The Hanover football team has build a foundation of dominating play in the county over the past several years. But on Friday night they met their match, traveling to Atlee to face a hungry Raiders squad looking to return to glory.

  In one of the county’s most exciting football games ever played, Atlee Stadium rocked with a capacity crowd and big plays throughout before the Raiders came away with a 24-14 win.

  Both teams demonstrated poise and resilience; yet poorly-timed mistakes by Hanover and the inability to convert on Atlee turnovers led to the Hawks’ undoing. 

  “It was a hard-fought game,” said Hanover head coach Joshua Just. “It’s one of these things.  We made too many mistakes at opportune times.  There were some coach’s calls I wish I could have back.  I think I put our kids in bad positions a couple of times.  We need to work on that so I can put them in the best position to win.”

  Hanover, known for being a physical team, found they faced a mirror performance by Atlee.  “(The Raiders) were pretty physical too,” Just said. “I thought the (Hanover) kids played hard.  That wasn’t the issue at all.  I’m proud of their efforts.  But we got outcoached and outplayed.  Effort was there on both sides.  They executed more than we did.  They win the game.  My hat’s off to them.  It’s a huge win for their program.”

  Though scoreless, the first quarter provided plenty of intensity and excitement with five turnovers, four by the Raiders, one by Hanover. But it was a sign of things to come when the Hawks recovery of an Atlee fumble was overturned by a roughing the passer penalty.

  From the opening kickoff, the Atlee defense quickly asserted itself driving the Hawks backwards from first and 10 on the 25 for a three and out punt on 4th and 19 from their 6-yard line. 

  But Hanover’s hard-hitting special teams forced the first Atlee turnover on the punt return, allowing them to keep driving downfield from the 50. 

  However, the Raiders’ defense went to work again and did not allow chain movement, forcing another punt that had Atlee starting from their own 20.
  “They did a good job rebounding defensively,” Just said. “Seems like every time we got a turnover, they came out and made some plays, and put it right back to us.” 

  Atlee moved down field 31 yards before turning the ball over again, this time on a fumble after a caught pass by senior wide receiver Will McCombs. 

  Starting from Atlee’s 40 Hanover was finally able to move the chains and get in the red zone.  But Atlee senior defensive back Austin Sutherland ruined the scoring attempt with an end zone interception of a Sam Rogers pass.

  Rogers, who was 2-of-9 for 13 yards passing and had 28 carries for 113 yards was visibly unhappy with the game’s results.  “We didn’t execute,” he said.  “Things weren’t working right.”

  But the Hawks defense stepped up again. The Raiders drove to Hanover’s 9-yard line before Hawks’ linebacker David Crytser recovered a fumble on the 13. 

  Once again the Hanover offense was ineffective. However the defense made their mark when linebacker Rashard Thornton intercepted a Ruben Rucker pass in the end zone to kill another Atlee drive. 

  The Raiders finally got on the board five minutes into the second quarter.
  Rogers retaliated with a sustained drive from the Hawks’ 41-yard line.  Carrying the ball himself on 13 of 15 plays, Rogers punched his way in from third and inches to even up the game. Matt Palmen’s PAT was good for a 7-7 tie with :55 seconds left in the half.

  But Atlee’s Rucker needed only 43 seconds to launch a 70-yard drive that ended in a keeper from the 1-yard for a touchdown, giving the Raiders a 14-7 lead heading into the locker room.

  Coming out in the third, Hanover forced Atlee to a three and out but punter Joseph Pulisic pinned them deep in their own territory.

  Pulisic proved to be the Raider that Hanover had no answer for. The senior kicker/punter was the game’s unsung hero repeatedly backing up the Hawks to start four times within their 10 and twice within their 4-yard line.

  Starting on their own 4-yard line, Hanover’s Lawrence Jones went to work. On the first offensive play of the second half, Jones, who finished the night with 16 carries for 160 yards, dashed 96-yards for a score that knotted the game 14-14. 

  But ten plays later Atlee responded on a 4-yard carry by Jarred Hall. Hawks linebacker Austin Hartness wrapped up Hall’s legs at the two causing him to dive with the ball outstretched allowing DB Xavier Crocker to punch the ball loose, but not before it crossed the goal line to give Atlee a 21-14 lead.

  Pulisic tacked on a 33-yard field goal in the final minutes following a Hanover fumble that proved to be the coup-de-gras that took the game out of reach for the Hawks. 

  With just over two minutes remaining, Rogers tried to make up the difference with a long throw downfield, but Sutherland was there to intercept it. 

  With 1:43 remaining on the clock, the Hawks watched helplessly as Rucker took a knee three times to run out the clock.

  Just accepted responsibility for Hanover’s performance while complimenting Atlee. “I thought their coach did a good job putting them in position; they did a great job making plays.  I felt like, personally, I got outcoached tonight.

  “I thought we game-planned them very well,” he said. “I thought the biggest thing they did is they came in and made plays.  So, I thought the game plan was good going in.  But there are some things we could have called at certain times.  I know defensively I could do some different things.  I gambled a couple of times and got burnt.  That’s on me.”

Hanover looks to bounce back this Friday night when they host Henrico.