By MONTE DUTTON

Wasn’t much to it.

The short-term result of Laurens District High School having bona-fide quarterbacks again was ineffectual as Lexington methodically dispatched the Raiders, 29-0, on a Wednesday football game hastened by the approach of what recently became Hurricane Hellene.

About all the game was free of was rain.

The Raiders and the Wildcats were both coming off open dates. Both will have the same amount of time off before they play again a week from Friday.

“We had an off week,” said Laurens head coach Greg Porter. “They had an off week. There was no advantage. Either we were prepared or we weren’t.

“This was a turning point. This was five games. The team put a lot of work in from the moment I’ve been here. They’ve got to learn compound interest. It’s not going to be an immediate fix. As much as I want it to be, if I could see a little more competitiveness, I’d be good, but we played a team that was just a little better than us.”

Neither team was an offensive powerhouse. Lexington (4-1), from Region 4-5A, took advantage of opportunities Laurens (0-5), of Region 1-4A, didn’t.

The Raiders committed three turnovers, the Wildcats one. Lexington outgained Laurens on the ground, 129 yards to 47, and passed to a moribund draw, 64-61.

Lexington was clearly better because it is. Neither team looked inspired. It was before a deluge.

Lexington’s leading rusher, Matthew McAulay, rushed for 69 yards and three touchdowns. Laurens’ Ze’Mar Jones had 44. No Raider averaged as much as four yards a carry.

Lexington quarterback Brennon Carter hit 4/7 for a touchdown and yielded an interception.

Laurens remains beleaguered. It played three straight games without the two best quarterbacks. Porter was hospitalized earlier and, still recovering, watched from the K.C. Hanna Stadium press box. He came down to address the team afterward and wasn’t down on energy, either to them or the assembled media near midfield.

It was a Wednesday night. Attendance was sparse. Will Thompson, the 6-5 sophomore, was back and escaped with his throwing shoulder still functioning, but he was understandably rusty after being out since the first half of the Clinton game. J.T. Campbell, the backup QB, was back from a concussion and saw action.

Thompson was 5/8 for 54 yards and an interception. Campbell was 1/1 for seven.

They’ve got to get to know everyone again.

It was scoreless for a quarter, which ended with the Wildcats gaining 52 yards and the Raiders 21. Lexington scored first on McAulay’s 28-yard burst – he gained only 39 more in the remainder of the night – with 10:56 left in the half. Gavin Kovac’s 31-yard field goal occurred with 1:26 left to make the halftime score 9-0.

The game’s only dramatic swap occurred as the first quarter transitioned to the second. On the final play of the first, Logan Martin intercepted Carter’s pass at the LDHS 32 and returned to the 40. Two plays later, Lexington’s Logan Clarkson intercepted Thompson and returned it 18 yards to the Raider 28. McAuley scored the game’s first points on the next play.

Two interceptions. Two Logans.

Three touchdowns in the third quarter put the game away, and the two teams played the fourth quarter without scoring, just like the first.

Whom Laurens stopped was unfortunate Lexington kicker Kovac, who kicked a field goal but missed one extra point and had two blocked. Sometimes it’s not your night even when your team wins big.

Next up is Fountain Inn (4-1), which is off this week, in the first race of the region, in the postponed Homecoming originally scheduled for this game.

The Raiders have some wins in them. The schedule to date has been stiff. Injuries have been prevalent.

“Next week we go against a 4A team,” Porter said. “No excuses.

“It’s 4A versus 4A. You’re fighting somebody your size. The purpose of playing a 5A team is to make you better, make the coaches better. In the past, that’s a formula I have used. If we can just get a few [wins], they’ll start believing.”

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