ROCKINGHAM — How the Richmond Raider football team responds this week will say a lot about the type of program it is in 2024.
That was head coach Brad Denson’s message to the team following an 18-point road loss at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Week 3.
Winners of one of their first three games to start the season, the Raiders will try to bounce back and secure its best non-conference record in a season since the 2021 campaign.
Continuing their gauntlet of games to open the season, the Raiders will face their fourth top-20 ranked team in as many weeks.
According to MaxPreps.com’s most recent NCHSAA 4A rankings, No. 20 Richmond will welcome No. 14 Myers Park High School Friday.
“That they are,” Denson said of the Mustangs being another formidable opponent. “They are an extremely well-coached program with athletes.
“They have smart players who can implement the schemes their staff wants them to do. We will have to play a complete game this week to come out on the right end.”
Richmond’s struggles during last week’s loss to Cardinal Gibbons came at the hands of three long touchdown passes and a trio of turnovers that left the Raiders’ effort incomplete.
Spending the week of practice zeroing in on correcting those miscues, Denson said the coaching staff and players feel better about this week’s matchups, especially defensively.
“On defense, we will have to stay in our coverages and understand what our responsibilities are,” Denson explained. “I do think that we match up well with them on the defensive side. We must find a way to get pressure and contain their playmakers.”
Facing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the state, Richmond has played Seventy-First (3-0), Butler (0-3) and Cardinal Gibbons (2-0). With Myers Park (1-2) this week, that makes the Raiders’ opponents a combined 6-5 to this point in the season.
Playing week-to-week football and keeping one opponent at a time in the team’s view, Denson did note that emerging from non-conference play with a .500 record would boost morale ahead of the Raiders’ Sandhills Athletic Conference slate.
“Going 2-2 would be big for us,” Denson said. “However, we are concentrating on winning each day. Ending the non-conference schedule at 2-2 would be good for us, especially knowing that we are literally about six plays away from being 4-0.
“If three plays in week one and three plays in week three go different for us, we are right there to win those games. Obviously, we want to win every week, but winning this week could spring us right into conference play.”
Myers Park and head coach Christopher James will visit Raider Stadium with the goal of winning their second game in a row after losing their first two games.
A season ago, Richmond visited an 0-3 Mustangs team and lost 47-14 on the road in Charlotte.
Myers Park is quarterbacked by senior Jared Lockhart, who is 40-for-68 with 237.0 passing yards per game this season. He’s thrown six touchdowns and two interceptions, while adding 149 rushing yards on 22 carries for another score.
Junior wide receivers Chaz Portis and Brody Keefe each lead the team with 10 receptions and have combined for 421 receiving yards and four scores. Senior Mauriangelo Skanes has pulled in five catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
Out of the backfield, senior RJ Alexander is tied with Lockhart for the team lead in rushing yards. He’s totaled the other three Mustangs rushing touchdowns this season.
Richmond struggled to contain Cardinal Gibbons’ quarterback Gannon Jones last week, a signal caller who was also mobile like Lockhart. Creating more defensive pressure this week is important, Denson said.
“Offensively, they have a QB who can really throw it,” Denson said. “He’s a tall kid who has a big-league arm on him, so we will have to cover and understand assignments. We have to find a way to get home up front and put some pressure on him.
“If we can do this, we can hopefully be in position on the back end to create a turnover or two. The big thing for us this week is to keep it in front of us and rally to the ball.”
The Raiders defense went from collecting four turnovers in Week 2 against Butler to not having any against the Crusaders.
Richmond’s offense also turned the ball over twice, including once in the red zone, last week. Junior quarterbacks Evan Hodges and Domonic Tillman are expected to split series again against Myers Park, a team that’s allowing 30 points per game.
“On defense, they are multiple in coverages and we must be able to recognize what they are doing,” Denson shared. “Up front they have two really long ends and we have to contain them and their pass rush.
“As far as defenses go, we have moved the ball each week on offense. We have to take care of it, not have turnovers, and figure out how to punch it in when we get in the red zone. I think we will make that happen this week.”
Leading tacklers for the Mustangs include Portis and Hank Thrasher, both of whom have 19 tackles. Rodney Dunham has collected four quarterback sacks and Brennan Meccarielli has three sacks.
At the time of publication, the weather Friday night has shifted in favor of a regularly-scheduled kickoff. The forecast shows a chance of rain in the morning with overcast skies at game time.
That said, it will be the first Friday night game at home for Richmond this season. And Denson and the team are calling on the community’s support.
“Richmond and Myers Park, these are two really good teams playing here at our place on Friday night,” Denson said. “The last time these guys came here, it was one of the most electric games and atmospheres I have ever seen in Raider Stadium. It has the makings of the same thing again.
“Raider Nation is wanted and needed, these kids feed off of your energy. We are playing Friday night, make the plans now to be there in your Raider gear, be loud, and be proud to be a Raider. We have challenged these kids all week to be the best version of themselves that they could, now I am challenging you, Raider Nation, to be the best version that you can be this Friday night.
“This group of guys has never been a part of that stadium rocking,” he closed. “Be there in person, be there early and be supportive of these guys who have been through a lot. It’s time to turn the corner and play a complete game and you are part of us playing a complete game. We need you.”
Richmond (1-2) and Myers Park (1-2) will get underway at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available at the gate (cash) or on GoFan.co.
