SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Tate Simpson etched his name into the rich history of Richmond Raider football just a few days before the Christmas holiday.
A senior defensive tackle for Richmond, Simpson represented the Raider diamond one final time in his career at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas Saturday.
Called up to join the team just a week before kickoff, Simpson helped North Carolina defeat South Carolina 49-24 in the 88th edition of the showcase between some of the best high school football players from both states.
The contest at Spartanburg High School proved to be the first victory for North Carolina in a dozen tries, and was also the highest-scoring performance by the team in the nearly nine-decades long tradition.
An instrumental part of Richmond’s defense the past couple of seasons, Simpson acknowledged how special it was to represent Richmond on a larger scale.
“Wearing the Richmond helmet one last time felt great and it meant a lot to me,” Simpson said. “I went out there knowing I could represent the team and what we stand for one more time.”
With his selection to “one of the oldest bowl games in America,” Simpson joined an exclusive list at Richmond. He became the first player to compete in the Shrine Bowl since former Raider and current New York Giants running back Dante Miller did so in 2017.
Named to the North Carolina team in 2020 were former players Caleb Hood and CJ Tillman, but because of the pandemic, the game wasn’t played that year.
Among the other program greats to play in the game were Carl Isaac (2016), Cyrus Stanback (2014), Tyrone Crowder (2012) and former NFL players Melvin Ingram (2006) and Dannell Ellerbe (2004).
“It really means a lot to me to be a part of this group,” Simpson shared. “Some of the best players in our school’s history have played in the Shrine Bowl and for me to be a part of it, I’m really humbled and honored.”
During the win for North Carolina, which was coached by neighboring Scotland High School head coach Richard Bailey, Simpson recorded five total tackles, including one tackle-for-loss.
Playing 13 games for Richmond during his senior season, Simpson made the All-Sandhills Athletic Conference team for the first time in his career. He had 41 total tackles (22 solo, 19 assists), 12.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 quarterback sacks and one forced fumble.
“Some of the best parts of the experience were meeting new people and creating a bond with them,” Simpson said. “And visiting the Shriners Children’s Hospital and seeing my loved ones at the game. It’s a memory I’ll remember forever.”
Simpson wasn’t the only Richmond player in action over the weekend. Fellow senior teammates Joe Parsons and K’Mauri Morgan, along with athletic director James Johnson, were part of the East-West All-Star Game in Greensboro.
The Richmond Observer will publish an article on the East-West All-Star Game later this week.
