ROCKINGHAM — Three points off the foot of senior kicker Billy West early in the second quarter started a game-changing momentum shift for the Richmond Senior High School football team Friday.
Hosting No. 13 Clayton High School in the second round of the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs, the No. 4 Raiders erased an early deficit to win 24-13.
West’s 33-yard field goal just over a minute into the second quarter started a 17-point run for the Raiders that changed the game’s tempo for good.
Also scoring before the half was junior wide receiver Jayden Hamilton, who finished a 53-yard catch-and-run from junior quarterback Evan Hodges.
Rushing scores from sophomore Chance Crowder (one yard) and Jordan Bostick (25 yards) sealed the deal in the fourth quarter.
Senior defensive back AJ Covington put the game on ice with an interception of a pass attempt by Aiden Smalls with 56 seconds left in regulation.
Click here to read a full recap of Friday’s victory, which eliminated Clayton.
No. 4 Richmond (10-2) will play No. 5 Rolesville High School (11-1) next Friday at home in the third round of the playoffs. The expected kickoff time is 7:30 p.m.
Below are photos of the Raiders’ second round playoff win, taken by sports editor Kyle Pillar.
