Jessie Hester joked he isn’t about to put together an all- Texas schedule for his team.
But it’d be hard to fault the Glades Central coach if he changes his mind.
Saturday, the Raiders overwhelmed Denison High, earning a 53-17 victory in the second game of the Florida vs. Texas High School Football Showcase.
The win marked the second time this season the Raiders have defeated a team from the Lone Star state.
Glades Central (2-0) opened with a hard-fought 6-0 win over Dallas Skyline a little over two weeks ago.
This time, there was little doubt about the outcome.
“We started fast and finished strong,” said Raiders receiver Davonte Allen, who had three catches for 58 yards. “I think we represented our state well.”
The Raiders needed just three plays to get their first touchdown, an 11-yard run by Aaron Baker.
Midway through the first quarter, the lead jumped to 19-2 after William Likley scored on a 75-yard punt return and on the Raiders’ first possession of the second, the lead was up to 25-2 after Jamarious Rowley completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jamie Wilson.
Rowley, who admittedly struggled in the Raiders’ opener, was 10 of 19 for 214 yards and three touchdowns.
He also scored on a 2-yard run later in the game.
“I struggled two weeks ago against Skyline, so this was a good day for me,” Rowley said. “I came in much calmer. I watched more film and I knew what I had to do to be successful. I know I have a lot of receivers that can make plays. It doesn’t matter where the ball is thrown; I know they’re going to catch it.”
As efficient as Rowley and his receivers were, there were moments Denison (0-3) broke through and Glades Central struggled.
The defense, which played well in the first half, broke down early third quarter, allowing Yellow Jackets quarterback Jordan Watson to complete a 43-yard touchdown pass to Stacy Golston that cut Glades Central’s lead to 39-17.
That unit redeemed itself later, forcing and recovering a pair of late fumbles, including one that Dominique Gibson returned 57 yards for a touchdown.
But that wasn’t enough for Hester, especially considering the Raiders failed on four 2-point conversions and had a PAT blocked.
“That will lose games for you,” Hester said. “I think in a lot of areas, offensively and defensively, there are still points we can teach. We’ll benefit from this and be able to teach without their heads being big. Despite the score, there were still plenty of mistakes. But this was quite an experience for our guys.”
