By STEVE WILAJ

sports@vindy.com

CAMPBELL

Campbell Memorial defensive tackle Sean Burnett spotted the ball on the ground.

Although South Range was driving midway through the fourth quarter to cut into a two-touchdown deficit, suddenly the ball sat lonely on Campbell’s 38-yard line after a Raiders fumble.

With a graceful swoop, the 6-foot, 275- pound Burnett scooped up the football with one thing on his mind.

“Get to the end zone and get my team up another [touchdown],” Burnett said of his thoughts as he saw 62-yard of open field in front of him.

Although it wasn’t the prettiest rumble to the end zone, the senior tackle accomplished his mission, putting the final touches on the Red Devils’ 29-7 victory over the Raiders on Friday night at John M. Knapick Field.

“It’s a big win,” Campbell coach Mickey Sikora said. “It shows that our kids do have character and heart coming off a tough loss against a good Struthers team last week. We took a couple steps forward tonight.”

Campbell struck first when Brandon Reyes connected with Montrell Hughes on third-and-14 for a 20-yard touchdown. The Red Devils took a 14-0 lead when Braylen Wigfall took a Robert Seman fumble 52 yards to the end zone.

Campbell (1-1) capped the first half when Reyes threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Corey Hamilton. The drive included a 26-yard pass to Hughes, who caught the ball after Reyes escaped the Raiders’ rush, reversed his field and then hurled the ball back across the field.

“Brandon’s a good quarterback and he got in a rhythm,” Sikora said.

Reyes finished 21 of 30 for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Campbell relied heavily on its passing game, rushing just 13 times for 57 yards.

“Our receivers are coming along fine and we still like our running game a lot, but if the pass is there we’re going to take it,” Sikora said.

South Range (0-2) entered the fourth quarter trailing 21-0 after Seman intercepted Reyes in the end zone to end the third. Although the Raiders cut the lead to 21-7 on David McCabe’s 1-yard run, they got no closer.

South Range had 15 first downs and 123 rushing yards, but was done in by three fumbles and an interception.

“You can’t turn the ball over against a good team like Campbell,” South Range coach Dan Yeagley said. “They made us pay for them. We’ve got to execute, not turn the ball over and we have to make plays. We’re close, but we can’t make so many mistakes.”

Sikora was pleased with his defense.

“Our linebackers and defensive line stepped up,” he said. “Scoring two defensive touchdowns, you can’t ask for much more than that.”

Yeagley said knows there is much time and room for improvement.