LYNCHBURG — Football games can be won and lost in many different fashions, turnovers make a huge difference in the outcome of every game, which proved to be true in the Cascade Champions 32-20 loss to the Moore County Raiders in both teams season opener on Friday night. 
Moore County jumped out on the Champions quickly within the first two minutes of the game when running back Wes Clifton scampered into the end zone, but a missed extra point made the score 6-0. 
On the ensuing kickoff, the Champions lost a fumble that handed the Raiders prime position to score once more. 
“It was the same thing every game comes down to – turnovers and being the most physical team,” Champions head coach Jake Tyre said. “They were more physical than us and they had fewer turnovers. That’s the bottom line.”
The Champions’ offense was on the field for five plays in the first quarter, leaving their defense with minimal breaks in action which played a vital role in the outcome in Tyre’s mind. 
“They scored, kicked off, and got the ball right back, so the defense was on the field for the majority of the first quarter,” Tyre said. “They were gassed. We didn’t do a great job of coaching or playing. We just have to do better next week.”
The Raiders scored 20 unanswered points before the Champions were able to put a touchdown on the board in the second quarter when running back Connor Huie punched the ball across from three yards out.
Cascade got their revenge from their fumble in the first quarter on the following kickoff as they knocked the ball loose and recovered it in Raiders’ territory, but a turnover on downs handed the football right back. 
A few plays later, Raiders’ quarterback Dawson White connected with Keller Morey for a 56-yard touchdown toss that gave them a 26-7 lead after a failed two-point conversion. 
With less than two minutes remaining in the first half, the Champions found themselves in the red zone after a 36-yard completion from Xamarion Dixon to Hayden Dowell. 
Dixon completed two of his ten passes for 72 total yards against the Raiders. 
But the Champions missed their chance to close the gap after a bad snap led to a Raider recovery and a 26-7 advantage heading into the locker room. 
The second half began with a tight-knit battle until the Champions forced a fumble in their own territory with under four minutes left in the third quarter, but an interception by the Raiders on the very next play flipped the momentum back in their favor. 
Seven seconds into the final frame, Moore County struck again as White scrambled into the end zone from 12 yards out.
A blocked extra point by the Champs kept the score at 32-7.
Cascade was able to score quickly on the next drive when Dixon got a push from his teammates on a quarterback sneak. 
He went on to push one more across for the Champions to total two rushing touchdowns and 76 yards on the night. 
Huie added 88 yards on the ground with one touchdown and a fumble for the Champions. 
After Dixon’s 15-yard scramble into the end zone, Moore County recovered the onside kick that followed and bled the clock to the final horn. 
For Tyre, the adjustments for the rest of the season are simple: hold onto the football and give the defense breaks. 
“The message is to try and keep the other team off the field as much as possible,” Tyre said. “As offensive coaches, we have to establish drives and maintain the ball so our defense isn’t out there constantly. Moore County did that tonight, and we didn’t.”
Cascade will host Cannon County next week for their home opener at The Stable. 

Cascade 0   7  0   13 — 20
Moore Co. 13  13  0  6 — 32
 
First Quarter 
M — Wes Clifton 8 run, (missed extra point), 10:11.
M — Peyton Martin 12 pass from Dawson White, (Blake Bradford kick), 5:52.
Second Quarter 
M — White 11 run, (Bradford kick), 9:30.
C — Connor Huie 3 run, (Isaac Chapa kick), 4:58.
M — Keller Morey 56 pass from White, (failed 2 pt.), 1:36.
Fourth Quarter
M — White 12 run, (Bradford kick blocked), 11:53
C — Dixon 1 run, (Chapa kick), 9:08.
C — Dixon 15 run, (failed 2 pt.), 3:10.