ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School girls’ junior varsity soccer team had a “pretty strong season,” according to first-year head coach Tad Hamilton.
The JV Lady Raiders put together a solid spring campaign, going 12-1 overall and notching a second-place finish in the Sandhills Athletic Conference standings. Their only loss on the season came to conference winner Pinecrest High School.
To begin the season, Richmond started on an eight-game winning streak. Following a 6-0 loss to the Lady Patriots on April 3, Hamilton’s team bounced back and won its final four games.
Perhaps most impressive was the team’s string of shutouts, as the six goals allowed to Pinecrest were the only goals allowed all season. Freshman goalkeeper Jai’Maya Ratliff started between the posts for Richmond, and recorded 12 shutouts in the team’s 13 total games.
“I can’t complain too much about our 12-1 record, and I feel like we were able to create a strong defensive backline that resulted in numerous shutouts,” Hamilton said of his team’s success. “Learning how to move and stay organized as a unit was challenging at first, but I feel like we figured it out after the first few games.
“The one loss we suffered to Pinecrest was a tough loss, but we knew going into the game that it would be the biggest challenge of the season for us,” he added.
In the 12 games they did score, the Lady Raiders averaged 4.92 goals per contest. Richmond scored four or more goals in nine games, and scored a season-high nine goals twice. The Lady Raiders blanked SAC opponents Hoke County and Scotland high schools 9-0.
Leading the scoring charge for Richmond were a pair of freshmen and a sophomore, all of whom recorded over 10 goals this season. They were freshmen Paxlee Faircloth and Talayeh Covington and sophomore Alma Lopez.
“Paxlee and Talayeh provided consistent hustle and offensive firepower at their respective positions throughout the season,” Hamilton said. “Alma, a bit of a late bloomer, really started to rack up the goals toward the end of the season.
“Shelly Hoffman, Crimson Singletary and Katelyn Millen all provided endless hard tackles and hustle that kept our midfield and defense strong and organized,” he added. “I honestly wish I could mention every girl on the team. We played and needed everyone this season to be successful.”
Hamilton added that Faircloth did a “great job” as the team’s designated penalty kicker, and Singletary “made some nice free kicks.” He also noted sophomore Alena Craddock, who “scored a few quick shots from being in the right place at the right time.”
While the Lady Raiders enjoyed winning 12 of their 13 games, it was the lone loss on the season that defined the spring campaign for Hamilton. He explained that the loss reminded his team to “stay humble and hungry,” and that there is “another level of play” the Lady Raiders can reach in the future.
Another bright spot on the year was defeating non-conference Union Pines High School 7-0 on the road. Hamilton said these moments “allowed the girls to see their improvement and the product of their hard work.”
With his first season of coaching at Richmond in the books, Hamilton, who played at Belmont Abbey College, explained that his biggest takeaways were getting his program to buy into the ideas of responsibility and accountability. It’s the same philosophy varsity head coach Chris Larsen used to see his team make it to the second round of the NCHSAA 4A state playoffs this season.
“Going into next season, I will preach these concepts and do my best to get everyone to buy in to the idea of giving it her all every day,” Hamilton said. “Whether it’s carrying gear to the field or being the ball girl for a varsity game, I want the girls to realize that great teams are rooted in a positive sense of responsibility and accountability.
“From that, It carries over to the field and our game performances,” he closed. “I want them to go beyond the average expectations they set for themselves and be exceptional. Many of them have the potential to grow into very talented and capable varsity players.”
