ROCKINGHAM — Continuing our Top 10 Sports Stories countdown from the 2019-2020 school year, the Richmond Senior High School football team makes its second appearance, this time in the No. 7 spot.
When the Raiders traveled to Laurinburg in early November to face rival Scotland High School, there were several things on the line. First and foremost, Richmond was looking to shut the door on its second straight Sandhills Athletic Conference title.
But perhaps the larger, less evident shadow looming above the Raiders was the last part of the “streak” that saw Scotland go on an eight-year run against the green and gold. Richmond snapped the losing skid in 2018 on its home field, but hadn’t won in Pate Stadium in a decade.
With the help of five unanswered touchdowns, including outscoring the Scots 28-0 in the second half, the Raiders earned their first win at Scotland since 2009.
The 48-13 victory proved to be Richmond’s second highest margin of victory over the Scots in the rivalry’s 53rd all-time meeting. It also concluded the Raiders’ first perfect undefeated regular season since 2006.
Junior quarterback Caleb Hood (UNC commit) threw for three touchdowns in the win, connecting twice with junior wideout Jakolbe Baldwin (NC State commit) and once with fellow junior Dalton Stroman.
Hood, senior running back Jaheim Covington and junior tailback Jaron Coleman each added one rushing score in the 35-point win. Putting the exclamation point on the victory was senior linebacker Gavin Russell, who returned a pick-six 22 yards for the final score.
In the game prior to the regular season finale, the Raiders also crossed off another program milestone, defeating Seventy-First High School 45-6 to earn the team’s 500th all-time victory.
Below is the link to the original SAC title-clinching game story, written by sports editor Kyle Pillar for the Nov. 9, 2019, edition of the Richmond Observer:
