ROCKINGHAM – Sports contributor Deon Cranford continues his Richmond Senior High School top 25 football games of all-time, as he breaks into his top 10 with Nos. 10-6:
No. 10 Turnover Turnaround
2007 – Richmond at Scotland
It was a battle of unbeatens who were both fighting to stay in the conference title hunt. When the smoke cleared, the fans had been treated to seven lead changes, multiple big plays, and a classic gridiron battle that needed overtime to decide a victor.
The Raiders took a 30-27 win back to Rockingham, but did it in one of the most unlikely of ways. When the Raiders entered the game, they were averaging over 32 points per game and were blowing past opposing defenses on the ground by the likes of Alex Ingram, Sammy Houston and quarterback Derrick Wiley.
However, the Scots came in with a game plan to stop the Raider offense and their plan worked well. Richmond was limited to only 109 yards of total offense and only scored one offensive touchdown. The game’s opening possession accounted for that touchdown and nearly half of those offensive yards. So, how exactly did the Raiders win?
The Scots put together an impressive drive and took a 7-6 lead about midway through the second quarter. Then the Scotland defense shut down the Raiders giving the home team the ball back just moments later.
During that drive, Scotland quarterback Walt Clark coughed up the ball and it was recovered by Richmond’s Jeremy Harden who returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. Current Raider soccer coach Chris Larsen connected on the PAT and Richmond took a 13-7 lead into the half.
Only the Scots scored in the third quarter. Clark hooked up with Donta Prince, and Scotland had the 14-13 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Since the Raider offense still had no answer, it was up to the Raider defense. On the Scots’ next possession, Houston stepped in front of a Clark pass and raced 55 yards to pay dirt. The PAT was blocked, but the Raiders were back on top 19-14.
The Scots put together another long drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Clark. Scotland failed to convert on the two-point attempt and held a 20-19 lead with just under five minutes on the clock.
With so little time left, the Raiders needed their offense to come to life. Richmond managed to move the ball into Scotland territory, but the stingy Scots defense was not going to be denied. They shut down Richmond’s fourth-and-short attempt with only two minutes left in the game. Since the Raiders were down to their final timeout, all the Scots had to do was run out the clock.
On the Scots first play following the change of possession, Scotland star running back Demonte Terry uncharacteristically fumbled the ball. It popped out of the pile and landed in front of Richmond’s Dominique Covington, who scooped it up and ran untouched for a 70-yard return and a touchdown. Wiley hit Lovell Joy on the two-point conversion attempt, and just like that, the Raiders were back on top by seven points.
If you’ve noticed the pattern, you know that this game was not over. Throughout the game, the Scotland offense put together a long scoring drive and followed it up by giving away a touchdown on a turnover. Then they just repeated to process. That was no different here. The Scots managed to once again move the ball down the field in the game’s final moments. Terry ended the drive with a one-yard touchdown run with only one second remaining in the game. The PAT was good, and the two teams headed into overtime with the game tied at 27.
In overtime, Richmond’s offense sputtered once again and Larsen was called in to attempt a 29-yard field goal. His kick was true and the Raiders took a 30-27 lead.
The good news for Richmond is that the game was now in the hands of their defense. It only took the Raider D two plays to bring the game to an end. On the Scots first play, Clark was sacked. On their second play, Clark’s pass was picked off by Ingram ending Scotland’s perfect season.
No. 9 Independence Day
2008 – Richmond at Independence
Between 2000 and 2004, the Independence Patriots knocked the Raiders out of the playoffs three times. The Patriots also appeared in eight straight state title games between 2000 and 2007 winning seven of them. So, when Richmond (10-3-1) travelled to Charlotte to take on undefeated Independence (13-0), many prognosticators leaned heavily towards the Patriots to continue their dominance over the Raiders.
The Raiders and Patriots traded touchdowns early. Near the end of the first half, Richmond moved the ball deep into Patriot territory, but the drive stalled at the Patriot seven-yard line and the Raiders settled for a Cody Threadgill field goal. With the three-point kick, the Raiders took a 10-7 lead into intermission.
The Patriots had scored at least four first-half touchdowns in 11 of their 13 games that season and had never trailed at halftime. Against the Raiders, Independence had been limited to just seven first half points and it went downhill for the Patriots from there.
In the third quarter, Richmond quarterback Tadarrius Wiley connected with Lovell Joy for a 35-yard touchdown pass and later found Gabe Love who, made a touchdown grab from 25-yards out. Independence also found the end zone once in the third period, but the Raiders carried a 24-14 lead into the fourth quarter.
Wiley wasn’t done yet. He hit Joy in stride for a 73-yard bomb to put the Raiders ahead by 16 points with around 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Independence scored with just under three minutes left on the clock. A successful two-point conversion made it a one possession game. However, Alex Ingram ended all hopes for a Patriot comeback on the ensuing Richmond possession.
After Independence stopped the Raiders for short gains on first and second down, they burned their final two timeouts to stop the clock. On third-and-six, Ingram took the handoff straight up the middle, broke free, and picking up 48 yards in the process. The Raiders did not need to run another play. The 30-22 victory in the Western Semifinal over Independence punched Richmond’s ticket to their eighth state title game.
