MERRY HILL – It was rude welcome back.

After a two-year absence, Lawrence Academy’s Robert Kravitz made a return to the sidelines as football coach of the Warriors Friday night here, but Southampton Academy was hardly in a welcoming mood.

The defending NC Independent Schools Athletic Association state champions smashed the Warriors on their own home field, 46-6.

The Warriors ran into a defensive buzz saw, managing only 41 yards of total offense.  They were totally shut down in the ground game with minus-15 yards rushing. Freshman quarterback Jarrett Harrell was the one offensive bright spot for Lawrence with 56 yards passing, including a touchdown.

The game started well for the home team as Southampton fumbled the opening kickoff and the Warriors’ Will Copeland recovered at the Raider 45. But three plays later, Lawrence had to punt.

Southampton started their drive on their own 31-yard line and went 69 yards in five plays, capped by a Paul Parker 13-yard touchdown run. Cameron Hines ran in the two-point conversion and the visitors had broken thru with an 8-0 lead with 5:21 left in the first quarter.

Lawrence started their next drive after the kickoff on their own 35 yard line but on the third play from scrimmage it was the Raiders’ Parker intercepting Jarrett Harrell and returning it 37 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. This time Nate Williams did the conversion run and it was 16-0, Southampton.

The Raiders scored once again in the first quarter and when the teams changed ends of the field the score was 24-0 in favor of the Virginians.

Southampton put two more touchdowns on the board and led it 38-0 when the teams headed to the locker room at halftime.

The Raiders opened the second half with another scoring drive and it was 46-0 with 8:44 to go in the third quarter.

Lawrence finally got on the scoreboard when Trey Styons called for a fair catch on a punt at his own 49 yard line but was leveled by a Raider defender who was flagged for a late hit. The Warriors got the ball on the Southampton 36 after the penalty.

Another penalty moved the ball to the Raider 31 before Logan Mizell ran it one yard to the 30. From there, Harrell threw a six-point strike to Styons for Lawrence’s only score of the night but the Warriors’ first touchdown of the year. The extra point pass attempt was no good, and the game ended with the Warriors avoiding the shutout.

Lawrence (0-1) hosts Arendell Parrott Academy of Kinston in Merry Hill next Friday night at 7:30.