Richmond improves to 11-1, moves on to second round
By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
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ROCKINGHAM — Fuquay-Varina Jeb Hall called for an onside kick to open up the Class 4AA East Region playoff game against host Richmond on Friday night at Raider Stadium.
It didn’t work.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Shavar Little takes a pitch from backup quarterback Leon Zeigler and runs it into the end zone for a 13-0 lead early in the first quarter.
It took all of seven seconds for Desmond Marshall and the Raiders to demonstrate that last week’s 34-13 loss to Scotland wasn’t going to be repeated. Marshall acquired the ball on the 50-yard-line and raced down the visitors’ sideline to end zone for a very fast 6-0 lead.
Advantage Richmond.
With the win, the Raiders will host No. 5 Millbrook (10-2), which beat No. 12 Jack Britt (6-6), 43-35. on Nov. 21 at Raider Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Brandon Greene’s extra point attempt was good and with 11:53 left in the first quarter, Richmond held a 7-0 advantage. It didn’t get any better for the visiting Bengals.
Fuquay-Varina went for it on fourth down and regretted it. On Richmond’s second possession, backup quarterback Leon Zeigler — starting in place of the injured Luke Hoggard — pitched it to his right to Shavar Little. Little scampered down the home team’s sideline to the end zone and a 13-0 lead. Greene again connected. The Raiders led 14-0 with only 2:48 off the clock.
Richmond scored again less than two minutes later, as Miles Grant dashed to his left for a score and a 20-0 lead. Greene’s kick was blocked, but it hardly mattered. With 3:20 left in the first quarter, Grant scored again and upped the Raiders’ led to 26-0. Greene connected for his third extra point on the night — making him 53 for 60 on the season — and a 27-0 Richmond lead.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Jaelin Beugre picks off Fuquay-Varina quarterback Brycen Braswell early in the second quarter.
Defensive back Jaelin Beugre didn’t like the idea of the Bengels having the ball early in the second quarter, so he intercepted quarter Brycen Braswell’s pass, intended for Eric Sugarman.
Under center, Zeigler made it worth something — six points, to be exact, when he connected with Lavell Ellerbe for a 37-yard touchdown pass only 3:16 into the second quarter for a 33-0 lead. Greene was good for the extra point.
Zeigler scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper with 4:11 to go in the half to lift Richmond up, 40-0. Greene again was good. Richmond 41, Fuquay-Varina 0.
Zeigler connected with Ellerbe again just before intermission. The Raiders called two timeouts in the final 30 seconds of the opening half. The delays allowed Zeigler to hit Ellerbe 13 seconds before the buzzer.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Lavell Ellerbe hauls in a pass from Leon Zeigler in the second quarter for a 33-0 Richmond lead.
Gus Chambers’ defensive touchdown was the only Richmond score of the second half. The Bengals ended the shutout when Christian James ran for a score late in the fourth quarter.
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