ROCKINGHAM — Although students won’t report to classrooms for another two weeks, three Richmond Senior High School fall sports programs will kick off their new campaigns in the coming days.
Raider soccer to open Richmond athletic schedule
Head coach Chris Larsen and the Raider soccer team will travel to non-conference Lumberton on Monday to serve as the school’s first program to officially start the new season.
Part of a three-match week for the Raiders, the team will face their former Sandhills Athletic Conference foe and try and redeem a loss against the Pirates from last season. The match will start at 7 p.m.
Following the season opener, Richmond will play two more road non-conference matches this week. Next will Montgomery Central on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) and Forest Hills on Thursday (4:30 p.m.).
Read the season preview for the Raider soccer team here.
Lady Raider volleyball set for three-match week
Equally as busy to start its season will be the Lady Raider volleyball team, as head coach Ashleigh Larsen and company will hit the court for the first time on Tuesday.
The Lady Raiders will travel to Montgomery Central, the first of three non-conference matches to start the new slate. Play for all matches is set for approximately 6 p.m., following the junior varsity matches.
Richmond will have its home opener on Wednesday against former SAC opponent Purnell Swett, and cap the week on Thursday on the road at Uwharrie Charter Academy.
Read the season preview for the Lady Raider volleyball team here.
Football teams set for Mount Tabor in Week 1
Looking to extend its streak of not losing its Week 1 matchup to 37 straight games dating back to 1986 (35-0-1), the Raider varsity football team will play under the lights at home on Friday. It will be the Raiders’ first home game season opener since hosting Clayton in 2019.
The first of four consecutive non-conference games to start the season, the Raiders will welcome in Mount Tabor. In last season’s meeting, Richmond outlasted the Spartans in a 56-41 win.
Head coach Bryan Till and the Raiders will kickoff at 7:30 p.m., as the team looks to improve to 4-0 all time against Mount Tabor.
The Richmond junior varsity football team will open its season on the road at Mount Tabor on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Ryan Mercer is the new JV head coach this season.
The Richmond Observer will publish its Raider football season preview on Monday, complete with video interviews with several players and coaches. A full preview of the matchup with the Spartans will also be published later in the week.
Richmond cross country, girls’ golf and girls’ tennis seasons coming up
The other three Richmond fall sports programs will all start their respective season in the coming weeks.
With practices already underway, the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams and girls’ tennis team will both hold their first contest starting in the next two week.
Tennis action will begin on Aug. 23 at SAC opponent Southern Lee, and the cross country teams will run in their first meet at Union Pines on Aug. 31.
The girls’ golf team will hold its first practice of the season on Tuesday at Knollwood Fairways and Driving Range on Tuesday, and compete in its first match at Scotch Meadows on Sept. 6.
