RALEIGH — A hopeful run in the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs didn’t make it past the first round for the Richmond Raider football team.
The No. 18 Raiders lost on the road to No. 15 Leesville Road High School on Friday, falling 27-0.
Richmond trailed 17-0 at halftime before allowing another 10 points in the second half.
The Pride (9-2) used a field goal early in the second quarter to start the scoring. That was followed by a passing and a rushing score before the break.
Another rushing touchdown and a final field goal accounted for the second-half scoring.
The Raiders’ offense turned the ball over five times on four interceptions and one fumble. Richmond incurred eight penalties for 89 yards, while only producing 88 yards of total offense.
It was the second straight season the Raiders exited the playoffs in the first round, and was the second time in three seasons losing to Leesville Road in the postseason.
Richmond finished the season with a 5-6 overall record, just the third time in the program’s history ending with a sub-.500 record (1973, 2022).
In Sandhills Athletic Conference play, the Raiders went 5-1 and secured second place behind Pinecrest High School (6-0).
The Richmond Observer will publish an All-SAC article when the team is released.
Below are photos from Friday’s first-round playoff game at Leesville Road taken by sports editor Kyle Pillar.
