ROCKINGHAM — Not being able to protect the football stunted a second-half comeback attempt by the Richmond junior varsity football team on Thursday.
Continuing Sandhills Athletic Conference play, the JV Raiders suffered a 42-20 loss to Union Pines High School.
Richmond turned the ball over four times, all on interceptions. In response, the JV Vikings scored following three of those errant passes.
Trailing 30-6 to start the fourth quarter, the JV Raiders found the end zone twice in the final 10 minutes of play.
“We didn’t have great days of practice on Monday or Tuesday,” head coach Ryan Mercer said. “So it comes down to our preparation. I told the guys we had to right the wrongs, we didn’t do that and it came back to bite us.
“Our intensity was better in the second half, which allowed us to score. Our o-line hustled and that was crucial for us to be able to run the football.”
A pair of interceptions thrown by Richmond resulted in both of Union Pines’ first-half scoring drives.
Three plays into the game, the JV Vikings picked a pass and took over at their own 41-yard line. After two first downs, they moved inside the Richmond 10-yard line.
Richmond’s defense nearly staved off the early score. Big stops by freshman Adan King and sophomores Preston Fann and Tate Craven on second and third downs made it fourth-and-goal from the one.
With 4:27 left in the first quarter, Ryan Greene kept it for a QB sneak and the touchdown. A two-point pass from Greene to Dylan Benedict made it 8-0.
Richmond punted on its next series, a 45-yard boot from sophomore Jake Veach, and the JV Raiders’ defense forced a turnover on downs at its own 24-yard line to start the second quarter.
A series of runs from freshman running back Elijah Ingram got the JV Raiders across midfield. But another pick on third down by Damarie Johnson saw him return it from Union Pines’ 35-yard line to Richmond’s 41.
A block-in-the-back penalty backed the JV Vikings (6-1, 2-1 SAC) up. But they completed the 10-play scoring drive inside the final minute of the half.
Greene scored his second of three rushing scores of the game, a six-yard scamper after a broken play. He connected with Benedict again for a two-point conversion.
Union Pines led 16-0 with 22 ticks on the clock, which was run out by Richmond to end the half.
Seven of the 11 combined drives in the second half resulted in a touchdown. The JV Vikings struck first on a five-yard rushing score by Greene around the right edge. Tyler Thomas ran in the two-point play to make it a 24-0 lead with 7:00 to play in the third.
Richmond’s first scoring drive came on the ensuing series, which started at the Union Pines 47-yard line. A pair of first-down runs by Ingram was followed by a reception in the red zone by freshman wide receiver Juelz Smith.
An offsides call reset the downs and on second-and-goal from the seven-yard line, freshman tailback Chance Crowder scored the first of his three total touchdowns. Taking the handoff, Crowder carried a herd of defenders into the end zone.
The two-point try was no good, but Richmond cut its deficit to 24-6 with 1:57 to go in the third.
On Union Pines’ next offensive snap, running back Roger Patterson broke loose for a 76-yard score. Sophomore David Oliver broke up the two-point play, but Union Pines led 30-6.
Both teams turned the ball over on their next respective drive, Richmond on an interception and the JV Vikings on downs. The JV Raiders’ final interception came on its next possession, this time caught by Jonah Thienel.
That turned into a 66-yard rushing score by Curnie Sanders on the first play. Another unsuccessful conversion attempt put the visitors ahead 36-6 with just under seven minutes to go in the final stanza.
The JV Raiders’ running game got into gear on the next series, as Crowder and Ingram rattled off four consecutive first-down runs. A 17-yard burst from Ingram helped move the 67-yard scoring drive down inside the red zone.
On first down at the 15-yard line, sophomore quarterback Caden Nolan pitched right to Crowder, who hustled in for the score, diving inside the front right pylon. With 5:17 to play, Richmond trailed 36-12.
Attempting the onside kick, Veach sent a bouncing ball near the JV Raiders’ sideline that hit a return man and was recovered by freshman Keith Cummings. Starting at the Union Pines’ 46-yard line, Richmond ran nine plays to score.
Facing fourth-and-five, the drive culminated in a 19-yard passing score from Nolan to Crowder. Ingram muscled his way in for the two-point try and Richmond trailed 36-20 with just over 90 seconds on the clock.
Union Pines erased any hope of a comeback with a 50-yard rushing touchdown on its first play on the following drive. Taking it the distance was Sanders.
“This was a tough loss, but that’s football,” Mercer closed. “Now we just have to have a better week of practice and move onto the next game.”
The JV Raiders (2-5, 2-2 SAC) will play at Lee County (2-4, 0-3 SAC) next Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Official stats were not kept by the Richmond football program during Thursday’s win. The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery on Friday.
