ROCKINGHAM —The Richmond Senior High School wrestling program hosted the Raider Riot Rumble over the weekend, an invitational tournament held to get wrestlers more non-conference experience.
Hosting six other teams from across the state, the Raiders faced five of them and went 1-4 in the team tournament.
Also competing in the event were Cheraw, Hoke County, Montgomery Central, Piedmont, Rockingham County and Westover high schools.
The Raiders’ lone win was a 47-36 victory over Cheraw. Richmond fell to Montgomery Central, Piedmont, Rockingham County and Westover.
Pins help Raiders to win over Cheraw
A stretch of pinfall victories from the middle and heavyweight classes fueled the Raiders to an 11-point win over Cheraw.
Junior Hayden Smith (157-pounds), sophomore Jacob Hall (165-pounds), junior Konner Gardner (175-pounds), freshman Darius Harrington (190-pounds) and senior Jordan Hamilton (215-pounds) each pinned his respective opponent for five straight wins late in the match.
Junior heavyweight Samuel James earned six points with a forfeit win. In the lower weight classes, sophomore Dylan Nunez (120-pounds) and freshman Axel Nunez (126-pounds) combined for 11 points thanks to a pin and a technical fall, respectively.
Five Raiders win against Rockingham County
In Richmond’s second-best team performance, the Raiders lost 48-28 to Rockingham County.
Picking up wins were Dylan Nunez (120), Axel Nunez (126), sophomore Brian Ingram (138-pounds), Gardner (170) and Hamilton (215).
Dylan Nunez, Gardner and Hamiton each won thanks to a pinfall and scored six points each. Beating their respective opponents by 15 points each and earning technical falls were Axel Nunez and Ingram, adding 10 combined points.
Raiders struggle against Montgomery Central
Similar to their match against Rockingham County, the Raiders struggled to find the wins against Montgomery Central. The final score favored the Timberwolves 51-23.
Freshman Curtis Quick (132-pound) registered the first six points thanks to a forfeit win. Dylan Nunez (120) and Gardner (175) each collected his third win of the event.
Nunez’s win was a pin and Gardner defeated his opponent 22-4 for a tech fall and another five points. Returning to the win column was Smith (157), who earned his second win thanks to a pin.
Four Raiders win in team’s final two matches
In the team’s final two matches, just four different Raiders managed to win, splitting each match with two wins apiece.
Falling 57-12 to Westover, it was Nunez (120) and Harrington (190) who collected six points each. Nunez recorded his fourth win of the event with a pinfall victory, while Harrington was awarded a forfeit win.
Hall (165) and Hamilton (220) were the two Raiders to score points in a 63-12 loss to Piedmont.
Joining Dylan Nunez as the only Raider to record four wins on the day, Hamilton capped his performance with a fall in the third period. Hall won his second match with a pin as well.
The Raiders (3-8) will travel to Scotland High School Wednesday for another non-conference dual.
