Home Local Sports Winter programs enter Thanksgiving break with strong starts

Winter programs enter Thanksgiving break with strong starts

The Raider basketball team is 2-0 after its first week of competition.
Kyle Pillar — Sports Editor.

ROCKINGHAM — It’s a shortened week for Richmond Senior High School students and student-athletes due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but several programs enter the break in great standings.

For the first time since the 2012-2013 winter sports season, the Richmond boys’ and girls’ basketball teams are both 2-0 to kick off the year. This year’s squads opened with back-to-back victories over Anson High School and will enter the holiday break on the winning side of the record sheet.

While the two teams won’t play again until Tuesday, Dec. 3, at home against non-conference Southern Lee High School, the Raiders and Lady Raiders will hold practices in the coming days to work on keeping their undefeated starts alive.

Although it’s early in the new campaign, it’s the best start for head coaches Teddy Moseley (girls) and Donald Pettigrew (boys).

On Saturday, Earl Nicholson and the Raider wrestling team hit the mat for the first time and battled their way to a second-place finish in the Raider Rumble. Richmond picked up four wins in five contests, defeating Anson, Fairmont, Scotland and West Brunswick high schools.

Senior Joey Nicholson made program history when he broke the all-time wins record with his pin over Fairmont’s Anydrean Cromartie in his first match of the day. That was career win No. 119, and with four more victories to end the day, he now sits with 123 wins.

Coach Nicholson said he plans for his wrestlers to enjoy the couple days off for Thanksgiving, but the Raiders will return to the circle on Saturday at Asheboro High School for their second contest of the year.

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In bowling action, the Richmond boys’ and girls’ teams faced tough opponents in Pinecrest and Scotland high schools in their first match of winter. While only the Raiders would pick up a win against the Fighting Scots, head coach Ralph Butler was optimistic about his teams’ efforts and experience moving forward.

The next time the bowling program will return to the alley will be Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Laurinburg Bowling Center.

One of Thanksgiving week’s biggest local storylines will be the No. 1 Richmond football team’s preparation for the third round of the NCHSAA 4AA state playoffs. A thrilling 36-27 victory over No. 8 Hough High School on Friday saw senior tailback Jaheim Covington record a career-high 204 rushing yards and break the program’s record with a 99-yard ground score.

The Raiders will host No. 4 Myers Park High School on Friday, which will be a rematch of last season’s third-round game. The Mustangs defeated the Raiders a season ago, which makes Friday’s meeting a shot at redemption for Richmond and head coach Bryan Till.

Practice will resume like normal on Monday for the green and gold, and the team will also practice Thursday morning before Thanksgiving dinner. Kickoff against Myers Park is set for 7:30 p.m. at Raider Stadium.

ROSports will also see the return of its Official Richmond County Male and Female Athlete of the Week in the coming days, and will provide full coverage of the football team as it prepares for its next playoff game.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.