ROCKINGHAM — Richmond head football coach Bryan Till unveils the third installment of his four-part 2019 “pre-game journal,” an exclusive to ROSports.
Note from sports editor Kyle Pillar
Like the previous two publications found in this series (which can be read by clicking Part I and Part II), Coach Till reveals an all-access look into his thoughts, feelings, prayers and pre-game preparations for the second half of Richmond’s Sandhills Athletic Conference schedule.
This time around, Till highlights the final three games of the SAC slate, including a 51-7 blowout win over Lumberton High School on homecoming. That win was followed by two more to close out a perfect 7-0 record, next seeing the Raiders fly past Seventy-First High School 45-6 on their way to a senior night victory.
To close out the regular season on the road, and with big playoff implications on the line, the Raiders crushed Scotland High School in a game simply known around the Sandhills as “The Rivalry.” Richmond made easy work of the Fighting Scots, dismantling them 48-13.
The final three wins helped Richmond finish the regular season a perfect 11-0. That led to the Raiders earning the No. 1 overall seed in the west bracket of the NCHSAA 4AA state playoffs.
The fourth and final installment will be Till’s reflection of Richmond’s magical run through the playoffs. Coach Till’s notebook begins below, which highlights Week 10 through Week 12.
Lumberton, Week 10
HOMECOMING! Wow. It is always such a crazy experience with each year being different but still good. The boys dress up here and are presented with a young lady they sponsor. It is unlike anywhere else I have ever been or seen. I have really come to love the time with them as they get ready with their suits in the morning before the school pep rally.
Teaching some of them the ins and outs of putting the pieces together, but mostly watching them work together and help each other in a totally different situation. I leave feeling very proud every time.
Then after the pep rally the mass confusion that ensues as kids who are hysterical with joy and overloaded with feelings they don’t know what to do with. Everyone always acts so surprised by how the kids react afterwards. It does really throw all our pregame routine and schedule (including laundry) off, but somewhere inside I know it is for their good and it is my turn to “get over it” when it comes to this.
The boys will come in at 12:30 p.m. in the locker room and we will get together in the team meeting room before doing our pregame lift at 2 p.m. Lord help us to appreciate the good things of today and the memories made, while still focusing on the talents You have given us and our chance to display them tonight. Give us Your eyes and determination in order for us to focus. (11:45 a.m.)
We had 20 guys at least 10 minutes late to meeting time. This was the first time I said it was alright to check out as long as they were back by 12:30 and this happened. I was extremely upset with the guys because many of them are starters. After telling them what their punishment would be, I needed to calm down.
I then came back and started reading them the story of Sampson and how he had all this potential but kept giving it away. Pastor Robby then had a devotion on how easily the Israelites took Jericho because they listened to instructions but how they fell to small Ai when they didn’t listen.
On top of that, Coach Heuy, who played here in ‘75-76, came by and also added to the devotion by telling them a little about his story and how to go to school by doing the right things. The Lord is amazing in how He works things out. (4:22 p.m.)
Seventy-First, Week 11
Seems like the longer we play the more the kids just want change for the sake of change. They know they are not supposed to leave the building, but I found a couple outside. One had his own pregame brought to him instead of eating with the team. Another one had cotton candy from the band. Then they have the music so loud we can’t even talk in the coaches’ office.
We have won by doing things a certain way and it’s like they just want to see what happens if they change. I don’t want to take that chance. I want the discipline and focus I know it takes to win. I struggle with taking the fun out of it, and I don’t want to, but we have to keep doing what has gotten us to 9-0.
This is as hard as anything I have ever done in coaching. Lord, I can’t do this in my own strength but with Yours and with Your wisdom we can get through this. Please help me to show your character while also being what these boys need me to be. Please also give me the wisdom to be the leader I need to be with this coaching staff the rest of the way.
Scotland, Week 12
THE RIVALRY…. Unbelievable feeling to get the opportunity to coach in this game. Lord I thank you for you blessings to be here. I pray for the boys to play up to their ability. We are the better team if we do that. There have been so many contacts this week from people wishing us well, reporters for this game, college coaches who will be there that we could easily get distracted.
The game of football is the same though. Once we start playing we will have the same things to do in order to be successful. We just have to do those things better than they do.
There has been some social media crap where someone said something derogatory about our QB’s sister. She is a beautiful, sweet girl and I hated that she had to endure that more than I worry about it affecting our guys.
I really believe they are ready at this point, but we will see how we handle it once we are there and the reality sets in. Lord give us love for each other and a desire to play for the man next to us. That is stronger.
ROSports will publish the final part of this series later this week.
