ROCKINGHAM — Thursday night football returned to Raider Stadium this week, as the Richmond junior varsity football team lost a close game in its home opener.
Hosting Cardinal Gibbons High School, the JV Raiders let a third-quarter lead slip, falling 19-13 to the JV Crusaders.
Both teams opened the game by punting on their first possession, and Cardinal Gibbons (3-0) took an early lead on its second drive.
Using a 1-yard run by quarterback Aiden Smalls, the JV Crusaders led 6-0 with 6:21 left in the first quarter. The score was set up by a 37-yard completion to put the JV Crusaders inside the 3-yard line.
Going for two points, Smalls was dragged down short of the end zone by sophomore A.J. Covington to hold the deficit to six points.
Both teams traded possessions for the rest of the opening stanza, and freshman Timothy Sloan made a tackle on a bad snap on a punt to force a turnover on downs at the Cardinal Gibbons 32-yard line with 7:01 left in the second.
Despite the good starting field position, sophomore quarterback Dillon Veach threw an interception three plays later.
Freshman linebacker Terande Spencer kept the JV Crusaders in check on the ensuing drive, batting down a pass and applying pressure on Smalls to force a punt.
Following the kick, Richmond took over at the JV Crusaders’ 45-yard line with freshman quarterback Evan Hodges under center.
The JV Raiders started an eight-play, 45-yard scoring drive that ended in a 23-yard passing score from Hodges to freshman wide receiver Amer Morrison.
On 2nd-and-10, Hodges aired out a pass to the back right corner of the end zone that saw Morrison make a leaping grab over a defender. The extra point attempt was no good and the game was tied 6-6 with 6.9 seconds left before the half.
Richmond’s defense forced a punt on Cardinal Gibbons’ first drive of the third quarter, using a sack on Smalls by freshman Gage Stewart and sophomore Tate Simpson. Sophomore linebacker Jackson Hamilton added a tackle-for-loss to make the JV Crusaders kick it away.
Starting at their own 26-yard line, the JV Raiders and Hodges (5-of-9, 49 yards, 1 TD) started a 74-yard march to the house. Richmond benefited from a trio of 15-yard penalties by Cardinal Gibbons.
Sophomore tailback Ali Tyson, who led the JV Raiders with 42 rushing yards on 12 carries, helped move the ball down the field. He carried the ball three times for a combined 23 yards to get down to the 5-yard line.
On 2nd-and-goal, Tyson barreled his way through a hole in the middle of the line to score his first touchdown of the season. Jake Veach’s PAT was good to give the JV Raiders a 13-6 lead with 5:31 left in the third.
“We felt like Evan was moving the ball really well and he had a great ball to Amer,” head coach Ryan Mercer said. “He gave him a shot and Amer made a great catch. That gave us some energy and that was the deciding factor to go with Hodges.
“Ali is a tough runner, and the leaps and bounds he’s made since the summer until now have been great,” he added. “He gives us a shot, he runs hard and he’s a competitor.”
The one-possession lead wouldn’t hold for Richmond, as the JV Crusaders scored touchdowns on their next two drives. The first was a 16-yard passing score in the final minute of the third, followed by a 40-yard catch and throw midway through the fourth.
Sophomore Jarah Cook blocked the PAT on the touchdown that tied the game, but Richmond’s offense turned the ball over on downs and punted on its final two possessions.
“We were one play away from a win,” Mercer explained. “We talked about it last week and again this week. They hit us on a wheel route late to give them a first down. That’s one me and I need to recognize that it’s coming.
“Tonight was good, and there are some things that we can easily fix. Now we’ll get ready to go again next Thursday.”
Falling to 0-2 to start the season, the JV Raiders will prepare for another home game next Thursday against non-conference South View High School. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
