ROCKINGHAM — A big part of the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity football team’s identity this season has been resiliency as a second-half team.
The JV Raiders did it again on Wednesday, rallying in the final two quarters to defeat rival Scotland High School to win the 2021 Sandhills Athletic Conference championship.
Handing the JV Fighting Scots their first loss of the season, the JV Raiders overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to win 27-24.
Sophomore linebacker Lareese Swinnie scored the eventual championship-winning touchdown when he ripped the ball out of running back Zay Jones’ hands along the near sideline.
Jones was stacked up by a couple of tacklers when Swinnie tore the ball loose at the 30-yard line and raced into the end zone.
Freshman quarterback Dillon Veach converted the team’s only successful two-point conversion of the game to put the JV Raiders up 27-24 with 2:39 to play in the fourth quarter.
On Scotland’s ensuing drive, freshman linebacker K’Mauri Morgan sealed the conference championship by catching a tipped pass off the hands of intended receiver Quatavius Everette.
Intercepting the pass near midfield, Morgan ran the ball back to the Scotland 2-yard line, allowing the Richmond offense to take a knee and run out the remaining 1:07.
Head coach Patrick Hope said the defense shutting out Scotland in the second half, coupled with two splash plays in the final three minutes was the difference maker.
“The defense being able to bail us out of bad situations that we put them in offensively really helped us tonight,” Hope said. “We had a lot of turnovers early, and a couple late, that could have affected us. But our defense held strong.
“We felt like if Scotland had to drive the length of the field, they couldn’t do it against us,” he added. “With Lareese and K’Mauri getting those turnovers in the last three minutes, that was awesome.”
Sophomore Lareese Swinnie, who had two fumble recoveries and two sacks, tackles Corheim Hasty (20) in the first half. (Layne Maultsby/Special to The Richmond Observer)
Richmond fumbled the opening kickoff, setting up a 17-yard passing touchdown from quarterback Ji’San McPhatter to wide receiver Britt Lowe. Jones added the two-point conversion on the ground to put the JV Scots up 8-0 with 9:50 left in the first quarter.
The JV Raiders responded on their next drive, going 73 yards to pull within a point. A 25-yard run by sophomore running back Jaliel Green moved the ball into the red zone and Veach threw the first of his three passing scores two plays later.
Freshman wide receiver Raymond Knotts hauled in a 14-yard touchdown catch from Veach over a defender in the back right corner of the end zone. Freshman kicker Billy West split the uprights to make it an 8-7 game with 6:02 to play in the opening frame.
McPhatter threw an interception on the next drive for Scotland, as sophomore safety Jamison Jones picked the ball off in the middle of the field. Going 42 yards to the end zone, the pick-six was called back on a penalty.
Sophomore safety Jamison Jones (3) returns his interception in the first quarter. (Layne Maultsby/Special to The Richmond Observer)
Scotland would extend its lead near the end of the second quarter when McPhatter hit Everette on a 23-yard passing score. The two-point conversion was good to put the JV Scots up 16-7.
Following a Richmond fumble on the next drive, which was recovered by Scotland, the visiting team jumped ahead 24-7. McPhatter connected this time with Dylan Callahan on a 5-yard pass and Zay Jones added the two-point play on the ground.
Swinnie added to his impressive night with a fumble recovery deep in Scotland’s zone after a Richmond interception. Closing the deficit before the half, Veach laced a 19-yard passing score to sophomore wide receiver Tristian Wall.
The conversion attempt was no good, but Richmond trailed 24-11 with 36.9 seconds left before the half.
On Scotland’s third play to start the third quarter, freshman cornerback Jarah Cook intercepted a McPhatter pass, one of five total turnovers by the Richmond defense. Down at the Richmond 35-yard line, the pick set up another score.
After moving the ball down the field with a series of Veach completions, sophomore wide receiver Linden Garcia broke into open space in the end zone to catch a 27-yard touchdown pass.
The conversion was no good, but the JV Raiders cut their deficit to 24-19 with 7:14 to play in the third.
Sophomore wide receiver Linden Garcia smiles following his touchdown catch in the second half. (Layne Maultsby/Special to The Richmond Observer)
On Scotland’s next two offensive drives, Swinnie recorded a pair of third-down sacks to force punts. Although the JV Raiders didn’t score on either ensuing drive, West pinned the JV Scots deep with a punt that rolled to the Scotland 23-yard line.
The Richmond offense looked like it was going to capitalize on a drive late in the fourth quarter, but it stalled at the Scotland 26-yard line when an incompletion turned it over on downs with 4:29 remaining in regulation.
That failed drive set up the game-winning strip fumble by Swinnie and the interception by Morgan.
“One thing the kids did at the beginning of the year was write down goals, and I’d ask them if a goal was to win a conference championship, and everyone would raise his hand,” Hope said. “The win against Overhills was the turning point where we saw it on the scoreboard and we knew if we kept doing this, a conference championship could happen.
“The guys learned the hard way this season. This isn’t one of the most dominant teams I’ve coached, but it’s definitely been one of the most fun in terms of watching them figure it out.”
Freshman quarterback Dillon Veach (8), who threw three touchdowns in the win over Scotland, scores a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. (Layne Maultsby/Special to The Richmond Observer)
The JV Raiders finished their season with a 5-3 overall record, having won five straight games after starting the year with three losses. Richmond went a perfect 4-0 against conference opponents to win the SAC title outright.
“A big shout out to my coaches,” Hope closed. “It’s been different being the head JV coach and being the varsity running backs coach. When I’m up with varsity, the other coaches have picked up the slack.
“I’m very thankful for them, and thankful to Coach (Bryan) Till for the opportunity to be a part of both teams. It was good to get this team out of its COVID slump and back to another conference championship.”
