Wylie East senior lineman Daniel Oparah records a strip sack against McKinney North senior quarterback Brooks Nelson in the first quarter of a Thursday, Feb. 28 home game against the Bulldogs. Photo by Oladipo Awowale / C&S Media
By David Wolman
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Last Thursday’s football season opener between Wylie East and McKinney North was full of miscues by both teams, but it was the Raiders who capitalized on more of the bad bounces.
The Raiders stormed out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead on the power of a Daniel Oparah strip sack and a high snap by the Bulldogs that resulted in a short field for Wylie East, and the Raiders never looked back in cruising to a 63-17 win from Wylie ISD Stadium.
“What I loved about it is that we had several mistakes, but our guys just picked each other up,” said Marcus Gold, Wylie East head coach. “I don’t know if you can teach that. It’s awesome that our guys can do that.”
Oparah’s strip sack came on the third play of McKinney North’s initial possession of the game.
At the Bulldogs’ 23-yard line, Wylie East brought defensive pressure on a third-and-12 play. McKinney North senior quarterback Brooks Nelson lost control of the football as his arm was being contacted by Oparah, and Wylie East recovered the ball at the 16-yard line. Five plays later, senior quarterback Jaiden McLemore ran the quarterback sneak in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown, and the Raiders took a 7-0 lead after Geovani Darquea converted the ensuing PAT kick.
Wylie East pounced on another McKinney North mistake a short time later. A high snap on a punt sailed over the head of Bulldogs senior punter Tyler Schuler and the Raiders fell on the ball at the McKinney North 8. Three plays later, McLemore found junior wide receiver Amir Porter in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 Wylie East lead with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter.
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