Andre Oglesby admitted last Friday night was kind of strange.

The Crescent Valley High junior had spent the week practicing, but the Raiders didn't have a game.

That's because after finishing second in the Mid-Willamette Conference, the Raiders received a first-round bye in the 5A football playoffs.

That week off from a game couldn't have come at a better time for a team that was coming off one of its most physical games of the season.

Had the Raiders been forced to play last Friday, several key players may not have been able to suit up.

"Yes, it was very beneficial," coach Scott Sanders said. "The guys were beat up against West Albany. It was good to rest their bodies for a whole week, they didn't practice at all."

The seventh-ranked Raiders should be in for another physical contest tonight when they take on No. 3 Sherwood at the Field of Dreams. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

"We've been having some good practices so I think we're ready for Sherwood," Oglesby said. "I think it's going to be a good game."

The Raiders come in at 8-2 with the two losses to No. 2 West Albany (9-1) and No. 6 Glencoe (9-2) - by a combined eight points.

That experience could be crucial tonight.

"They know that we're right there as far as competing with anybody in the state with the two losses to Glencoe and West Albany," Sanders said. "Sherwood's going to be right there with those two teams.

"They are looking forward to the challenge and I'm actually glad we played those two games and those two types of teams because they know now that we can play with them."

Sherwood (9-1) beat West Albany in the season opener, and it's only loss was against No. 1 Hillsboro.

The Raiders feel like they let one slip away against West Albany two weeks ago.

They committed six turnovers, including one as they were about to go in for a touchdown that could have put the Raiders up 21-20 in the third quarter.

"The turnovers hurt us," quarterback Grant Mattes said. "We had what, six, and we were still in that game. I think coming out against Sherwood we need to stick it to them, not have any turnovers, no mental mistakes and just stick it to them."

The Raiders had three muffed punts in the loss to the Bulldogs, an area they worked on extensively over the past two weeks.

"We've been out early catching punts and working on special teams," Sanders said. "And that was my fault (that) we didn't work on special teams as much as we should have and it came back to bite us with those muffed punts."

Added Spencer Franklin: "We definitely focused on the stuff that killed us in that game, kind of pinpointing it. We worked it out pretty well."

Despite the tough loss, the Raiders say playing West Albany just before the playoffs should be beneficial tonight.

"I think it was a perfect game to have right before the playoffs, especially with the bye," Mattes said. "I think it will get us prepared to face another physical team, another hard-hitting team. Sherwood is a team like West, hard-hitting, big, fast."

And if the Raiders didn't think they could be competitive before the West Albany game, they do now.

"I think we are (ready), I think we can really hang with anybody," Franklin said.

The feeling they had two weeks ago is one the Raiders don't want to forget.

"Coming off a hard loss we just have to stay humble and stay strong knowing that that feeling is always going to be in your memory and you don't want to feel that no more," Oglesby said. "We're going to come out ready to win."

The Raiders know it's not so much about Sherwood, but how they play.

"Everybody else has their thoughts of what might happen but only us on this team as a family, we've got to believe we can win," Oglesby said. "I think if we have faith and come out strong and just punch them in the mouth from the get-go, I think we will have a chance."