[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he lights are on, green helmets are shining, the crowd is rowdy and the boys of fall are back.  Week one brought a loss at the hands of the Shawnee Mission East Lancers.  Luck hasn’t been on the Raiders’ side against East, as the last two meetings have produced shutout victories for East.  Senior Gabe Guild was the leading rusher in the game, running for 139 yards on 27 carries.  Fumbles as well as a torrential downpour from Hurricane Isaac affected the Raiders however, and allowed East to escape with a comfortable 23-0 victory.

Though the Raiders started off on the wrong foot, head coach Ryan Lonergan believes that one loss will not get under their skin.

“We’ve put a whole year’s worth of work into this season and we’re taking it one game at a time.  The most important game is the next one,” Lonergan said.

Week two, however, brought a victory as the green machine steam rolled over Leavenworth 17-3.  The opening drive yielded a 44-yard field goal at the end of the first quarter.  Guild and senior Chaz Union contributed two more touchdowns, one being Union’s 45-yard fumble return.  The team looks to use this win as motivation for the future and a step in the right direction.

Upon looking at the sidelines at the games, one will notice fresh faces as seven new coaches were brought on the staff, including Lonergan’s father, Pat, and head varsity baseball coach Mitch Wiles.  These new additions to the team will bring a knowledge of what it takes to be a successful football team.

Returning standout Guild, seniors John Eric Kelley, Jon Prueter, Evan O’Brien and Jeramie Fischer will provide the veteran leadership for a team that is becoming increasingly younger.  After a lifetime of waiting, Prueter is now the starting quarterback.  Filled with anxiety and excitement, Prueter describes how important this year will be.

“What’s mainly going through my mind is excitement.  It’s what I have been thinking about ever since I started playing football. For me personally, I’m using my mom as inspiration and playing for her,” Prueter said.

Prueter’s mother, Kris Miner, was diagnosed with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL).  Her fight against the cancer serves as inspiration for Prueter, as well as the entire South community.

The student body has high expectations this year, expect to see sheer, raw emotion from the team each and every time they take the field, as they strive to institute a new tradition of success on the gridiron based around their team motto.

“The seniors chose the motto ‘Rise to the Top.’ They’ve put in the work, they want to be the cream that rises to the top and reach that point of excitement and satisfaction from achieving their goals,” Lonergan said.

Do not forget how close the Raiders were to a playoff berth last season.  Sunflower League rules stipulate that if a team wins two of the last three games, they clinch a playoff berth.  Currently 1-1, the Raiders are showing signs of growth and maturity, leading fans to believe that they can become contenders.

“As a team, we can do something that hasn’t been done at South in a long time and start a tradition for years to come.  That is our inspiration,” Prueter said.

Between having multiple state championship winning coaches on staff, a strong core of seniors, and support from the Raider faithful, expect the Green Machine to put themselves in contention and make a run towards the playoffs.