While Blue Springs South missed a chance to keep Raytown down when it had seized momentum and built a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, ultimately the host Bluejays simply made one more big play than the Jaguars.
Running back Messiah Miller took a screen pass untouched for a 69-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left, lifting Raytown to a 41-34 season-opening win over South at Ted Chittwood Stadium.
South had tied the game just 18 seconds earlier when junior quarterback Max Conard connected with sophomore Isaac Tauai for a 20-yard touchdown and Shane Harper kicked the extra point.
Just 40 seconds prior to that, Raytown had gone ahead 34-27 when junior quarterback Joe Campbell scrambled left and found D’Vontae Key for a 15-yard score, capping the Jays’ comeback from a 27-13 deficit.
Campbell finished 26-of-44 passing for 455 yards and five touchdowns.
“Their coaching staff did a great job,” South coach Jon Oyler said. “Their quarterback scrambled around and made some plays, and they’ve got some good receivers.”
Oyler’s team made its own big rally earlier in the game.
Trailing 13-0 in the second quarter – Campbell found Key deep for a 92-yard touchdown on Raytown’s first possession and tossed a 14-yard score to Desmond Hutson a couple possessions later – South avoided deeper trouble when Trey Vaval intercepted Campbell in the end zone.
Austin Terry, who logged 38 carries for 252 yards, later capped a short 38-yard drive with a 10-yard score with 29 seconds left, making it 13-7 at halftime.
Before Terry’s first touchdown, South’s possessions had ended with four punts, a turnover on downs inside the Raytown 5 and a deep-ball interception near at the goal line.
