Mitch Worthington
For the Times Record News
MIDLAND, Texas -- With all the turnovers the Midland Lee and Rider football teams caused --and committed -- in Week 0 victories, it looked like turnovers would be the key to Saturday's meeting between the two.
Apparently, just plain stopping somebody mattered a bit more.
Rider committed five turnovers to Lee's one, but the Raiders also scored three touchdowns of 50 or more yards in the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind 42-35 win over the Lee Rebels at Grande Communications Stadium.
For Rider, the win avenges last year's loss, when the Rebels went to Wichita Falls and topped the Raiders 20-13.
"(Lee) has a great ballclub," Rider coach Scott Ponder said. "This game was everything I expected. They're strong and solid. I can't believe we pulled it out."
Rider, ranked fifth in Class 4A, turned the ball over four times in the first half. The first three turnovers, a fumble and two interceptions, set up Lee scores, which allowed the Rebels to take a 28-7 lead with three minutes to go.
Rider fumbled it back to the Rebels again, but the Raiders forced a three-and-out and scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Shavodrick Beaver to Chris Edmond 44 seconds before halftime to cut the lead to 14.
Rider really turned up the pressure on both sides of the ball in the second half, forcing Lee to go three-and-out five times. Rider fumbled the ball away again, but again forced a three-and-out, negating the turnover.
Lee scored early in the fourth to take a 35-21 lead, but Rider saved its big-play explosion for the end of the game. Eric Ward returned the ensuing kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown to get that score right back.
Less than two minutes later, Ward caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Beaver to tie the score, and Beaver hit Edmond for a 50-yard score to give Rider the lead.
Lee drove down the field but failed to convert on fourth-and-goal from Rider's seven-yard line and Rider knelt twice to end the game.
Beaver finished with a whopping 331 yards on 18-of-28 passing and four touchdowns. Ward (155) and Edmond (101) each broke the century mark in receiving yardage. Damien Washington, playing this week after sitting out last week's win over Wolfforth Frenship, had 44 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
Rider (2-0) faces Stephenville at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Rider 42, Midland Lee 35
Rider Midland Lee
First Downs 18 19
Rushes-yards 27-75 38-55
Passing-yards 331 263
Comp-Att-Int 18-28-2 19-33-1
Punts 3-35 7-37.1
Fumbles-lost 3-3 4-0
Penalties-yards 6-57 8-49

Rider 7 7 7 21--42
Stephenville 14 14 0 7--35
First Quarter
R -- Damien Washington 3 run (Reid Barnett kick), 5:07
L - Nick Salois 1 run (Zach Starnes kick), 1:18
L - Corey Petro 8 pass from Jason Nash (Starnes kick), 0:27
Second Quarter
L - Petro 3 run (Starnes kick), 8:44
L - Petro 1 run (Starnes kick), 4:09
R - Chris Edmond 10 pass from Shavodrick Beaver (Joey Neale kick), 0:44
Third Quarter
R - Edmond 24 pass from Beaver (Neale kick), 8:08
Fourth Quarter
L - Petro 24 pass from Nash (Starnes kick), 9:48
R - Eric Ward 98 kick return (Neale kick), 9:35
R - Ward 75 pass from Beaver (Neale kick), 7:59
R - Edmond 50 pass from Beaver (Neale kick), 2:37
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Rider, Jurell Thompson 6-26, Damien Washington 9-44, Shavodrick Beaver 10-24, Will Toliver 1-(-6). Lee, Jarven Roberson 2-12, Jason Nash 7-(-2), Amiuel Carr 18-40, Nick Salois 2-3, James Wiley 1-0, Corey Petro 6-5, Team 1-(-1), Austin Jumper 1-(-2).
PASSING -- Rider, Beaver 18-28-2-331. Lee, Nash 19-33-1-263.
RECEIVING -- Rider, Chris Edmond 6-101, Eric Ward 5-155, Washington 7-70. Lee, Petro 6-87, Carr 5-4, Micah Burditt 2-49, Kendrick Fuller 4-55, Jumper 1-19, Roberson 1-19.