GREER – For a night, all was right with the Laurens Raiders’ world.

A Friday night. In the fall.

Laurens shocked Riverside, 18-17, and it was almost as if the clouds of an entire season parted. With Wade Hampton visiting K.C. Hanna next week, a playoff berth is imminent, and victories over the Generals and Eastside the following week would give Laurens a home game.

Will wonders never cease? Like Presbyterian College’s upset of Wofford last month, Laurens pulled off a small miracle.

At the end, Laurens, guarding its precarious lead, drove deep into Riverside territory and didn’t surrender the ball until 13 seconds remained. Javaye Suber put the game away with an interception on the final play. He had already begun a drive with a 13-yard punt return and knocked down a Jacob Medlin pass in the end zone.

“I’ve never been more proud of a group,” LDHS head coach Daryl Smith told WLBG’s Doug Holliday. “We brought 35 guys over here tonight. We’ve got about 10 guys who are still hurt from the first of the year, and the guys we’ve still got showed a lot of guts.”

The game got off to a good start for the Raiders because Riverside failed in an onside kick at the outset. After two first downs, one on an interference call, Nick Danciu scrambled to the Warriors’ six-yard line, but a third-down sack pushed Laurens back to the 16, where Brock Franklin booted a 33-yard field goal.

The 3-0 lead was only fleeting, and Riverside took the lead with 4:40 remaining in the first quarter on a 63-yard, eight-play touchdown drive, capped by Mikkel Skinner’s 4-yard run.

Laurens amassed 375 yards in total offense, and Danciu completed 17/23 passes for 244 yards.

After an exchange of punts, Laurens (1-7, 1-1 Region 2-4A) advanced into Riverside territory on a couple first-down runs by Malik Jackson and a Danciu scramble. A late hit gave Laurens a first down at the Warrior five, and Danciu pushed in from the one. The resulting 10-7 lead marked the first time all season the Raiders regained a lead after relinquishing it.

Tysheek Breeze entered the game at quarterback for Riverside (4-4, 1-1) to little immediate effect.

Javaye Suber’s punt return gave the Raiders another visit to Riverside territory late in the half. A holding call negated a first down at the five. Franklin attempted a 46-yard field goal that fell short with 2:02 remaining in the half, which ended with Laurens leading, 10-7. It was only the second time the Raiders led at halftime, having led Union County, 17-7, in what wound up a 20-17 loss.

The halftime edge was merited. Laurens had 180 total yards to Riverside’s 63 and 11 first downs to the Warriors’ three. Riverside only possessed the ball for eight of the first half’s 24 minutes. Danciu completed 11/13 passes for 92 first-half yards.

A Nick Fowler catch at the Riverside 46 keyed a third-quarter drive, but Danciu’s third-and-11 toss from the 36-yard line was dropped in what seemed a sure touchdown.

By the quarter’s end, Riverside had tacked on a touchdown – from quarterback Jacon Medlin – and Laurens a safety. The Warriors led, 14-12, and after Suber knocked down a third-down pass in the end zone, Josh Clarke’s 31-yard field goal put Riverside up, 17-12, with 11:10 left.

Danciu then hit Goodwin for a 73-yard touchdown, and though Danciu fell shy on a two-point try, Laurens was up, 18-17, with 10:30 still on the clock.

The Raiders stopped Riverside’s next drive on downs at the 33 with 6:22 remaining, and boldly succeeded on a fourth-and-one in their own territory as Danciu pushed for three yards.

“We had a couple seniors go down, and Malik Jackson played the whole game on offense and defense,” Smith said. “People were just stepping up and doing things that make you proud of them.”

Two Raiders, E’Myus Young and Nick Fowler, each caught four passes, but Goodwin’s three catches went for 113 yards. Denari Lee-Jackson paced the rushers with 62 yards in 19 carries.

Since Laurens played the only varsity football game on Friday, naturally, the Raiders played the only junior-varsity game on Thursday.

On the Raiders’ home field, Riverside defeated Laurens, 34-21. The Raiders led 7-6 in the second quarter after Brayden Patterson intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards, B.J. Hill scored from six yards out and Victor Diaz added the placement.

A lot – bad snaps, penalties, turnovers, a safety – bad happened from there.

But Laurens (2-5) bounced back with a second rushing touchdown from Hill, and Jace Campbell’s last-minute, 49-yard score made it respectable.

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