ROCKINGHAM — It was nearly deja vu for the No. 3 Richmond Raider football team on Tuesday, which collected its second straight weeknight blowout win against a Sandhills Athletic Conference opponent.
Treating their fans to a homecoming win, the Raiders routed Southern Lee High School 58-0, recording their first shut out of the season and 21st straight conference win.
Putting up a similar score to last Wednesday’s win over Union Pines, Richmond collected its second straight victory by at least 58 points, sparking a running clock for the entire second half.
Jumping out to a 44-0 lead at halftime, Richmond used a season-high five turnovers, including three in the first quarter, to set the tone early.
The Raiders’ defense had two interceptions and three fumble recoveries, with two of those scoops resulting in a touchdown.
Richmond’s defense thwarted any offensive effort from the Cavaliers (0-7, 0-4 SAC), holding Southern Lee to -17 yards of total offense.
Behind its eight total touchdowns, Richmond took advantage of short field position to collect 241 yards of offense (147 rushing yards, 94 passing yards).
Both teams punted on their opening series, and a pass break up by senior cornerback Jaleak Gates forced another three-and-out on Southern Lee’s second series.
With a short field, senior quarterback Kellan Hood ran the ball for a 24-yard gain to get inside the 5-yard line to set up the Raiders’ first score.
Junior running back Taye Spencer scored on second down from two yards out, finding a hole up the middle for his ninth rushing score this season. Freshman kicker Billy West, who went 8-for-8 on point-after attempts, split the uprights to make it 7-0 with 5:42 left in the opening quarter.
Two plays into Southern Lee’s next drive, freshman linebacker Joe Parsons forced a fumble on quarterback Brett Tate-Blanks. There to collect it was senior defensive end J.D. Lampley, who raced 15 yards into the end zone for the first defensive score of the game.
Senior defensive end J.D. Lampley races to the end zone for a first-quarter score following a fumble recovery. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Leading 14-0 just 55 seconds after the opening score, the Richmond defense got back to work to force another turnover.
Sophomore defensive tackle Jacoby Martin recorded a quarterback sack on first down, and on third down, junior free safety Emerson Wall jumped a route for his first interception of the season.
Taking over at the Cavs’ 20-yard line, Hood connected with senior wide receiver Javares Stanback two plays later for a touchdown pass. Stanback caught the ball near the front right end zone marker, before rolling over a defender for his team-leading third touchdown reception of the fall.
Keeping the defensive pressure up on Southern Lee’s next drive, Gates also snagged his first pick of the season on a tip drill. Gates caught the ball at the Cavs’ 44-yard line before returning it to the 17-yard line.
Senior cornerback Jaleak Gates (1) returns his first interception of the season. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Following a couple of offensive penalties, senior running back Nasir Crumpton ended the scoring drive with a one-yard plow up the middle. Following another West PAT, the Raiders held a 28-0 lead with 10:58 to go in the opening half.
Another Southern Lee three-and-out from deep in its own zone started the Raiders’ offense at the Cavaliers’ 45-yard line. A holding call backed Richmond across midfield, but Hood found Stanback over the middle of the field for an athletic diving 41-yard catch to put the Raiders at the Cavs’ 16-yard line.
That conversion on 3rd-and-22 set up Hood’s lone rushing touchdown, his team-leading 10th of the season, from 15 yards out. Scrambling on the play, Hood broke the pocket and found the end zone to put Richmond ahead 35-0 with the help of a West PAT with 6:36 remaining in the second quarter.
Pinned deep in their own zone two drives later, the Cavaliers sent a high snap on a punt attempt on their next drive, which dribbled its way out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
Richmond pulled many of its starters with the 37-0 lead, and backup junior quarterback Emoni McBride accounted for the final score of the first half.
With 14.1 ticks left before the intermission, McBride threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Cason Douglas. Back peddaling in the left corner of the end zone, Douglas caught the ball while heavily defended.
The Raiders added their final two scores in the second half, along with two more fumble recoveries. A scoreless third quarter ended when junior defensive lineman Jabori Hester collected a loose ball popped out on a carry by Jorderion Hamilton near midfield.
Junior Jabori Hester (90) tackles Brett Tate-Blanks in the third quarter, a couple plays before his fumble recovery. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
McBride recorded his second rushing touchdown of the season on a one-yard push to cap the Raiders’ drive following Hester’s fumble recovery. That score made it 51-0 with 8:58 to go in the game.
Junior linebacker Frazion Steele put the exclamation point on the win five minutes later when he recovered a Tate-Blanks fumble and returned it 32 yards for the score. West connected on his 17th consecutive PAT over the last two games for the final point with 3:15 to go.
Tate-Blanks was 3-for-11 passing with 18 yards, but Richmond’s defense forced -35 rushing yards in the win.
Hood was 5-of-10 passing for 69 yards and one score, while McBride added a line of 2-for-3 for 25 yards and one touchdown. Both quarterbacks also accounted for one of the Raiders’ four rushing scores.
Stanback was the game’s leading receiver with two catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Douglas added three catches for 24 yards and a score, and senior tiger back Gabe Altman collected one pass for 11 yards.
Crumpton’s 79 yards on nine carries led the way, Hood had 39 yards on two carries and McBride added 34 yards on four touches.
Richmond (7-1, 4-0 SAC) ends its whirlwind of three games in an 11-day span with another home conference contest on Saturday against Lee County High School (5-2, 2-1 SAC). Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. at Raider Stadium.
VIDEO INTERVIEWS — Click the links below to hear from players and coaches following Tuesday’s win.
Cason Douglas and Nasir Crumpton
J.D. Lampley and Frazion Steele
The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Tuesday’s game later this week. For updates on all Richmond County sports, follow us on Twitter @ROSports_.
