S. Range weathers Hickory

The Raiders prevailed despite surrendering a 20-3 lead.
By JOHN BUTERA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NORTH LIMA -- Ryan Maxwell's 27-yard touchdown run with about nine minutes remaining proved to be the difference Friday as the South Range High football team topped Hickory, 27-20.
The Raiders opened the contest with a 20-3 lead, then held on to up their season slate to 3-0.
The Hornets (1-1) came out strong in the third quarter, using the rushing of Dustin Kulka to tie the game 20-20. Kulka, lining up at quarterback, owned the third quarter, coming up with big play after big play.
Play-maker
First, on a fourth-and-1 from the Raiders 38, Kulka, running from the shot gun, rushed for 15 yards.
Soon after, on the same type of play, he scored from 7 yards out to make the score 20-13.
Not finished, he set up his tying 2-yard score when he rambled 29 yards to the Raiders 11. For the quarter, he ended up with 83 yards on 10 carries.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Raiders' Matt Schlatter fashioned a nifty 47-yard return before being tackled by kicker Ben Woods. Woods was a key figure all night, kicking field goals of 37 and 27 yards while also adding solid kickoffs.
After the Maxwell score, Hickory drove to the South Range 7 before Russell Dawson came up with a fumble recovery on the 10. Dawson was the spirit behind the Raider defense all night, coming up with several key plays.
"He's been solid all year," South Range coach Dan Yeagley. "He's a big-play person."
Dawson said, "We came out flat in the second half, but we came through in the end when it counted."
Through the air
South Range's 20-3 lead came mostly because of Maxwell and Ben Johnston. In the first period alone, Johnston hauled in three passes for 112 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown reception.
Maxwell's 90 yards on the ground complemented his passing, which featured 9-of-16 completions for 169 yards. He also had scores of 1 and 10 yards.
"We were excited at halftime," said Maxwell. "They got the field goal, but it was still a great defensive stand."
Yeagley said, "You give a team like that some breathing room and they're going to make things happen. But it was fortunate for us we were able to make the big plays when we needed them."