RALEIGH — While blending in a a lot of new players, Athens Drive football coach Jeff Smouse saw a lot of things to be pleased with in Friday night's season-opening 21-14 nonconference win at Sanderson.

In the first half the Jaguars played stingy defense, junior running back Kyree Green broke loose for 174 yards, and junior quarterback Ben Snotherly tossed a pair of touchdown passes for a 14-0 lead. Also at halftime, Athens held a big advantage in yardage, 257-54.

Sanderson, playing its first game under new head coach Tony Lewis, played much better in the second half, rallying to tie the score at 14-14. This gave Smouse the opportunity to see his new squad perform with the game on the line. Again, he had to be pleased as defensive lineman Kelvin Mulebya recovered a fumble with 1:56 left in the game to set up a 61-yard game winning drive, with Green scoring the winning touchdown on a seven-yard run with 31 second to play in the game.

Green finished with 195 yards on the ground.

"No doubt, we made a lot of mistakes, which we can work on," Smouse said. "But we had to be pleased with the outcome. Sanderson fought back, but we didn't panic at the end and we ran our two minute drill very well. Ben hit a couple of big passes to Louis Wilder in the that final drive."

In the first half, Green did a lot of his running to left side, where huge transfer Rob Crisp (6-8, 303), an N.C. State commitment, played tackle.

Snotherly's touchdown passes covered 18 yards to Wilder and 24 yards to Ashton Rodgers.

Sanderson took advantage of a couple of short drives to tie the score 14-14 in the third period. Matt James scored on a 25-yard run and Chris Lampkins caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Sam Bauckham for the Spartans.

Senior safety transfer Peter Singer, another Wolfpack commitment, had two interceptions, one on the last play of the first half and the other on the Spartans's final play of the game.

Other newcomers who played well were linebacker Zack Bender, and defensive backs Willie Robertson and Walter Narasko, according to Smouse.

"Strong safety Borne Sanders had a couple of big sacks late in the game and [linebacker] Alphonso Rodriguez played his best," said Smouse, who also singled out defensive linemen Mulebya, Reed Gunter and veteran Anthony Sumter.

Athens will try to go 2-0 in nonconference games against the Cap Seven with a game at Enloe Friday.