Other Notes : Midsoutheastern Conference members Jack Britt, Douglas Byrd and Seventy-First also won their semi-final games. Richmond and Seventy-First participated in the 4AA and 4A state title games respectively as the western participants. Jack Britt (4AA) and Douglas Byrd (4A) represented the east. Richmond, Jack Britt, and Seventy-First have all competed as both east and west representatives in state title games.
No. 8 Richmond Kicks Lee Senior…
1990 – Richmond at Lee Senior
Sometimes getting to the end zone isn’t enough. That pesky point after touchdown has an annoying way of determining who wins or loses a game.
In the 1990 Southeastern Conference opener between rivals Richmond and Lee Senior, PATs became the story of the game. Down 33-27 late in the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets had one last possession to tie it up or win it. As the final minutes ticked away, the Jackets methodically marched down the field. With just 31 seconds remaining in the game, they found the end zone tying the game at 33 points.
The Raiders found new life when the go ahead PAT kick wobbled low and to the left of the goal post. Following the kickoff, the Raiders took a knee to run out the clock and send the game into overtime.
The Jackets were on offense first in overtime. In just one play, a Lee Senior running back ran it into the end zone giving the lead back to the Jackets. Once again, the PAT was missed holding the Lee Senior lead to just six points.
During Richmond’s overtime possession, the Raiders received a procedure penalty on second down. The Raiders were held to short gains on second and third down and faced a fourth-and-goal situation from four yards out.
As they had many times in the past couple of seasons, the Raiders called Flip Ellerbe’s number. Flip followed his blockers into the end zone tying up the score at 39. Eric Thomas came in and kicked the PAT giving Richmond a very important conference win.
Other Notes: There were a combined five PATs and a two-point conversion missed during the course of this game. Flip Ellerbe had a 92-yard kickoff return. Lee Senior’s 39 points is the most the Yellow Jackets have ever scored on Richmond in a single game.
No. 7 It’s Not MAGIC, it’s just a Trick…
1976 - Richmond at Sanford
Who doesn’t love a good trick play football story? Isn’t it even better when it occurs in a game between two rivals and there is a title on the line?
For the second straight season the Raiders (9-0) and the Yellow Jackets of Sanford (8-1) would face off in the regular season finale for the conference crown. A year earlier (1975), the game came down to the final possession as the Raiders held on for a 13-7 victory.
As the fourth quarter was winding down, the 1976 meeting was set up to have an equally exciting finish. With just 4:00 left in the game, Richmond took over the football trailing 15-14. The Raiders moved the chains once, but soon found themselves in a second-and-11 situation from their own 39-yard line.
That’s when Richmond went with a halfback option play. As he had already done a few times during the evening, halfback Donnie LeGrand ran towards the left sideline and hauled in a quick pass from quarterback Mark Clark. However, this time instead of running, he launched the ball downfield to tight end Bill Ramsey. The Sanford defense was completely fooled by the play as everyone came in to pursue LeGrand.
Ramsey, who was left wide open, simply hauled in the pass and outran everyone to the end zone for the winning score. Just like that, the Raiders had once again defeated the Yellow Jackets and secured another SEC title.
Other Notes: Lee County led the series against Richmond 10-8, but since 1987, the Raiders have won 15 straight versus the Yellow Jackets.
No. 6 Controversy…
1978 - Scotland at Richmond
It was one of the most controversial calls in Richmond’s or Scotland’s history. It was a call that not only potentially decided the game between these two rivals, but may have decided the state championship as well.
Richmond (10-2) and Scotland (9-3) met in the 1978 eastern title game with a shot at the state championship on the line. Trailing 3-0 in the fourth quarter, the Scots put together a successful offensive drive. After receiving the ball at the Richmond 41-yard line, Scotland put the ball in the hands of Wilber “Hurricane” Bullard. He ran the ball for several consecutive plays before plunging his way into the end zone from five yards out for the first touchdown of the game with only 5:17 remaining.
Then the flags started flying. Following the Scotland kickoff, Richmond started moving backwards and wound up in a third-and-16 situation from their own 24-yard line. On that third down play, Richmond quarterback Frank Smith’s pass was deflected and Scotland’s Kenny McDougald made a diving catch to give the ball back to the Scots in Raider territory.
The officials flagged the Scots for a questionable roughing the passer penalty giving Richmond the ball, 15 yards, and new life. The Scots defense still held Richmond to another third-and-long situation leaving the Raiders needing 11 yards from their own 38-yard line. On that third down play, the Raiders came up short, but the Scots were flagged for defensive holding and the Raiders once again got new life near midfield.
Chuck Bishop was then put in at quarterback for the Raiders and from there, he connected on three consecutive passes to set up a first-and-10 from the Scotland 11-yard line. Bishop ran it in from there for the go head score with 25 seconds remaining on the clock. The Raiders won 9-7 and hosted West Charlotte the following week for the State Title game.
Other Notes: Richmond rotated Chuck Bishop and Frank Smith at the quarterback position throughout the game. Following the two Scotland penalties, Bishop connected with Tim Holiday for a touchdown pass, but it was called back. The Raiders went on to score a few plays later. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the 1978 season, and Richmond and Scotland fans are still debating that roughing the passer call to this day.
