STEARNS — Oneida used big plays on special teams and multiple McCreary Central turnovers to beat an upstart Raiders team 14-0 here Friday night.

The Indians’ defense earned its second shutout in as many games this season, allowing Oneida to escape with a win on a night when its offense would not score until midway through the fourth quarter.

“McCreary County played us just as hard as they could play us,” Coach Jim Burchfield said. “They had some breaks that went against them a couple of times. We try to teach our kids that luck is luck, but the teams that play hard seem to have more of it, so we’ve just got to keep playing hard.”

Oneida did play hard, taking advantage of those lucky breaks that included a fumble into the endzone in the first quarter for the Indians’ first touchdown, and a fumble in the fourth quarter that set up the only offensive touchdown of the game.

Though Oneida was able to move the ball at times, the Indians’ offense struggled to put scoring drives together.

“McCreary County was big and physical,” Burchfield said. “Their linebackers probably outweighed us across the line at times. They were big kids and we had trouble moving them, so we know where we have to keep working.

“Anytime you see a big zero on their side of the scoreboard, you know you’ve done something right, but they did rip off some runs on us,” he said. “The second half we did contain the run better.”

McCreary Central finished with 100 yards on the ground and 164 yards of total offense, while the Indians finished with 158 rushing yards and 186 yards of total offense.

Adam Jeffers led Oneida with 76 yards on 18 carries. Jonathan Lewallen added 54 yards on 11 carries. Coty Younce picked up 16 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

The two teams exchanged punts for much of the first quarter, with neither team able to move the ball offensively. With 3:17 remaining in the opening period and Oneida facing a fourth-and-three from midfield, Zach Lambert banged the first of three 40-yard-plus punts on the evening. At first, it appeared that the punt would successfully pin the Raiders inside their 10-yard-line, but when the punt returner attempted to field the punt, he was hit by freshman Trey Allen and fumbled the ball into the endzone, where it was recovered by Travis Morgan, putting Oneida on top 7-0.

The two teams would exchange punts for much of the remainder of the half, including a 46-yard punt by Lambert on the Indians’ ensuing possession, backing the Raiders up to their three-yard-line.

That punt helped flip field position, giving Oneida an opportunity inside McCreary Central territory for the first time in the game. But after picking up their initial first down of the evening, the Indians saw the drive stall at McCreary Central’s 28-yard-line, and the ball went over on downs.

McCreary Central then used a series of big plays to move the ball deep into Oneida territory, setting up its first touchdown opportunity of the evening after picking up a first down at the Indians’ 17-yard-line.

On the ensuing play, however, the Raiders fumbled the ball, with Allen Hughett recovering at the 13-yard-line with 3:45 remaining in the first half.

The Indians began the second half by advancing the ball into McCreary Central territory after a fake punt netted 18 yards. Two plays later, however, Oneida fumbled the ball away to the Raiders, ending the scoring threat.

Oneida would get the ball back three plays later when Lambert intercepted a pass at midfield, and the Indians again advanced deep into McCreary Central territory. However, the drive again ended with a turnover, as a Younce pass was intercepted by the Raiders at their 18-yard-line.

As the fourth quarter began, Oneida took possession at its own 48-yard-line. The Indians used a 19-yard run by Jeffers to help advance the ball to the Raiders’ 28-yard-line before the drive stalled and the ball was turned over on downs. One play later, however, disaster struck for the Raiders, as a fumble was recovered by Lewallen. Six plays later, the Indians punched the ball into the endzone, with Younce scoring on a quarterback sneak from two yards out, putting his team up 14-0 with 9:20 remaining.

McCreary Central would have two more chances with the ball, but was unable to advance the ball against the Indians’ defense.

The Raiders were limited to just 29 yards of total offense in the second half.