WHITE OAK — Someone forgot to tell the White Oak Roughnecks that with only three returning starters, this was to be a rebuilding year, and the Redwater Dragons took a beating, 35-13.

The game got off to a fast start with both teams scoring touchdowns within the first six minutes. White Oak set up on its own 49-yard line following a short kick and nice return by Logan Rowe. The Roughnecks covered the 51 yards in nine plays with a combination of passing and running.

A pass interference call in the end zone against the Dragons gave the ball to the Roughnecks on the two yard line. On their second attempt, halfback Zach Rowe drove the middle for the touchdown and Jack Rogers kicked the PAT with 9:59 remaining the opening quarter.

Redwater answered two minutes later. On their second play, the Dragons’ Nick Anderson rounded the left side, cut through traffic and made it to the one yard line before Rogers caught him from behind. Anderson got the touchdown on the next play and Tyler Yellvington kicked the PAT to knot the score at 7-7.

The Roughnecks took the ensuing kickoff and set up on their 45 yard line courtesy of a penalty for the kick being out of bounds. They worked their way to the Redwater 30 yard line when the game was officially delayed because of lightning strikes at 6:19 in the quarter.

The game resumed after an hour delay with the ‘Necks set up again on the Redwater 30 yard line and kicked their game into high gear.

Fans tardy in returning to their seats missed the last lightning strike of the night when quarterback Cordelle Smith launched a strike to Logan Rowe that covered the thirty yards and lit up the scoreboard for six. Rogers again kicked true and the ‘Necks were up 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.