JON DUSTIN BROOKS

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LONGVIEW — West Rusk used a three-tiered rushing attack to overcome four turnovers en route to dispatching Harleton, 14-0, in a season-opening Kickoff Classic Thursday night at Pine Tree Stadium.

Both teams struggled with turnovers — Harleton had three — but the Raiders were able to negate their miscues with a free-flowing offense that racked up 309 total yards, compared to Harleton's total of 101 yards.

West Rusk's running game fronted that effort as three players went for more than 60 yards apiece, including Chris Johnson who paved the way with 80 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Johnson's 4-yard scamper in the second quarter gave the Raiders the lead for good at 6-0.

Quarterback Josh Medford added another 76 yards on 12 totes — to go along with his 82 yards on 7-of-15 passing — while Dewayne Fisher notched 62 yards on 11 carries.

Leading 6-0 through three quarters, Medford connected with Dominique Smith on a fourth-and-goal from Harleton's 8-yard line to open the fourth quarter, providing West Rusk with its 14-0 cushion. Medford tacked on the two-point conversion to account for the remaining points.

The Wildcats would advance inside Raiders' territory only one more time after that point, getting to the 48, but the possession ended with Santos Gonzales intercepting a Logan Jones pass to put the finishing touch on West Rusk's win.

Jones finished 6-for-18 for 67 yards and three interceptions for the Wildcats. Eric McMillan led the way on the ground with 24 yards on 11 carries.

West Rusk had 17 first downs, compared to Harleton's five.

The Wildcats did force two turnovers within the first three minutes of the second half — a pair of fumble recoveries — but were unable to capitalize on either of them.

Matt Prescott pounced on a Johnson fumble and Billy Smith later fell on a Smith miscue during a punt return. It was Smith's second fumble recovery of the game.

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First half

West Rusk moved the ball well, churning out 11 first downs, but the Raiders only turned it into six points.

West Rusk's Dewayne Fisher intercepted a Jones pass at his team's own 11-yard line, shutting down the Wildcats' longest drive of the half after they had moved inside West Rusk's 35-yard line.

Fisher's pick sparked a 15-play, 89-yard drive that spanned 6:14 and resulted in the only touchdown of the half when Chris Johnson took a pitch right four yards into the end zone at the 9:49 point of the second.

The longest play of the drive was a 21-yard pass from Medford to Tony Gordon. Medford also rushed two yards up the middle early in the second to pick up a critical fourth down conversion.

The Raiders got another interception late in the half when Jonathon Brewer landed a blind side hit on Jones as he was releasing a pass, which flew downward into the West Rusk's Luke Seider's hands. Seider then rumbled 20 yards down the middle of the field to Harleton's 23-yard line, setting his team up with good field position with 1:23 left in the half.

The Raiders, who had only attempted five passes to that point, followed with three consecutive incompletions, however, and Medford's final pass was intercepted by Jones at the 3-yard line to help Harleton keep the deficit at one possession.

The Wildcats' Smith also recovered a fumble on West Rusk's opening possession of the game, pouncing on a Gonzales cough-up after the Raiders had advanced to Harleton's 33-yard line.

The Wildcats were unable to get any points out of the good fortune, though.

West Rusk's Tony Gordon led all players with three receptions for 43 yards. Connor Lloyd led Harleton with two catches for 27 yards.