On Sept. 3, the ERHS varsity boys football team played their game opener against Riverdale Baptist High School. Fans from all around the county filled the bleachers as they came out to watch the football players take the field. The Raiders were defeated 10-7 in the final, but coaches say this will be used as a lesson for improving the team.

Before the game, senior cornerback JaQuan Brown said, “We are very excited to be entering a new season. I believe the season will be great for us. Everyone is on the same page, practicing night and day, just getting better day by day, just to stay focused on the task. Each game we plan on just going out, dominating, and get the W each week.”

Senior runningback Karl Mofor took off in just a number of minutes during the 1st quarter, scoring Roosevelt’s one and only touchdown. The team jumped for joy, but the game was not over yet. Riverdale came back just before the final quarter with two touchdowns, scoring three more points and leaving the varsity football team with their first loss of the new season. Coaches said, “We are using this game as a lesson to see what we need to focus on as a unit. Of course it’s not the way we wanted to enter the new season, but we are taking it as a lesson that needs to be learned and we are going to fix any mistakes, so next week we can come back even harder.”

In order to not become accustomed to this type of season opener, players said they feel it will be important for them to buckle down, create a gelling bond, and hit each opponent hard. Roosevelt fans will see if the boys will be up to the challenge as each fan sits back to see what this year on the green has in store for these guys in blue.