Despite trailing 16-8 in the second quarter and allowing two kickoff returns for touchdowns, Southampton Academy rallied to drop Hampton Christian 40-22 in the season opener for both schools.

Things didn’t look good when Hampton Christian’s Robert Thomas took the opening kickoff and ran 75 yards for a touchdown to go up 7-0.

After Southampton Academy quarterback Wesley Barns threw an interception, HC took a 10-0 lead with 1:32 to play in the first quarter on a 37-yard field goal by Ryan Burrows.

With 10:03 left in the second quarter, the Raiders got on the board when Jacob Rose scored on a 1-yard run and David Bogese ran in the 2-point conversion to cut the HC lead to 10-8.

Hampton Christian came right back and scored just two minutes later when Randall Hammond threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Robert Thomas for a 16-8 lead.

Later in the first half, Bogese intercepted a pass and ran 20 yards for a touchdown. He tied the game at 16-16 with the 2-point conversion run.

Then, SA had a key defensive stand at the end of the first half that turned the tide of the game. Hampton Christian had the ball at the SA 4 and did not score on four plays and gave up the ball with 12 seconds to play in the half.

“That was a big series in the game. Instead of them going up at the half, we went in tied and and getting the ball in the second half,” said SA head coach Dale Marks.

The Raiders opened the second half with a 15-play drive and took the lead for good when Bogese scored from three yards out and ran the 2-point conversion to put his team up 24-16.

Another kickoff return for a touchdown by the Warriors made Marks’ blood boil, but Southampton Academy was able to pick up two more touchdowns. Bogese, who rushed for 226 yards on 26 carries, scored from 3 yards out and John Hinkle scored from 7 yards out in the fourth quarter.

“David did a good job. His vision was good. He had several cut-back runs. We ran the ball and they had a hard time stopping us,” Marks said.

The Raiders had 375 yards of rushing.

Southampton Academy hosts Broadwater Academy Friday at 7 p.m.