Ashton Waters’ seven-yard pass to Kameron Williams with 7:27 to play in the game paid off for an 18-12 Miller Grove Wolverines’ victory over the Redan Raiders in the both teams’ season opener at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night.

New Miller Grove Wolverines Head Coach Lee Hannah rolled the dice on fourth and six at the Redan seven-yard line calling for the crossing pattern to Williams.

Waters dropped back and then found Williams coming across the middle of the field at the goal line for the game winner.

The game had been a back-and-forth affair throughout since the opening kickoff return of 83 yards by Miller Grove’s Shawn Collins started the game off with a lighting strike as thunder storms moved through the area.

Collins electrifying run up the right hash after field the ball at his own 17 involved a pair of broken tackles and out running a final Redan defender into the end zone for the early 6-0 lead with 11:46 still remaining in the first quarter. The point after try failed.

New Redan skipper Keldrick Dunn’s offense came out firing on all cylinders marching on the arm and legs of quarterback Dennis Roberson to a first and goal as the Miller Grove two-yard line.

The Wolverine defense stiffened at that point with the aid of an illegal procedure call on Redan that helped set up a fourth and four for the Raiders. Dunn tried to answer with a big fourth down game of his own, but the Wolverines stopped the Raiders at the three to force a turnover on downs.

Quardaris Laney ended the Wolverines’ drive with an interception at the Raiders’ 49-yard line, but the Wolverines would force a punt and begin a drive from their own 15 to the Redan 11.

Facing third and 9 at that point a tipped pass up front by the Raider defense was snatched out of the air by defensive back Jeffery Bassett about five yards deep in the end zone. Bassett saw a wide-open sideline to his right and turned up field racing 100 yards for the game-tying score with 6:17 left in the first half.

Miller Grove (1-0) would punt on the ensuing possession, but recovered a fumble at the Redan 29 with 2:17 to play. It took only one play for the Wolverines to convert as Jahdiel Oldfield went off tackle to his left and cut back up the middle of the field on the way to a 29-yard touchdown run to put Miller Grove back ahead 12-6 at the half.

Redan came out quickly in the second half as Jaquez Williams returned the second half kickoff 27 yards to the Redan 47 to set up a four-play, 53-yard scoring drive.

Jaques Williams got into the action on the first play of the second half by taking a middle screen pass from Roberson 22 yards to the Miller Grove 31. Roberson followed with a 15-yard passing connection to Christian Riley and an 11-yard keeper down to the Miller Grove five.

Roberson got around the left end and into the end zone from that point to knot the game at 12-12 with 9:50 left in the third period.

Redan looked to be on a roll in the third as the defense forced Miller Grove to punt and the offense began moving down the field from its own 28. Roberson was again the catalyst as his 20-yard scramble out of a circle of Miller Grove defenders and a 20-yard completion to Nicholas Dumas had the ball at the Wolverines’ 31.

Miller Grove’s Chris Black came up with a big sack for an eight-yard loss on second and 12 to put the Raiders in a third and goal at the 20. Jamaal Roach made one of the biggest plays of the game for the Wolverines by stepping in front of a Redan pass for an interception in the end zone to cut short the Redan scoring threat.

The Wolverines would then go on the game-winning drive that ran 8:25 off the game clock as the touchdown pass put them in the lead once again.

Redan would go four and out on its next possession and Miller Grove would run out the final 5:27 to seal the win.

Oldfield rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries while Waters added 73 yards on seven carries and the game-winning touchdown pass to Williams.

Redan’s Jaques Williams rushed for 65 yards and Roberson finished with 47 yards and a touchdown to lead the Raiders (0-1). Redan plays host to Lithonia (1-0), 26-24 winner over Forest Park last Friday, in a 7:30 pm contest at Godfrey Stadium on Friday.