Raiders roll to season-opening win
Published 2:03 am Saturday, August 22, 2026
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Warren East’s Azzarrious Douglas (5) hurdles Ohio County’s Brantley Hall (7). The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Zatrayvion McMillian-Cofer (2) carries the ball. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Brandon McCluskey (12) takes the snap. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Raiders’ head coach Jason Foley (left) talks to Warren East’s Brandon McCluskey (12) during a timeout. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Raiders head coach Jason Foley talks ti is offense. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Brandon McCluskey (12) fires off a pass. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Ohio County’s Braxton Ashby (12) intercepts a tipped pass. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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A swarm of Raider defenders take down Ohio County’s Elijah Warren (10).The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Mario Serna (22) tackles Ohio County punter JJ Pacheo after a muffed punt. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Brandon McCluskey (12) carries the ball. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Brandon McCluskey (12) carries the ball for a touchdown. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Azzarrious Douglas (5) leaps over Owensboro Catholic’s Drew Miles (1) to go on a score a touchdown. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Azzarrious Douglas (5) stretches the ball across the goal line for a touchdown. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Azzarrious Douglas (5) and Warren East’s Zatrayvion McMillian-Cofer (2) celebrate. The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
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Warren East’s Gideon Robbins (8) takes down Ohio County’s Cason McLean (5). The Warren East Raiders defeated the visiting Ohio County Eagles Saturday, August. 22, 2026 at Warren East High School. (Joe Imel/Daily News)
(Joe Imel/Daily News)
A pair of highlight-reel plays by junior wide receiver Azzarrious Douglas combined with a smothering performance by the defense provided more than enough structure to ensure new Warren East football coach Jason Foley enjoyed a successful debut Friday night against Ohio County in the J Allen Builders Bowl.
Douglas tallied two touchdown catches and the Raiders defense held the Eagles to negative total yardage (-1) for the game to secure a running-clock victory in the season debut at Warren East. The shutout win already has the Raiders halfway to last season’s two-win total.
“It was good our kids, good for our community, it’s good for Raider Nation,” Foley said. “We’ve had a lot of turmoil in the past and it’s just good to get things settled and get some confidence for the boys. They were having fun and it was good to see a great crowd out here supporting us.”
Douglas earned game most valuable player honors after tallying four catches — all more than 10 yards — for 141 yards and two scores. He showed off his skills both as a sure-handed receiver and a dangerous runner on his two touchdown catches.
With Warren East (1-0) already up 7-0 after quarterback Brandon McCluskey’s 3-yard touchdown run, the Raiders forced another Eagles punt and immediately doubled their lead. McCluskey found Douglas sprinting down the right sideline in single coverage and lofted a deep ball. Douglas went up and over his defender and pulled in the catch for a 32-yard touchdown reception.
“I told my quarterback to give me some chances and he gave me a chance, and I went and grabbed it,” Douglas said.
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Douglas struck again in the second quarter by turning a simple screen pass into a 76-yard touchdown catch. McCluskey found him for a quick hitter and Douglas did the rest, turning inside and down the middle before sprinting to the sideline and outracing the Ohio County defense to give his team a 21-0 lead with 3:54 left in the first half.
“Explosive playmaker — he can make plays downfield or you can hand it to him and get it to him quickly and he’s dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands,” Foley said of Douglas. “He’s definitely a weapon for us that we’ve got to look forward to utilizing throughout the season.”
Warren East’s defense made life difficult for the Eagles all night, forcing four fumbles and recovering two while sacking Ohio County quarterback Cason McLean five times.
Leading 21-0 at halftime, the Raiders forced yet another three-and-out by the Eagles to open the second half, then marched 54 yard down the field with a six-play drive capped by running back Za’Trayvion McMillian-Cofer’s 1-yard touchdown run.
The Raiders got the KHSAA-mandated running clock going early in the fourth quarter with another scoring drive ended with McMillian-Cofer’s second 1-yard touchdown run. Place-kicker Merci Floribert hit the point-after attempt to increase the lead to 35 and get the clock rolling with 10:02 to play. Floribert was a perfect 5-of-5 on PATs.
McCluskey finished 6-of-12 passing for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns, plus had a rushing touchdown.
The two teams combined for 24 penalties, with East getting flagged 14 times for 110 yards. That slowed the offense, but the defense more than picked up the slack.
“We played good all in the preseason through our scrimmages defensively,” Foley said. “I feel like the kids are really catching on about our scheme. We’ve got a lot of good team speed and we really fly to the football well.”
The Raiders are back in action Aug. 28 at home against cross-town rival Greenwood.
OCHS 0 0 0 0 — 0
WEHS 14 7 7 7 — 35
First quarter
WEHS — Brandon McCluskey 3 run (Merci Floribert kick), 4:24
WEHS — Azzarious Douglas 32 pass from McCluskey (Floribert kick), 2:07
Second quarter
WEHS — Douglas 76 pass from McCluskey (Floribert kick), 3:54
Third quarter
WEHS — Za’Trayvion McMillian-Cofer 1 run (Floribert kick), 6:32
Fourth quarter
WEHS — McMillian-Cofer 1 run (Floribert kick), 10:02
About Jeff Nations
Sports Editor, Bowling Green Daily News
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