ROCKINGHAM — A much more formidable opponent will visit Raider Stadium Friday and the Richmond Senior High School football team is ready.
Advancing to the second round of the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs for the first time in three seasons, the Raiders are not only playing what head coach Brad Denson called “the biggest game of the season,” but they’re also playing one of their toughest opponents this fall.
While the Raiders are no strangers to facing tough tasks, especially early on during their four-game non-conference schedule, the team hasn’t faced a program with more than six wins since playing Pinecrest High School Sept. 26.
Currently on a seven-game winning streak, Richmond has dug deep this week at practice to find that competitive edge to face No. 13 Clayton High School.
Although the Raiders are seeded nine spots higher in the 4A East rankings, there is a bit more animosity in the air this week. Part of that is because Clayton presents a tougher challenge for the Raiders.
Denson, who led the Raiders to a 42-6 playoff win last week in his postseason debut, didn’t shy away from the fact that the Comets and head coach Scott Chadwick will be a grittier opponent.
“Athletes, speed and size — those are the three big things that stand out when watching Clayton,” Denson said. “They have guys at all positions who can play and they are 10-1 on the year for a reason.
“They have good players and they are well coached,” he added. “We will still prepare for the opponent the same as we have all year. The staff has worked to put the best game plan together that will allow our kids to go out and play with confidence.”
From watching film, Denson has seen a lot of similarities to other teams the Raiders have played this fall, which he anticipates will pay off in the long run for the green and gold.
What’s stood out most to the Richmond coaching staff in its preparation has been the Comets’ ability to make things happen on offense or defense. Regardless, the Raiders are up to the task.
“They have playmakers on both sides of the ball,” Denson explained. “It’s the biggest game of the year for us because it is win or go home. We have been adamant on ‘get it to next week.’ Everyone has a role on this team and it’s going to take every single one of them doing it to the best of their abilities.”
Clayton’s only loss of the season was a 37-35 defeat to Cleveland High School a few weeks ago, which is the top seed in the 4A East this postseason. Last week, the Comets defeated No. 20 Corinth Holders High School 48-17 to start the playoffs.
Junior quarterback Aiden Smalls, who transferred to Clayton from Cardinal Gibbons High School, is in his first season at the position after playing wide receiver for the Crusaders.
Clayton’s offense has averaged 38.1 points per game this season, which compares to the 14.4 points allowed per game by Richmond’s defense.
A dual-threat on the ground and through the air, Smalls is the piece to the puzzle Denson said must be unhinged in order for Richmond’s defense to continue its hot streak.
“Stop the QB, he is the guy when you talk about their offense,” Denson said. “(Smalls) reminds me a lot of a kid who played here from 2017 to 2019. He is looking to run the ball, but he can also hurt you with his arm.
“Clayton has several good wide receivers that we must be aware of as well. Nos. 1 (Noah Smith), 5 (Damarius Mckoy) and 14 (River Fiore) are all good at what they do.
“The key to their offense is the QB, he is a great player and will make a few plays. We must be there to limit those big plays. Our guys and staff have worked extremely hard all year to get to this point and it’s a challenge accepted by those guys.”
When it comes to what the Comets have on defense, Denson said there are a lot of moving parts that make them go. He expects there to be several fronts and coverages presented Friday night and explained the Raiders’ offense has several avenues to combat Clayton.
With the two-headed threat of junior quarterbacks Evan Hodges and Domonic Tillman, Richmond has averaged 32.4 points per game. A big part of the scoring, especially last week, has been the elusive ground game by a platoon of running backs.
The Comets’ defense is giving up 12.5 points per game, a number the Raiders are more than capable of producing if everything goes according to plan.
“This is a team that is very multiple on defense,” Denson explained. “This is probably the most multiple front and coverage team we have faced this year. We will prepare for what we think we will see and have the guys ready to execute a game plan.
“Our guys have played on big stages all year and that will be the case this Friday. We have to convert on third down, help control the field position battle and score when we get the opportunity. Our plan is the same as it has been all year — get the playmakers the ball in space and let them go.”
Like he’s mentioned all season, Denson again expressed how pivotal the home crowd has been in crunch time. While the faithful were out in abundance last week, Raider Stadium wasn’t as full as the team would have liked.
As Richmond continues its march deeper into the playoffs, the hope that more fans will fill the stands persists.
“My message to Richmond County this week is that ‘everyone wants Raider football back,’” Denson shared. “Well, ‘we want the Raider Faithful back.’ All of them, not just some. We want them all to be there, we want the stands full and we want to hear you.
“Clayton will travel well and bring a crowd. They have numerous D1 offer guys on their team and we have zero offers on our entire team. I can’t wait for our guys to line up and go to work. I feel as though we have been disrespected all year when it comes to our kids and in the polls. That’s all fine and dandy, I know what we have and they will be ready to go.
“We need the stands full, it’s the second round of the playoffs here at our place,” he closed. “It’s a chance to be playing on Thanksgiving week. Special things happen at Raider Stadium this time of year and it starts with those stands being full.”
No. 4 Richmond and No. 13 Clayton are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at the gate (cash) or online at GoFan.co.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics for Clayton were not available on MaxPreps at the time of publication.
