ROCKINGHAM – What has been a record-breaking season for the Richmond Senior High School Lady Raiders soccer team now concludes with an exclamation point as six players were named to the All-Sandhills Athletic Conference team.
Earning All-SAC honors for the 2018 season were: Morgan Hooks (junior forward), Tatum Hubbard (junior center back), Hanna Millen (senior striker), Jayana Nicholson (junior midfielder), Allexis Swiney (sophomore goalkeeper) and Chloe Wiggins (junior midfielder).
This is the first career All-Conference selection for Hubbard, Millen, Swiney and Wiggins. For Hooks and Nicholson, this is their second career selection — Nicholson was named as a sophomore following the 2017 season, and Hooks made the team as a freshman in 2016.
Tied with Pinecrest High School for the most selections (6), Richmond also received two other recognitions. Now former head coach Bennie Howard (retirement) was awarded with the SAC’s “Coach of the Year” title after his 24th year of coaching the Lady Raiders, and Swiney was recognized as “Co-Goalkeeper of the Year,” sharing the honor with Jack Britt High School’s senior Lauryn Harding.
“It’s a credit to all of them, along with the rest of the team for the success we had this year,” Howard said of his players named to the All-SAC team. “All six girls had an impressive season. Hanna and Morgan were great up top, and combined for 25 goals.
“And then there was Jayana and Chloe at midfield — one inside and one outside — and they scored 21 goals,” Howard continued. “There was a lot of production from all four on offense, and Chloe was helpful with all of her assists. Tatum did a good job in the back keeping the defense in line and cleaning up messes in front of the net.
“This was Allexis’ first time being in goal,” he added. “When she played junior varsity as a freshman, she played in the field. But she became the starter, and proved to be a valuable asset in goal. All six girls did a great job and deserve to be All-Conference.”
The Lady Raiders impressed all season, collecting a program-best 17 total victories, which broke the single-season record for most wins (previously 16 last set in 2004). Behind a high-powered offense, Richmond netted 72 total goals in 23 games (3.13 goals per game) and had three players (Hooks, Millen and Wiggins) reach double digits in goals.
Millen led all scorers with 13 goals, and was closely followed by Hooks and Wiggins, who both had 12 apiece. Nicholson was fourth on the team in goals with nine. Wiggins led the Lady Raiders in assists, sending 15 successful volleys to teammates that resulted in goals.
Some of Richmond’s biggest goals of the season came from the feet of the four offensive players. Millen netted two hat tricks on the year, both coming against Hoke County High School. The second of the two came in the SAC tournament, helping propel Richmond to a 5-0 win.
Hooks’ scoring foot got hot toward the tail end of the regular season, as she scored clutch goals in six of seven games. Her most notable goals were game-winners against Jack Britt in a crucial 2-1 win on April 11 and a 1-0 victory over Lumberton High School on April 18.
Wiggins’ best performance came against Seventy-First High School when she scored four goals in an 8-2 win over the Lady Falcons in the regular season finale. The victory helped secure Richmond’s second-place tie with Jack Britt to end the regular season.
Nicholson was also a clutch performer late in the season, as her most notable goal of the year was a game-winner against Jack Britt in the second round of the SAC tournament. That win, and Nicholson’s goal, landed the Lady Raiders their first home playoff game in over a decade. Though they would get bounced by Porter Ridge High School, Nicholson also had a goal in the playoff game.
Swiney, who was just one of two goalkeepers to make the All-SAC team, really fulfilled her role between the posts after the departure of former three-year starter Tatyana Gould. She appeared in all 23 of Richmond’s games, and made 114 saves on 136 shot attempts (.838 save percentage).
Though Hubbard’s role as a defender doesn’t accumulate many flashy statistics, her job as an enforcer in front of Swiney helped dismantle opposing offenses. Of the 42 goals given up by Richmond this season, 25 of them were against SAC champion Pinecrest. The remaining 17 goals were scored over a 20 game span, equating to .85 goals per game.
“Having six girls named to the All-SAC team, five of which are underclassmen, means that Chris (Larsen) will have five young ladies coming back next season,” Howard expressed of the program’s future with Larsen being named the new head coach last week. “Those girls should provide some great leadership for him. He’ll build on that and I’m sure Richmond will have a very strong 2019 girls team.”
When the six Lady Raiders were asked to describe their feelings about being named to the team, the most used word was “exciting.” Hooks noted that it was a “big accomplishment” for her and that “working together as a team” is what made everyone successful. Millen expressed that making All-SAC her senior year was “great” and that she “enjoyed the whole season.”
Wiggins said she was also excited to hear the news, as “it’s the first time” she’s made the team, and echoed Hooks’ statement of “playing as a team” that allowed her to score and set up assists.
Hubbard, Nicholson and Swiney all expressed “shock” and “confusion” when Howard initially told them of being recognized. All three joked in saying they thought he was messing with them and it took a minute to sink in.
For Howard, who wrapped up his 30th year of coaching, and 24th season at the helm of the Lady Raiders, being named the SAC’s Coach of the Year is the icing on the cake to a career well done.
“I never expect to be Coach of the Year,” Howard said modestly. “It’s always fortunate to be voted by your peers to become Coach of the Year. It just shows that we had a successful season — a coach is only as good as his players.
“It’s always a good feeling to win the award,” he concluded. “The 17 wins, the second-place finish (in the SAC standings), the home playoff game, the six girls making All-Conference and Coach of the Year — it just puts a bigger smile on my face.”
Pinecrest’s senior forward Molly Niewald was named the SAC’s Player of the Year after scoring an impressive 47 goals and 15 assists. The Lady Patriots made it all the way to the NCHSAA 4A semifinals match, losing to No. 1 seeded Myers Park High School 2-1. Niewald was also named to the All-State Team.
Below is a complete list of the 2018 All-SAC team:
Coach of the Year: Bennie Howard (Richmond)
Player of the Year: Molly Niewald (Pinecrest)
Co-Goalkeepers of the Year: Lauryn Harding (Jack Britt) and Allexis Swiney (Richmond)
Pinecrest (6): Riley Barrett (senior midfielder), Kelly Clark (senior defender), Keeley Copper (junior forward), Lauren Landry (freshman midfielder), Molly Niewald (senior forward) and Natalie Sabiston (senior forward).
Richmond (6): Morgan Hooks (junior forward), Tatum Hubbard (junior defender), Hanna Millen (senior forward), Jayana Nicholson (junior midfielder), Allexis Swiney (sophomore goalkeeper) and Chloe Wiggins (junior midfielder).
Jack Britt (5): Arianna Aguilar (sophomore), Morgan Cloud (sophomore midfielder), Callie Creech (senior forward), Lauryn Harding (senior goalkeeper) and Abby Heitkamp (junior defender).
Purnell Swett (4): Ashley Locklear (junior defender), Layla Locklear (sophomore midfielder), Abigail Lowry (sophomore midfielder) and Maddison Oxendine (junior forward).
Hoke County (2): Skye Hammond (freshman midfielder) and Leonie Howze (senior midfielder).
Lumberton (2): Logan Cameron (junior defender) and Brittany Ward (senior forward).
Scotland (1): Sarah Eury (junior defender).
Seventy-First (1): Naya Thomas (junior midfielder).
