Bailey Vidaurri.
MINDEN — Three long touchdown passes in the first quarter on Friday night put the Reed Raiders on track to a 48-28 victory at Keith Roman Field.
The two-time defending Division I Northern Region champion Raiders (2-0) took command in the opening period when quarterback Chris Denn threw scoring passes of 51 and 43 yards to Trae Wells and a 28-yarder to Grayson. Denn’s numbers on night were impressive: 21-for-33, 349 yards and four touchdowns. Wells caught six passes for 136 yards and three TDs, while Young caught four passes for 120 yards and two TDs.
“I can’t say we lost because of errors we made, we just lost to a better football team at this point,” Douglas coach Ernie Monfiletto said.
The Tigers did take a 7-6 lead in the first quarter when Wes Hundley scampered 6 yards to score on a fake field goal attempt.
Reed regained the lead less than a minute later on a 43-yard scoring strike from Denn to Wells. The Raiders drove 80 yards in three plays to take a lead they never relinquished.
Reed led 27-7 at halftime, however, Bailey Vidaurri provided a spark for Douglas when he returned the second half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Vidaurri’s return tied the state record for longest kick return for a touchdown, according to the NIAA record book.
Reed only needed three plays — not including a roughing the passer penalty — to answer when Jordan DeLeon busted a 15-yard touchdown run.
DeLeon later scored on a 6-yard run as Reed extended its lead to 41-14.
Douglas mounted a drive that resulted in a touchdown when Taylor Souza recovered a fumble in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers scored again with 36.9 seconds left to play when Hundley threw a 29-yard touchdown strike to Vidaurri.