The scoreboard twinkled 27-0 at the close of the Cornerstone Christian versus Shelby Academy football game last Friday night. But it was certainly not a reflection on the true nature of this rivalry contest.

The Chargers gave it everything they had, fighting to a 0-0 first quarter score and trailing by one touchdown, 7-0 at the half.

But a relentless pounding by the Raiders&8217; running game, which piled up 308 yards of offense, finally wore the Chargers into submission in the second half.

Turnovers by both teams also had an impact on this game. Shelby Academy fumbled five times and lost three, while Cornerstone lost at least one big fumble.

Shelby Academy head football coach DeWayne Kervin summed up the turning points best.

&8220;Two big things … one, is down here when we were able to hold them out, I think they fumbled. That was big. And then the first drive of the second half (leading to a score by the Raiders), I think totally dictated the ball game.&8221;

The Raiders capped an 18-yard five-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run by Cody Wilson at the 11:54 mark of the second quarter. Wilson&8217;s point after kick made it a 7-0 contest.

A fumble by the Raiders put the Chargers in business with good field position at the Shelby Academy 41-yard line.

Behind the hard running of Kirk Robinson, who had been making his presence felt on defense, the Chargers reached the Raiders&8217; 20-yard line.

Jesse Silvers gave Cornerstone a first down at the Raiders 6-yard line.

But a fumble recovered by the Raiders ended the threat.

The Raiders opened the third quarter with a six-play, 45-yard scoring drive capped by a 14-yard Wilson run. With the PAT good, the Raiders led 14-0, and never looked back.

&8216;They were just too powerful for us. We knew we had to stop the run and we couldn&8217;t,&8221; said Cornerstone head football coach Tim Smith.

&8220;I&8217;m proud of my kids. I thought we played about as hard as we could play.&8221;

Cody Wilson of Shelby Academy described the contest as a,

&8220;Hard game and hard hitters.&8221;

Kervin said, &8220;I thought it was a pretty physical football game… I think to keep them from scoring was pretty big for probably the best defensive game we played this year.&8221;

The Raiders had no yards through the air in this contest. However, quarterback Brad Lovoy rushed 11 times for 72 yards and one touchdown against the Chargers.

The Raiders&8217; Wilson had 23 carries for 146 yards and three touchdowns against Cornerstone. And his running mate Rick McBride rushed 14 times for 51 yards against Cornerstone.

Shelby Academy and South Choctaw Academy remain undefeated in the same region with Cornerstone and Coosa Valley Academy.

The Raiders (5-1, 5-0) will host Sumter Academy in another region tilt this Friday night while Cornerstone (3-3, 3-3) will play host to region foe Coosa Valley Academy this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.

The Cornerstone-Coosa Valley Academy game is being moved up due to a shortage of AISA officials