ROCKINGHAM — Not that it needed to be said, but Brad Denson shared four words to close the final moments of Thursday’s early-morning practice with the Richmond Senior High School football program.
“The season has started,” Denson said.
Wednesday marked the first official day of fall sports practices and tryouts across the state by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
Cashing in on a late-night and an early-morning practice, Denson and the Raiders checked off the two helmet-only practices required by the NCHSAA.
Under the glow of Raider Stadium’s lights, Richmond’s varsity and junior varsity teams held a full practice starting at 10 p.m. that lasted an hour and 45 minutes. Players worked through position drills before ending with special teams and full team concepts.
After a 15-minute break, the varsity and JV teams went to opposite ends of the field and conducted their second practice of the season beginning at midnight Thursday.
Skill position players on both sides of the ball faced off against each other in 7-on-7 scrimmages, while members of the offensive and defensive lines competed in challenges near midfield.
Among his final comments of the night, Denson told the Raiders “Let’s make a run at this thing,” alluding to a 7A state championship.
Richmond will return to a regular morning practice routine Friday. The first of two pre-season scrimmages will be Friday, Aug. 8, at Richmond at 10 a.m.
That will be followed by the Raiders facing West Florence High School Friday, Aug. 15, as part of the Dillon Jamboree of Champions. Action will start at 8:30 p.m.
Richmond’s season opener at Hoggard High School is slated for Friday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.
The Richmond Observer will publish a season preview complete with video interviews in the coming weeks.
