If the results from their preseason are any indication, the Ryan Raiders shouldn’t have any trouble surpassing the 6-5 record they put up in 2007.

Ryan looked sharp in its second and final scrimmage on Friday, defeating Lewisville 30-28. That followed its first scrimmage against Grapevine a week ago, when the Raiders rolled to a 54-0 blowout win.

With the opener at Mesquite Poteet looming on Thursday, Ryan head coach Joey Florence feels good about where his team is.

DRC/Gary Payne

Ryan’s Antonio Anderson, front, catches a touchdown pass while being defended by Lewisville’s Michael Brown during a scrimmage Friday at Ryan High School.

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“I’m proud of where we are,” he said. “Offensively, we’re a little further advanced than we were at this time last year. I’m proud of the offensive line. They’re special. We saw what we needed to see and then we let a lot of kids play. We picked up where we left off.”

Ryan and Lewisville played 50 offensive plays apiece, did some special teams work in between and then played a 12-minute, running clock quarter.

The Raiders took a 27-21 lead in the first segment and won the scrimmage on a short field goal on the last play of the game. Ryan won despite not playing its starters in the second segment.

Offensively, the Raiders were explosive. Twelve of their 50 plays went for 10 or more yards. New quarterback Scotty Young opened with a 20-yard touchdown to Antonio Anderson and a 21-yard touchdown to D.J. Beshears that was tipped right before it fell into the senior’s hands.

He threw another touchdown in the first segment, laying a ball into Bud Sasser’s hands in the end zone for a 20-yard score.

He finished 15-for-21 while splitting time with backup Ryan Salter.

“Scotty’s got a big opportunity this week in a live game situation. I feel real good,” Florence said.

Defensively, the Raiders were also strong. After giving up a 33-yard run on the fifth play of the scrimmage, Ryan forced a fourth down after the Farmers had first and goal.

Ryan let Lewisville continue from the 3-yard line to work on goal-line defense. The Farmers scored on fourth down.

“We made them earn their points down there,” Florence said. “Against our first defense, there was one long run and then inside the 10 we tightened up. We let them go ahead inside the 10 so we could work some goal-line defense.”

In Lewisville’s second set of plays in the opening segment, Ryan cornerback Cooper Jackson intercepted the Farmers and looked like he was going to make it to the end zone before the play was blown dead since Lewisville was running consecutive plays.

Running back Maurice Young had a solid game spelling starter Jay Catlin. He popped off a 35-yard run up the middle that set up Ryan’s final touchdown of the game.

Salter threw a fade down the sideline that Ismail Evans hauled in for a 35-yard score.

Maurice Young’s role may be bigger than expected in the regular season, as backup running back Shelton Gandy was carted off the field with an injury early in the scrimmage.

JEFF ANDREWS can be reached at 940-566-6873. His e-mail address is jandrews@dentonrc.com.