ROCKINGHAM — Gracing the win column Monday, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ soccer team did so on one of the most important nights of the season.
Recording their second win of the campaign, and first since their season opener Aug. 12, the Raiders finished the first round of Sandhills Athletic Conference regular-season play with a victory.
Hosting Scotland High School, Richmond defeated its 3A rival 4-2. Three different players found the back of the net for the Raiders.
Ahead of the match, the coaching staff and team recognized its seven senior players on senior night. Those players were Noah Gil, Gonzalo Gonzalez, Daryan Mendez, Adrian Padron, Landon Summerlin and foreign exchange students Erik Reichert (Germany) and Gui Romero (Brazil).
PHOTOS: Click here to view a photo gallery of Monday’s senior night celebration.
An aggressive attack in the first half led to a 4-0 lead for the Raiders at halftime.
Gil was close a couple of times early on before he struck gold twice in a span of three minutes. His first goal was assisted by Summerlin, a blast in the box in the 16th minute.
With Richmond’s offense controlling the tempo for the majority of the opening 40 minutes, the Raiders kept the ball in their attacking third. Junior Memphis Jacobs created the next scoring opportunity, sending a shot on frame from the right side.
Jacobs’ tight-angled shot hit the keeper’s hands and bounced away, and there to collect the rebound, Gil slid and tapped the ball into the back of the net. His second tally made it 2-0 in the 19th minute.
Sophomore Daniel Gomez added to the lead in the 23rd minute on an assist from sophomore Patrick Smith. A pass into the keeper’s box by Smith was booted in by Gomez, who elevated the ball inside the right post.
The Raiders’ final score of the half was a top-shelf connection by Reichert. Junior Cayden Gillenwater made a run down the left line and cut into the middle of the field, pulling the defense with him.
He dropped the ball to Reichert, who used his right foot to take a touch and power a missile just under the crossbar from the top of the 18-yard box in the 30th minute to make it 4-0.
Padron’s highlight of the game came with just over four minutes left in the opening half. He stopped a penalty kick attempt by Ciro Velasco, timing his dive to his left side perfectly.
Head coach Chris Larsen said he was pleased with the way the Raiders played to build their lead, but explained the team lost its groove in the second half.
“First of all, I’m happy for the whole team, especially the seniors, for getting the win tonight,” Larsen said. “It’s been a while since we’ve been in the win column but that’s not because of a lack of trying or playing hard. The guys played our style of game in the first half and that created a lot of open looks on net that we were able to take advantage of tonight.
“I think we got a little too complacent in the second half and that’s what led to us not scoring any more goals,” he continued. “We got away from our type of play and that allowed the two goals. But I’m really proud of the guys because they stuck with it and we were able to rotate a lot of players into the game tonight.”
Scotland (2-6-2, 0-6 SAC) scored both of its goals in the second half, each one tallied in the final 17 minutes of regulation. One came on a penalty kick against junior goalkeeper Camden Williams.
Early in the second half, Williams made a move off his line and made what later proved to be a crucial sliding stop on a charging Dakota Locklear in the box.
The Raiders’ best looks on goal to add to their lead came from Gillenwater and Smith. On a rush, Gillenwater sent a ball on frame from the left side that hit the keeper’s hands and then the left post.
Smith created space in the closing minutes and drilled a shot attempt that unfortunately sailed right at the keeper. Gonzalez sent a free kick on a line that was just right up the upper ninety of the goal.
The Raiders (2-9-2, 1-3-2 SAC) will play two more home matches this week, starting with Southern Lee High School (12-1, 4-0 SAC) Wednesday.
Going against the current co-leader of the SAC standings, Richmond will begin the second round of regular-season conference play at 7 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: The Richmond junior varsity boys’ soccer team (6-4-2, 3-0-1 SAC) didn’t play Monday and will return to the field Wednesday at home against Southern Lee at 5:15 p.m.
