Junior quarterback Shavodrick Beaver is making sure that opposing defenses can't focus on the running game. Beaver has passed for 488 yards and six touchdowns.

The receivers have flourished as well. David Nelson and James Davis may have set the standard back in 2003 and 2004, but this year's group is emerging.

Chris Edmond already has four touchdown receptions among his 10 catches, while Eric Ward is averaging 101 yards and a touchdown per game. Ward added a 98-yard kickoff return to start a fourth-quarter scoring surge on Saturday.

"We are really excited with being able to make something happen in a hurry," Rider coach Scott Ponder said. "I couldn't be more proud of the guys."

"We were really happy with the way the kids hung in and responded to the adversity. I thought we were very poised and I'm excited about them being able to handle that situation. We were in a tough spot."

As for his quarterback, Ponder feels there has been a natural learning curve and "I think we're better than we were last year. We're being more productive."

Defensively, the Raiders credited linebacker James Chambers with an amazing 27 tackles, giving him 44 for the season. John Fisher added 12.

"James does a great job with his reads," Ponder said. "He is such a physical kid when he gets there, he can make some stuff happen."

A week after scoring 40 points, the Wichita Falls High School Coyotes learned what it's like to give up 50, losing to Everman 50-19.

WFHS coach Travis Pride is hoping his team deals with a setback better than it dealt with success. And although the 50 points look bad for a defense, Pride felt his offense didn't do its job, either.

"We just didn't play well," Pride said. "We'd have 10 guys who did it right and one do it wrong on a play, and it would be the guy who mattered where without that block, that catch or that throw, the play couldn't be successful."

The Coyotes (1-1) have two weeks to work out the kinks. Their next game is Sept. 21 at Burkburnett (2-0).

Pride hopes the reaction on the practice field is "that we still have goals to reach. Maybe we couldn't have handled the 2-0 success for two weeks."

"I think it's going to work out. It might be something that works to our advantage. Maybe they learned if they don't do it this way, (instead of their own way), that's what happens. We had a butt-whipping last year about three weeks from now. Maybe we got it out of the way.�

It was a 2-5 week for District 5-4A. Sherman was the only other winner besides Rider. The Bearcats (2-0) rode Waymon James' 177 yards and three TDs past Greenville, 24-6. James has 367 yards on the year, getting an early jump on an offensive player of the year campaign.

In other games, Denton Ryan quarterback Jay Catlin was injured in a 21-14 loss to Colleyville Heritage; Denison fell to Waxahachie, 21-14; Denton Guyer was blown out 42-13 by Little Elm; and McKinney North whipped Denton, 43-13.

Sherman quarterback Matt Rome (leg injury) joined Catlin as league QBs finishing the game on the sidelines.