ROCKINGHAM — A fast start by the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity football team would spark its second-straight win Thursday.
Sophomore kick returner Jamari Broady would take the opening kickoff the distance to the end zone for the first points of a 21-6 win over Hoke County High School. That play would set the tone for the Raiders, who overcame some mid-game miscues to improve to 4-2 on the season.
The Sandhills Athletic Conference matchup saw Richmond (3-1 SAC) score 14 first-half points before adding an insurance touchdown late. Freshman running back Brandon Askins spearheaded a strong rushing attack, and would be responsible for the other two scores.
“We got off to a good start when Broady returned the opening kick,” head coach Patrick Hope said. “That was something we talked about all week, that if we had a ball kicked directly to us and had the wedge set, Broady was going to score.”
It was Broady’s second kickoff return for a touchdown this season, the other coming at the start of the second half against Purnell Swett High School three weeks ago.
“Defensively, we played pretty well throughout the night, although we did let a couple of third downs get away from us,” Hope said. “We had a pick-six taken off the board because of a hit, but we did well enough to stay the course and get the win.”
The third-year head coach added it was a “tough day” because his players were “outside of their normal routine” with them not having school on Thursday.
Askins would add his first of two rushing scores in the first half, and freshman kicker Dylan Locklear made the second of his three point after attempts to give Richmond an eight-point halftime lead.
Much of the second half saw Richmond and Hoke County trade possessions until Askins took a handoff from quarterback Emoni McBride inside the three-yard line in the closing minute of the third quarter. Askins split left and barreled his way through a tackler and into the end zone. Locklear completed his trifecta of extra points for the final tally of the game.
Sophomore cornerback Cason Douglas would pick up two more interceptions on the season, one in each half, to improve his team-leading mark to six picks.
“Brandon is a spark and the guys believe in him,” Hope said. “We’ve seen the hard work he’s put in all preseason and when he was with the freshman team. He runs hard against our defense on scout team, so all of that experience has been relative for him and he’s made plays for us in the running game.
“We played well enough to win, but there are things we need to clean up to open up our game a little bit more,” he closed. “Give Hoke credit, they did a great job being prepared for us. It was a four-quarter game and our kids showed our depth and we had a lot of guys contribute.”
The JV Raiders will look to extend their winning streak when they travel to Lumberton High School next Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
