ROCKINGHAM - The Richmond Raider varsity football team is sitting at a comfortable 2-1 overall record through the first three weeks of the 2018 season. But what can make that cushion even better is a big win on the road Friday at David W. Butler High School.
Coming off its first shutout win in nearly two years thanks to a 28-0 defensive showout against Pine Forest High School last week, Richmond is facing its next big challenge against the Bulldogs (1-1) in Matthews, N.C.
Throughout the now 15 games during head coach Bryan Till’s tenure, the Raiders have tallied a 9-6 record and have won every game they were supposed to. But Friday’s non-conference matchup against Butler could prove to be the turning point in a season that Richmond has history on its side.
The infamous “eight year” chatter, which identifies with Richmond’s winning a state title in every eighth year of the last four decades, has been relatively quiet around Richmond County so far this season. Perhaps that noise level will kick up a few turns of the dial with a breakout win against a perennially good Butler squad.
Under the lights Friday, a featured “Touchdowns Against Cancer” game, it will be the No. 4 Bulldogs hosting the No. 6 Raiders -- as Carolina Preps released its newest set of rankings Tuesday morning. Despite shutting out the Trojans, Richmond slid back a spot, while Butler remained locked in the same hole.
In Maxpreps’ rankings, Butler is the No. 8 team in 4A competition, while the Raiders come in at No. 18.
“It’s a big game from the standpoint that we’re at the end of our non-conference schedule heading into our conference games,” Till said in his office Wednesday afternoon. “A win set us up to let us know we can play state championship football -- and it’s time for this program to do this. If we can get some momentum going into conference, hopefully that leads us to winning conference, and sets a whole new attitude for several reasons.
“The next game is always big, but where we are right now, it’s definitely a big game,” he added.
The Bulldogs are coming off of their off week in Week 3, but haven’t won since the season opener on Saturday, Aug. 18. In that game, Butler rolled past Scotland High School 47-19 after Fighting Scots’ starting quarterback Bruce Wall suffered a season-ending leg injury. To put Raider fans at ease, while still a talented crew, Scotland isn’t boasting the same caliber of team this year, after losing former No. 1 running back Zamir White (University of Georgia).
Less than a week later, head coach Brian Hales’ team dropped a close one 36-28 to Mallard Creek High School. The Mavericks lost 21-0 to Wake Forest High School in the 2017 4AA state title game, so if the numbers on paper mean anything, Richmond’s road game against Butler could put a lot of emphasis on how things shake out in the 4A rankings down the road.
Richmond is looking to avenge a 27-21 loss last year at home to the Bulldogs.
“We are really two very evenly matched teams,” Till said. “Butler has a week longer to prepare for us (bye week), so we don’t want to be like last year where we got behind in a hurry. They are going to come out with something we haven’t seen, and the big key is to adjust quickly. We can’t allow a cheap score or a long drive on something we didn’t see.”
In the meeting with Pine Forest, Richmond held the Trojans the just 96 yards of total offense, and backed up the visiting team to -6 yards in the second half. Seniors Jonathan Jones, Divine Nicholson and Rasheed Patrick, among others, stunted a Trojan offense that was outscoring its opponents 60-14 through two games. Nicholson also had the team’s first turnover of the year, a fumble he recovered at Pine Forest’s 19-yard line and took down to inside the one-yard line.
Till hopes that his defense can put together the same type of performance, and knows it will take every bit of effort on every defensive snap to keep the Bulldogs’ offense in check.
On offense last week, it was the Raider running attack that got back in the swing of things and managed to put together a four-score performance, as sophomore quarterback Caleb Hood and junior tailback Jaheim Covington combined for all of the game’s scoring. The team got off to a slow start, having to punt on its first three possessions, before scoring just before the half and tacking on three insurance touchdowns in the final 24 minutes.
While Butler’s team and individual stats are not available on Maxpreps for this game preview, Till and company will be watching the likes of senior quarterback Christian Peters and his two biggest playmakers, senior wide receiver Keyon Lesane and junior running back Quasean Holmes. Both Lesane and Holmes also play on defense as a defensive back and linebacker, respectively.
“In order to win, we’ve got to contain their quarterback (Peters),” Till explained. “Last year we had him in a couple of third-and-long situations but he was able to escape the pocket and get some first downs. He’s a fantastic player.
“And we really can’t allow No. 5 (Lesane) or No. 7 (Holmes) to make big plays,” he added. “They are studs on both sides of the ball so we have to limit their big plays.”
Till noted that the Bulldogs are the “most multiple team” he’s ever coached against, and that he “has a ton of respect for Coach Hales’ play calling.” According to Till, Butler can run a wing-t set and then switch over to a spread set.
Richmond’s head coach also said his team is preparing for “so many different formations that have slight tweaks.” He concluded by saying the Butler defense “runs hard to the ball and will hit you in mouth.” Two guys he’s watching are defensive ends and twin brothers Raevon and Traevon Freeman.
Friday’s game is the final of Richmond’s four non-conference meetings this season.
“As long as we stay healthy (during non-conference), it helps us understand as a team how to win, how to fight and compete to win,” Till wrapped up. “The fans get excited about flashy plays, but football is a sum of plays. These tough matchups early in the season give us an idea of how the game of football is played to win.”
Kickoff against the Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m. on Friday. Follow @ROSports_ on Twitter for live in-game updates.
Injury report: Junior tailback Lacyrus Ellerbe (hip flexor) will be out for the second straight week, but Till said he’s making “good progress.” In his place will be senior Bobby Terry and sophomore CJ Tillman.
Senior right tackle Caleb Ross will return after missing the last two weeks with a concussion suffered in Week 1. His presence, according to Till, “makes us that much deeper on the offensive line.”
