After struggling for years to attain even so much as relevance, Carrick's return as a contender has coincided with what Raiders coach Jeff McCafferty said is the team finally getting enough athletes to compete with the best in the City League.

"Carrick has more athletes this season than in any of the past 10 seasons," McCafferty said this summer after the school posted its first winning record in football last fall since 1983 and appeared in the City League playoffs for the first time in 20 years.

It didn't take long for the Raiders to prove their coach correct. In a season-opening 35-30 victory against Peabody Saturday, Carrick showed its athleticism at the skill positions by way of two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a handful of other big plays, getting contributions from several skill position players.

"I think we're better than last year. We have more talent and more speed and more athleticism," said junior Ryan Roeper, the team's starting quarterback.

"I think we can contend for a championship. I think we can contend with Brashear and the other City League teams. I think we have the most talent overall as a team."

Roeper, a converted tight end, threw a touchdown pass, ran for a two-point conversion and passed for another two-point conversion.

Also, senior fullback Sam Banks rushed for two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Bruce Thorton had a touchdown reception and returned a kick 85 yards for a touchdown, and senior running back Ray Seskey had a 77-yard kickoff return to go with his 18 carries for 146 yards.

The kickoff returns were not a coincidence, said McCafferty, who noted the Raiders spend practice time on every special team during every practice.

"They saved the game for us there," Roeper said of the returns of Thorton and Seskey.

At 6 feet 4, 180 pounds with blazing speed, McCafferty said Thorton might be one of the City League's best-kept secrets. He was second on the team in receiving last season and flashed his big-play ability with seven interceptions on defense, three returned for touchdowns.

"He's really a kid coaches in the city are aware of, but I don't think anyone else is," McCafferty said. "We had James Jett last year, who had 52 catches, but I knew I had Bruce coming back. Bruce has Division I talent ... He's a heck of a football player."

Seskey is well on his way to being the Raiders' leading rusher for each of his four seasons on the team. At 5 feet 8, 165 pounds, he had 15 touchdowns and scored 98 points last season.

"He's a real tough kid," McCafferty said. "He's not a big kid, but he's been our primary weapon for three years now. He's 165 pounds but he thinks he's 250. He looks to run people over. I think he'd have even more yards if he didn't try to run everyone over.

"But his kick return against Peabody, it looked like he was shot out of a cannon. Peabody has some fast kids, too, so that shows you how fast [Seskey] is."

Perhaps the most interesting tale of the Raiders' offensive weapons is Roeper, who had to be talked in to becoming a quarterback. A tight end/linebacker through his first two seasons, Carrick tabbed him to replace Mike Szoszorek, who passed for more than 1,700 yards last season.

"At first, I didn't really want to [switch], but the coaches talked to me about it and said it would be the best thing for the team," Roeper said. "It ended up being easy after a while."

McCafferty was impressed with what he saw out of this 6-2, 180-pound first-time varsity starter at quarterback.

"I was nervous," Roeper said, "but we started out so well with three rushes for about 60 yards and a touchdown. I was able to calm down after it started off so well."

McCafferty credited offensive coordinator Matt Lang for helping make the transition smooth. Lang is part of a deep and veteran coaching staff that McCafferty is proud of and believes is a big reason for the Raiders' recent success. He called the collection of experienced assistants "unheard of" for a City League team.

The rest of the staff consistys of assistant head coach Bernie Switala, defensive coordinator Dennis Bigg, line coach Ed Robinson, backfield coach Dick Donnelly, receivers and defensive backs coach Will Jones, line coach Joe Villiani, line coach Jon Grainger.

"If we have success this year, I would say the impact of the assistant coaching staff that has been assembled will be as significant as almost anything except for the things the kids do themselves," McCafferty said.

"Ultimately, the kids are the ones who are playing and you need good players and good athletes if you want to be successful, but the assistant coaches have done a terrific job this year. They've revolutionized what we're doing, making an impact on offense, defense and special teams."

"The coaches really have helped, especially the line with their blocking schemes," Roeper said. "That helped a lot in that last game."

The coaches are combining with the players to restore the pride into a Carrick program that had fallen on hard times. While Brashear is the favorite to win the City League this season, Carrick figures to be in the hunt along with the likes of Perry and Allderdice.

The Raiders play the Dragons tomorrow night at 7:30 at Cupples Stadium.

"I think we're getting a fan following," Roeper said. "Especially if we go out and beat Allderdice this week. I think we can go all the way this year."