ROCKINGHAM – Even after coaching soccer for the last 30 years at Richmond Senior High School, and quite literally building the boys’ and girls’ programs from the ground up, head coach Bennie Howard still has the same youthful enthusiasm for the sport and his programs as he did when he started decades ago.
And with the start of the Lady Raiders’ 2018 campaign (and Howard’s 24th season as the girls coach) set to open official play on Wednesday, February 28, at Union Pines High School, Howard is cranking up his players for what will be his swan song season, as he’ll retire from teaching at the end of this school year. And he’s got stellar expectations for his entire team.
“I’m excited about this season, as I am with every other season,” Howard commented in a sit-down interview with the Richmond Observer. “I’m trying not to think much about it being my final season – I just want to come to practice and games and enjoy each day as it passes with a smile on my face.”
Part of what will keep a smile on Howard’s face is the fact that eight of his 11 starters are returning from last year’s squad. In 2017, this core of Lady Raiders continued to help enhance their notoriety as an up-and-coming program, as they finished with a 14-6-2 overall. Coupled with a 6-4 conference record, Richmond notched a third-place finish in the then Southeastern Conference.
Over the last several seasons, Howard and company have continued to nip at the heels of now Sandhills Athletic Conference powerhouses Pinecrest and Lumberton high schools. Pinecrest has gone 10-0 in conference play each of the last two seasons, while Lumberton has nestled itself between the two schools in second place.
Howard only has to fill the spots of two graduated seniors (Tatyana Gould, goalkeeper; Cassie McFayden, forward), but they are relatively big gaps, as both players were selected to last year’s all-conference team and served as the top player on the team at their respected position. Gould, who served as the team’s starting goalie the past several seasons, was a major reason why the Lady Raiders continued their upward trend.
In her final three seasons, Gould made 59 appearances in goal for the Lady Raiders. In that span, she made 400 saves, while allowing just 94 goals (0.63 goals allowed per game), for a career save percentage of .810. She was also named the SEC’s “goalie of the year” co-champion honors following her junior season in 2016.
Howard anticipates sophomore Allexis Swiney to fill the void and take over the bulk of the goalkeeping responsibilities, as she’ll play at the varsity level for the first time. Assisting her will be junior Abbey Coward, who had minimal playing time last season, making 12 saves in 11 appearances.
McFayden, who now plays collegiate soccer at Lees-McRae College, was a one-player scoring machine during her senior season. She netted 30 goals, tying the program’s single-season record with Brittney Robich, and was a part of Richmond’s record-breaking season that shattered the total number of team goals in a season (85 goals).
Also absent from the team this year is former all-conference center back Altman Griffin, who has decided to pursue her commitment to UNC-Wilmington’s volleyball program. Griffin, who Howard wishes well in her future endeavors, was also a legitimate shot from the top of the box, as she tied for fourth on the team last year as a junior with six goals.
But with so much depth and playing experience back, Howard feels pretty confident that the 2018 starting 11 will be a strong group of players who will vie for an SAC title.
“There’s a quality group of players coming back this season,” Howard commented. “Chris (Larsen) always does a fantastic job coaching the junior varsity team, so we look good on varsity now.
“We’re in a new conference this season,” Howard continued, explaining that Jack Britt and Seventy-First high schools had been added. “We’ve played both teams before, and Jack Britt beat us, so they’ll be some added competition. But I expect Pinecrest, Lumberton, Jack Britt and us to be battling for the top four spots in the conference standings.”
So, who is it going to be that steps up for the Lady Raiders? Howard doesn’t expect for one single player to emerge and net goals with such ferocity as McFayden, or lockdown the middle of the field like Griffin did during her three years with the program. Instead, Howard believes his team can win a conference championship while relying on a revolving door of players who will mesh together and produce.
“Losing a player like Cassie can be hard, especially when she scored 30 goals last year,” Howard explained. “But this year, I am hoping we can split the responsibilities and get lots of players to score goals. There are several (players) who will have better opportunities to get playing time and put the ball in the net. I’d like to see four or five girls score 10 or more goals – that would be a huge help.”
Two strikers that Howard will look to see reprise their roles as scoring threats are senior Hanna Millen and junior Jessie Graham. Both forwards ranked in the top three in the team’s scoring in 2017, with Millen netting 12, and Graham adding nine.
“Of course, I expect Hanna and Jessie to step up and score goals for us,” Howard said. “But I’m looking at girls like Jayana (Nicholson), Chloe (Wiggins), Morgan (Hooks), Emily Parsons, Emily Buie, and Valery (Standridge) to produce and make that leap.”
Nicholson, a junior midfielder/striker, along with sophomore defender Avy Lucero, were the final two Richmond players named to the all-conference team in 2017. Howard is expecting both to play “leadership roles” in their respective areas of the field.
Another key defensive player who will need to perform well is senior Kathleen Pittman, who played in all 22 games as a junior. Her leadership and soccer IQ, paired with Lucero, senior Shelby Matheson and junior Tatum Hubbard in the backfield, should help solidify a strong defensive line in front of a developing, yet impressive, Swiney in goal.
Hoping to hinge on his philosophy of a “total team effort,” Howard would like nothing more to end his illustrious coaching career with an SAC conference title.
“My expectation for this season is to go out and win,” Howard said. “It doesn’t matter who scores as long as we can do that.
“Nothing would be finer than ending (my career) on top with a conference championship,” Howard grinned. “This is a quality team, and we have the ability to play lights out. But I’m excited for this year and the future successes of both programs in the years to come.”
The Lady Raiders have gotten a couple of scrimmages under their belt so far this spring, traveling to Hoke County last week to face Douglas Byrd and E.E. Smith high schools. Despite missing some players due to prior commitments, Howard was pleased with the way his smaller squad “moved the ball” and “didn’t allow a goal.”
Richmond’ final scrimmage of the season will be the Kicking for Cancer Jamboree at South View High School in Hope Mills, N.C., on Saturday. The Richmond Observer will provide extensive coverage of RSHS Lady Raiders soccer all season.
