Entering halftime ahead 22-14 over Lebanon, there was a sense of disappointment from the Anderson Raptors.
They had relinquished a number of opportunities that could have busted the game wide open, but instead entered intermission ahead just single digits – prompting a spirited halftime speech from Anderson offensive line coach Matt Stanyard.
"We got into halftime and talked to them about effort pretty good," Anderson head football coach Evan Dreyer said. "We had fought adversity and talked about a veteran offensive line coach that motivates kids. (Stanyard) took over."
And the Raptors answered Stanyard's call – responding with 22 unanswered points in the second half to silence the Warriors 44-14 Friday night at Charles L. Brown Stadium in Anderson. The win gives the Raptors their first 3-0 start since 2018.
Three keys to Anderson's victory:
- Brodey Berg. Simply put, Lebanon had no answer for the legs of the Raptor senior tailback. Give credit to the Raptors in the trench, as Berg routinely had multiple yards prior to contact, but Berg's running noticeably wore down the Warrior defense. Berg finished the night with 154 rushing yards and four touchdowns, with over 200 all-purpose yards. "Brodey Berg's quiet, an unbelievable kid, but he's a heck of a competitor," Dreyer said. "He wants to play offense, even special teams. I'm very proud of how he's going his senior year and playing as well as he is."
The standout night now gives Berg 11 combined touchdowns just three games into the season.
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Anderson's defense rose to the occasion in the second half. Certainly, a late-third-quarter injury to Lebanon sophomore quarterback Luke Faler factored in, but the Raptors were particularly disruptive in run-stopping. The Warriors were limited to 24 carries for just 39 yards against the imposing Raptor front seven – an average of just 1.6 yards per rush.
- Anderson sophomore quarterback Justice Burnam did his part to balance the Raptor offense and offer a complementary passing attack to Berg's damage on the ground. Burnam finished 19-of-30 passing for 242 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, completing passes to six different receivers in the process. "Justice (Burnam) made key enough plays to make sure we just kept getting a lead and not allowing a comeback," Dreyer said. "In their games with us and everybody else, they just keep it close. I'm very happy with this win."
Improvements
As mentioned just prior, Anderson's offensive line appeared to be the most glaring concern for the Raptors in an otherwise strong performance. Five first-half sacks (six total for the game) proved to be a real detriment to the Raptors in third-down situations and key situations – namely a final drive to end the first half that resulted in three consecutive sacks.
If they're able to keep Burnam upright, the Raptor offense is certainly capable of fireworks offensively, but as the season ensues, Anderson will have to rise to the challenge.
Anderson's secondary offered some cause for concern with some breakdowns resulting in a pair of 30-yard plus touchdowns. Though an interception by senior T.J. Nelson did impress, this remains an area they'll look to mend.
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