Kent Roosevelt quarterback Yahntae Smith cuts back against the Ravenna defense during Friday’s game at Roosevelt Stadium. Debon Wright/Special to Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Just like so many that came before it, The Game came down to the final moments on Friday at Roosevelt Stadium in Kent.

It was the Rough Riders that emerged victorious, using a fourth-down touchdown run by quarterback Yahntae Smith in the third quarter to earn the win.

Now 110 years old, Ravenna now leads the all-time series 54-53-3.

Smith’s run came from inside the 1 with 11:33 on the third-quarter clock and was Roosevelt’s first lead of the game.

Ravenna assistant coach Brett Dubinsky (left) talks with quarterback CJ Ross.
Debon Wright/Special to Portage Sports

The two teams had battled scoreless in the first quarter, then Ravenna struck first on a 20-yard throw from quarterback CJ Ross to receiver Bryant Thompson. The connection came in the clutch on a fourth-and-7 situation for a 7-0 Ravens lead.

The score seemed to wake up the Riders.

The team’s offense had struggled to put together any sustained drives, but then authored an eight-play series that totaled 69 yards and the Riders’ first score.

Ke’Shan Talbert pushed across the goal line from the 1, following a 19-yard pass from Smith to Michael Shannon, to tie the score 7-7.

Smith then scored the go-ahead score early in the third quarter.

Smith finished the game with 157 yards passing and 39 yards rushing.

His top target was Jaiden Portis, who had three receptions for 77 yards.

It was the 39th game in the 110-year history that the final score was by eight points or less.

Roosevelt heads coach Kardell Jackson, a Rough Riders alumni, felt the excitement from his team’s triumph.

“It means a lot because of what the game is,” Jackson said. “I think the excitement with it being Week 1, you have something to look forward to all off-season when you’re working. I remember at the beginning of the summer or the end of the school year … we knew, we looked at it. There were 100 days until kickoff, and we talked about it over and over again.

“We always want to send our seniors out with that Big R Trophy,” Jackson added. “Our kids get to see and walk by it every day. It’s really huge and now we know it helps to build some confidence going into Week 2.”

Entering Friday’s game, the Ravens had won seven of The Game’s last 10 meetings. It was Roosevelt’s first back-to-back wins since winning three consecutive matchups in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Editor’s Note: Correspondent Lee Selzer Jr. contributed to this story.

Kent Roosevelt quarterback Yahntae Smith releases a pass.
Debon Wright/Special to Portage Sports