GREENSBORO – It was a good learning experience for Raider head coach Mike Reynolds.

His Raiders nailed Hale County High School 41 – 6 in the season opener before a home crowd in Greensboro.

“I learned we need to be in better shape,” Reynolds said.

He plans on giving his team “a little light conditioning” over the weekend. Both teams were plagued by cramps.

The game opened with a pair flash plays that put points on the board for both teams, with Hale County drawing first blood on a 42 yard on the first play from scrimmage.

After failing to convert on the point after, Hale County kicked to the Raiders only to have the favor returned on the next play with a quarterback keeper.

The six points in the first quarter would be the only Hale County would see, as the Raiders dominated the field scoring once more in the first half.

The Raiders strong running game kept the momentum, posting a total of 16 points in the third quarter with two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversion.

Running back Neal Parker kept the Raider drive alive in the opening ticks of the fourth quarter, picking up 20 yards on two carries before driving in another Raider touchdown with 11:07 left to play.

Parker would also punch in the final Raider score with just 4:20 remaining in play.

Hale County would end their final possession of the game with two-and-a-half minutes left to play and the Raiders at midfield.

The Raiders covered the space on two plays to just inside the 10-yard line before being hit with a

15-yard penalty. The team let the remaining time tick out to end the game.

“We have an ability to run the football and that’s the credit of the whole offense,” Reynolds said. “I’m not going to single out any one player, and it was the same way on defense – it was a team effort.”

Reynolds, whose team rushed for 544 yards on 51 carries, didn’t pass nearly as well, with four attempts and no completions.

Hale County carried the ball 34 times for 82 yards, and passed 11 times with two completions and three interceptions.