RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) – A two-point lead was something that the Cordova High School football team was looking to expand in the fourth quarter against Rio Americano in the season opener.

But the Raiders were the ones who came away with a 42-35 win over the Lancers at Del Campo High on Aug. 25^th. The loss was tough for Cordova, which had a combined 488 total offensive yards against the Raiders’ defense.

Entering the final quarter, Cordova (0-1) led 27-25. But two interceptions by the Raiders’ defense led the way toward touchdowns. On top of that, two kickoffs were returned for touchdowns.

“What cost us the game was our lack of effort on the kickoffs,” said Cordova head coach Darren Nill. “Those are just back-breakers.”

That helped the Raiders score 17 points in the final eight minutes of the game to secure the victory. An 8-yard pass, plus the extra-point kick, gave Rio Americano a 32-27 lead. A rushing touchdown and two field goals cushioned the Raiders’ lead to 45-27.

The Lancers cut the lead toward the end of the quarter when quarterback Johnele Sanders threw a 75-yard pass. Cordova opted and converted on the 2-point conversion, but that was all of the Lancers’ scoring in the game.

In the first quarter, both teams scored a touchdown each, but failed on the extra-points, for a 6-6 score. Then in the second quarter, Sanders completed a 25-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Calvin Augusta. Add the extra-point, and the Lancers had their first lead of the season at 13-6.

After the Raiders scored to cut the lead to 13-12, the Lancers added a 5-yard touchdown run to increase their lead to 20-12. But Rio Americano returned the kickoff 100-yards to trim into the Lancers’ lead to 20-19, all in the second quarter.

“We’re making some personnel changes on our kickoff,” said Nill of the kickoff team that allowed the touchdown. “Trying to get some more hungry kids out there, some more physical kids, to stop that type of thing.”

Sanders hit Augusta again, this time on a 73-yard pass, midway through the third quarter to increase Cordova’s lead to 27-19.

The Lancers had four fumbles in the game, all in the first half. But lost the ball only once to the Raiders.

“I thought that Rio Americano came out and outplayed our guys in the first half,” Nill said.

Sanders completed 7-of-9 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown in the game. He also rushed 11 times for 102 yards and another touchdown. Raymond Fite had three receptions for 99 yards.

On defense, Augusta, from his defensive back spot, had 12 tackles and outside linebacker Yusef Pugh had nine.

Tonight, Friday, Cordova will play its first home game of the season at Lancers Stadium against Chavez. The Stockton school fell to Mountain House, 33-12, in the season opener on the Mustangs’ field last Friday. Game time for today’s game is 7:30 p.m.