ROCKINGHAM — In early August at the Sandhills Athletic Conference football media day, neither of the current conference frontrunners were voted as pre-season favorites to take home the top spot.
As high school football moves into its eighth week, the Richmond Senior High School and Union Pines High School football teams have a chance to break open the current standings.
Voted on by the coaches and the media in separate polls, Pinecrest High School ran the table during the pre-season voting.
While the Patriots are still in the hunt after losing to Richmond, the second-place voted Raiders and sixth-place voted Vikings will try and take the outright lead Friday. They are the last two unbeaten teams in the standings.
In perhaps a matchup that very few people expected to determine the outright SAC leader with just three regular-season games to go, Richmond and Union Pines will clash at Raider Stadium.
Ahead of Friday’s showdown during Richmond’s homecoming, the Raiders hold a 5-2 overall record and a 3-0 mark against SAC teams. With its bye week already in the books, Union Pines enters 5-1 overall with a 2-0 record in conference.
Not only will it be the 53rd homecoming in Richmond’s history, but it will also be a homecoming of sorts for current Union Pines head coach Bryan Till. Prior to taking the head job at Union Pines in January, Till spent the previous seven seasons as Richmond’s head coach.
With all of the extra attention and activities of spirit week and homecoming, coupled with the return of Richmond’s longest single-tenured coach, the Raider football team has been putting extra attention to its game day preparation.
“Homecoming is always a tough week for us here, but we are having a decent week so far,” Denson said. “The guys are focused, but we have been at it for a good while now and we are nursing some bangs and bruises.
“We have been on them all week and have been saying it for a long time now — be tough, figure out a way to push through it,” he added. “The season is long and grueling on the body, but that’s what we signed up for and that’s what we’ve trained so hard for all summer. Our guys will be ready to go come Friday night.”
Richmond has celebrated spirit week Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and will continue to do so Thursday and Friday. A pep rally will be held Friday morning, followed by the annual homecoming parade in downtown Rockingham and introduction of the homecoming court prior to kickoff.
While all of the extra activities are an essential part of the homecoming experience, Denson said in order to bring home a win Friday and take the lead in the SAC standings, the focus must remain on football.
“The biggest thing we have to keep a cool head about is all of the homecoming festivities that take away from the guys staying focused,” Denson explained. “We can’t let that stuff get to us. We have told the kids all week that we want them to enjoy the week, enjoy their senior year and enjoy homecoming, but none of this happens without the football game.
“So we can’t lose track of what the week is really about. It is an exciting time of their lives and we want them to cherish every bit of it, but come Friday at about noon, it’s time for football. I think these guys will put on a good show for all of Raider Nation.”
Starting the season with a weaker non-conference schedule than Richmond’s, the Vikings shut out their first three opponents — Triton, Northwood and Western Harnett — 122-0.
After losing to Randleman 21-7 in Week 4, Union Pines has won its first two SAC contests over Lee County and Scotland by a combined score of 44-29. At this point last season, the Vikings were 2-4 overall and had lost 45-0 to Scotland.
Through their first three SAC games, the Raiders have outscored Southern Lee, Pinecrest and Hoke County 121-34.
Overall, the Vikings are scoring 28.8 points per game (22.0 PPG in SAC) and are allowing 8.3 PPG on defense (14.5 PPG in SAC).
Richmond’s statline is 29.9 points per game on offense (40.3 PPG in SAC) and 16.7 points allowed on defense (11.3 PPG in SAC).
The Raiders, who are trying to win their fifth straight game, have defeated Union Pines by an average of 33.3 points in their trio of meetings the past three seasons.
Of the turnaround this fall by the Vikings, Denson said it’s been impressive, but when the lights go on Friday, it’s game on.
“I think that says a lot about Coach Till,” Denson shared. “The ability to go into a place and put wins up and have them right there at the top speaks volumes of him. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and his program.
“We spent a good amount of time together, but come Friday night, we will both be competitors and be going after each other,” he continued. “At the end of the game, we will shake hands and wish each other good luck the rest of the way. But it’s not about each coach, it’s about the game of football and two good teams doing battle. We look forward to getting after it in a couple of days.”
Till said he expects a well-prepared Richmond team to try and defend its home field on homecoming. Of the Vikings’ successful season to date, he credits the coming together of the coaching staff with the players.
“I anticipate the Raiders playing extremely hard and being well-coached and prepared,” Till said in an email to the RO. “I have the utmost respect for those players and coaches. I know how bad those players want to win. The last couple of years were tough, but it was never because those kids didn’t play hard and their desire to win. I never questioned their heart.
“I attribute our success (at Union Pines) to God bringing together the collection of young men and coaches that we have now,” Till continued. “I truly can’t take credit for the guys who have ended up on staff and the kids who play for us. Our guys play hard and do what we ask. Our coaches prepare and coach really hard and we have had results, but I know from experience you can work really hard and it doesn’t work out. So, I just give God credit for it working out in this case.”
At quarterback for the Vikings is senior Anthony Goswick, who has made the majority of throws for Union Pines. He’s 46-for-62 this season with 557 passing yards and six touchdowns.
Not nearly as mobile as the last few QBs the Raiders have faced, Goswick has 91 rushing yards on 14 carries and a score.
Much more focused on the passing game, the Vikings have only one ball carrier who has eclipsed the 100-yard mark this season — Roger Patterson (101 rushing yards). Leading the team with six rushing scores is Caleb Milton, who’s rushed 12 times for 69 yards.
Union Pines has mostly moved the football through the air with a host of receivers. Leading the team is Hayne Tobias (19 catches, 262 yards, five touchdowns).
Also with double-digit catches are John Erguiza (11 receptions, 143 yards, two TDs) and Josh Dunlap (11 catches, 71 yards).
“On offense they have a couple of weapons they like to go to,” Denson said. “The top one to me is No. 5 (Tobias). He is a versatile player who can do multiple things. The kid can block it up, catch the ball and make some moves after the catch.
“They do have other guys they spread the ball around to as well. We must be aware of the screen game and the screen-and-go when they want to take a shot. It’s another week of playing assignment football and rallying everyone to the play.”
Union Pines’ leading two tacklers are a pair of sophomore linebackers — Josiah Sandler (35) and Dylan Benedict (29), the latter whose 6.0 tackles-for-loss lead the Vikings.
Nine total Vikings have tallied 20 or more total tackles apiece through six games, and all but two of them load up the box on Friday nights. Spreading 7.0 quarterback sacks across five players, junior linebacker Drew Dougherty and senior defensive lineman TJ Robinson have 2.0 sacks each.
Union Pines is averaging 1.1 fumble recoveries and 1.7 interceptions per game and its special teams unit has also blocked a pair of punts. Senior defensive back Harley Moyer’s four picks and three fumble recoveries are both team-highs.
“On defense, I think it’s a ‘they do what they do’ type of week, meaning that they play what they play and they are good at it,” Denson commented. “Their defensive scheme is nothing special, however, they don’t make mistakes in it either. They are very sound and smart and try to keep it in front of them and force you to make the mistake.
“We have to take care of the ball, not get greedy, and be patient. I don’t think they have any great standout guys, but they are all very good high school football players. Again, we have to play a clean and physical game with them.”
Being vocal on social media all week, Denson’s message to Raider Nation is simple for Friday — “Be in the stands.”
The Raiders (5-2, 3-0 SC), who are seeking their first outright SAC title since 2021, will host the Vikings (5-1, 2-0 SAC) Friday with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10 (cash only) or on GoFan.