ROCKINGHAM — Lots of laughs and several touchdowns were shared during Richmond Senior High School’s Powder Puff football game on Wednesday.
Returning for the first time in three years, the senior Class of 2022 battled the junior Class of 2023 in the latest edition of the spring gridiron classic.
The game, which was sponsored by Richmond’s senior senate, was held for over 10 years prior to taking a hiatus due to the pandemic.
Jude Howard, president of senate, explained part of the proceeds from the game will go to the Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center. He also said the game was a good way for students to create another high school memory.
Donning jerseys with quirky nicknames, dozens of Lady Raider students and student-athletes played for bragging rights.
The seniors, coached by classmates Gabe Altman, Braxton Butler, Justin Colon and Kelay Lindsey, defeated the juniors 44-38 in a game that came down to the last possession.
Coaching the class of 2023 were Brandon Askins, Joey Cook, Jeffery Linton and Emoni McBride.
Both classes brought a lot of fight to the field, playing four 8-minute quarters following a flag football format.
Each team started at its own 20-yard line (of a 60-yard field), and had four attempts to reach a first down of 20 yards to extend the drive. If unsuccessful, the drive resulted in a turnover on downs or a punt.
The Juniors started the game with a touchdown on their opening drive, a third-down run by quarterback Le’Asia Smith. The two-point conversion was no good but the Juniors led 6-0 with 5:26 to play in the first.
Three plays into their first drive, the Seniors scored when Allyiah Swiney ran almost the length of the field. She spun out of a tackle attempt by Christi Jacobs before running inside the left edge of the end zone.
Miccah Wall caught the two-point conversion from Swiney on a flea flicker to make it an 8-6 advantage at the end of the first.
The Class of 2023 retook the lead on the next drive, using a long run by Nyla Stroman down the right sideline. She broke a tackle attempt by Talayeh Covington, and following another unsuccessful conversion, the Juniors led 12-8 early in the second quarter.
Junior Nyla Stroman (with football) scores one of her multiple touchdowns. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Katie Way picked off a Frye pass attempt in the closing seconds of the half to stall a Senior drive down the field and send the game into halftime. It was the only turnover of the game.
The high-scoring second half started with the Seniors scoring two plays into their opening drive, a 40-yard sprint by Lexi Watson. Stroman knocked away the two-point pass, but the Seniors regained the lead 14-12.
Just two plays into their drive, the Juniors scored when Stroman pulled in a touchdown pass from quarterback Quston Leviner. Catching the ball over the middle, Stroman burst down the sideline to score. She also converted the two-point play to make it a 20-14 lead.
On third down on their next drive, the Seniors pitched right to Covington, who rounded the edge for a score. Swiney ran in the conversion and again the Seniors made the lead change with 1:35 left in the third.
The Juniors’ final lead of the game came on the first play of the ensuing drive, a 40-yard strike from Leviner to Jacobs. Catching the ball along the left sideline, Jacobs turned up field and sprinted into the end zone.
After a failed conversion, the Class of 2023 led 26-22 with 43.2 seconds left in the third.
Another long Watson rushing touchdown (and a Swiney conversion), coupled with a safety on a fumble in the end zone by the juniors and a 25-yard rushing scoring from Covington, gave the Seniors a 38-26 advantage.
Senior Talayeh Covington (7) scores on a 25-yard run late in the game. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Stroman helped the Juniors get back in the game with a long touchdown run on the next drive. Senior Jenna McRae made a stop on the two-point attempt, beating Stroman to the left edge to pull her flag and maintain a six-point lead.
One more short-distanced touchdown run by Swiney in the final two minutes was enough to put the Seniors ahead for good.
Stroman capped the game’s scoring with another touchdown run for the Juniors, but the Seniors ran out the final 24 seconds to earn bragging rights.
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Seniors Lexi Watson and Talayeh Covington
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Coaches Kelay Lindsey and Braxton Butler
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Seniors Jenna McRae and Kirsten McDonald
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Senate president and PA announcer Jude Howard
