35, EAGLES 28: Raiders win division

BY PETER JACKEL
Journal Times

Saturday, September 22, 2007 11:41 PM CDT

RACINE — Five years of frustration are over.

In a game that surely will go down in history as one of the greatest in the team’s storied history, the Racine Raiders recovered from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit to defeat the arch-rival Kane County Eagles 35-28 Saturday night in a North American Football League game before a crowd of 2,602 at Horlick Field.

The victory in what was the Raiders’ regular-season finale was enormous for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it means the Raiders won the Great Lakes Region of the NAFL and will host a first-round playoff game Oct. 6. And it won’t be against the Eagles since, after Saturday’s loss, they did not compile enough points to qualify for the league playoffs.

Almost as importantly, the Raiders (8-3) got on a giant monkey off their back by defeating Kane County (6-3) for the first time since Aug. 3, 2002 and stopping the Eagles’ eight-game winning streak at Horlick Field in this game, which featured five first-quarter touchdowns.

Racine kick returner Kevin Barrett, left, and Kane County Eagles’ Brandon Watts race to recover a fumble Saturday at Horlick Field. The Raiders won 35-28. Photo by Dustin Safranek

“It’s really exciting and we’re glad we did it,” Raiders coach Jordan Kopac said. “I can’t believe we gave them 21 points to start, but we came back.

“I’ll tell you, when I said I had a good team, we sure had one because we stayed right there and away we went.”

The Eagles drove to the Raiders’ 2-yard line with six seconds remaining, but Kane County quarterback Sam Clemons’ pass fell incomplete as time expired. And a huge weight was finally lifted off the Raiders’ shoulders.

And to think the Raiders were in a 21-0 hole less than 11 minutes into the game, which did not end until shortly before 11 p.m.

With 12:04 to play in the first quarter, Clemens threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Keith Herron after the Raiders’ Kevin Barrett fumbled on a punt return.

Less than two minutes later, Clemons completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Gordon. And with 4:19 left in the first quarter, former Carthage College All-American Dante Washington scored on a 6-yard run as it appeared Kane County would blow out the Raiders on their home field.

But the Raiders had other ideas. Quarterback Dan Novotny, who turns 40 in less than two months, started the comeback with a 29-yard touchdown with 1:23 left in the first quarter. After Clemons was intercepted by Eric Feest, Novotny threw to Dorian Palmer, who made some beautiful moves en route to a 61-yard touchdown reception that pulled the Raiders to within 21-14.

At halftime, the Raiders had already compiled 263 total yards to 178 for the Eagles. And the Raiders picked up where they left off starting in the third quarter.

Charles Owens had a big kickoff return to start the second half for Kane County, but fumbled after getting hit by Brett Barnes and Raiders kicker Joel DaPra recovered. In a drive that started from the Raiders’ 32, Bryan Jennings Jr. ran five times for 39 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown that tied the score at 21-21 with 10:03 left in the third quarter.

But the Eagles came right back, with Clemons finding Herron for a 61-yard touchdown pass that gave Kane County another lead, which was short-lived.

In a drive that was highlighted by Novotny’s 30-yard pass to Palmer to the Eagles’ 1 in the face of a blitz, Jennings scored again to tie the score at 28-28.

That’s the way the score remained until 9:23 left in the fourth quarter, until Novotny hooked up again with Palmer with what proved to be the winning touchdown. The pass covered 45 yards.

Novotny completed 13 of 32 passes for 298 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Jennings rushed for 127 yards on 26 carries and Horlick High School Ricky Hutchins had six passes defensed. Barnes added five.

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