First Posted: 1/15/2013

ROCKINGHAM — The elusive 11th opponent has been found.

The administration at Richmond Senior announced Tuesday morning it has completed the upcoming football schedule for the next two seasons with the addition of Vance in Week 3.

But there were a few provisos in the contract, which had to be hammered out before the deal was sealed.

“Vance’s athletic director Carlos Richardson called me about playing,” Richmond athletic director Kevin Mabe said. “I told him the first game had to be at home. Then things got a little tricky.”

Mabe figured the return game at Vance in 2014 might be affected by Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which would force the game to be moved back a day, “we didn’t want to play on Saturday.”

Mabe offered a solution to Richardson — play both games at Raider Stadium.

“It’s an endowment game so we are splitting the gate with them,” Mabe said. “Carlos said he would do it on one more condition — we had to feed their guys both times. I told him ‘done deal.’ I think Jerry Goodman was looking down and smiling on me.”

Last week Mabe said schools from Virginia and South Carolina were interested in filling the Week 3 void, but another name popped up in the meantime — Greensboro Page.

“I told them I already had an iron in the fire,” Mabe said. “If it didn’t work out, I told them I would get back to them and we would work something out.”

Richmond and Vance have faced off twice on the gridiron and both contests were in the opening round of the state 4AA playoffs. The first time was in 2003 when the Raiders rolled to a 45-6 victory. The two teams met again the following year with Richmond claiming a 30-14 win.

The Raiders will face nine schools which advanced to the postseason after sliding the Cougars onto the schedule. In addition, the opponents this fall have a combined record of 91-48, a 65.4 winning percentage.

Richmond will open the season at home against Rocky River (7-5) then hit the road to battle Myrtle Beach in the annual Carolina Kickoff Clash at Doug Shaw Stadium.

Vance will visit Raider Stadium before playing last season’s participants in the 4AA championship tilt — Jack Britt and Butler. The Raiders will travel to Hope Mills to face the Buccaneers then welcome the Bulldogs the following week. Richmond will close out its nonconference schedule with a road contest against Anson County.

Following their open date, the Raiders will begin Southeastern Conference play on the road against Hoke. The team’s lone home conference games will follow with Purnell Swett and Lumberton visiting Raider Stadium. Richmond will close out its regular season slate at Pinecrest and Scotland.

— Sports editor Shawn Stinson can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 14, or by email at [email protected].