The Richmond Raiders get set to snap the ball in the first quarter of Friday night’s contest against Scotland.
                                 Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

The Richmond Raiders get set to snap the ball in the first quarter of Friday night’s contest against Scotland.

Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

<p>Richmond running back Taye Spencer (1) looks to escape a Scotland defender during Friday night’s contest.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal</p>

Richmond running back Taye Spencer (1) looks to escape a Scotland defender during Friday night’s contest.

Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

<p>Richmond quarterback Emoni McBride (5) looks to get out of bounds after a rushing gain during Friday night’s contest against Scotland.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal</p>

Richmond quarterback Emoni McBride (5) looks to get out of bounds after a rushing gain during Friday night’s contest against Scotland.

Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

<p>Richmond running back Taye Spencer (1) bursts through the Scotland defense for a 65-yard run during Friday night’s contest.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal</p>

Richmond running back Taye Spencer (1) bursts through the Scotland defense for a 65-yard run during Friday night’s contest.

Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

<p>A trio of Raiders defenders bring down Scotland wide receiver Izeem Graham (4) during Friday night’s contest.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal</p>

A trio of Raiders defenders bring down Scotland wide receiver Izeem Graham (4) during Friday night’s contest.

Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

<p>Richmond receiver Jamarion Bryant (2) scores a touchdown during Friday night’s contest against Scotland.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal</p>

Richmond receiver Jamarion Bryant (2) scores a touchdown during Friday night’s contest against Scotland.

Photos| Caleb Swails/ For the Daily Journal

ROCKINGHAM— The Richmond Raiders (5-5, 4-2 SAC) were on home turf Friday night, looking to cap off the regular season with a win against conference rival, the Scotland Fighting Scots (6-4, 4-2 SAC). In a game that went down to the wire, first downs were not easy to come by early.

The game started with four three-and-outs combined by both teams before the Scots were able to get a first down halfway through the first quarter on their third drive out. Later in the first quarter, Scots quarterback Carter Revelle fired a pass from 48 yards out to receiver Izeem Graham for a touchdown pass, giving the Scots an early 7-0 lead after the successful extra point attempt.

On Richmond’s next possession, they were forced to punt. But, the Raiders would muff the ball and the Scots would recover on Richmond’s 18-yard line.

At the beginning of the second quarter, the Scots found themselves in great position to cap off the drive with another seven points, but were stopped by the Raiders defense on 4th-and-3 from the Raiders 11-yard line. Revelle rolled out right to look for wide receiver Cadyn Graves, but two Raiders defenders were there to contest the pass, which forced a turnover on downs.

The following Raiders possession, running back Taye Spencer found open space through his blockers for a 65-yard run to get the ball down on the Scots 24-yard line. Shortly after, Raiders quarterback Emoni McBride handed the ball to wide receiver Jamarion Bryant on a play-action fake sweep around the backfield for a touchdown from 11 yards out. After the made PAT, the game was tied 7-7 with nine minutes left in the first half.

After defensive stops from both teams, the Scots had the ball late in the half with under two minutes to go. From midfield, Revelle was able to find wide receiver Demarion Davis who sneaked behind the safeties in the middle of the field for a touchdown. The Scots regained the lead 14-7 after the converted extra point.

The next Raiders possession was one that came back to haunt them. Richmond was able to get a drive going and get into Scotland territory with 10 seconds left in the half. On the Scots’ nine-yard line, McBride rolled out right and fired a ball into the end zone, but it was picked off by Graham who came down in a fight for the ball to save a score, and send the game into halftime.

The Raiders didn’t let the interception hinder their opening drive in the second half, with the offense milking nearly six minutes off the clock and capping off the drive with a Spencer rushing touchdown from one yard out. The Raiders evened it up 14-14 after the PAT, with 6:36 left in the third quarter.

After a Raiders defensive stop, the offense found their way back in Scots territory. McBride ran the ball off an option and slipped past two defenders in the open field to get in the end zone for a touchdown. The score gave the Raiders a notch up 21-14 after the extra point was good.

Going late into the fourth quarter, both defenses were able to come up big, keeping the score 21-14. But, with two minutes left in the game, the Scots were at the Raiders’ 21-yard line on a 4th-and-goal. Revelle threw a pass to Graham in the end zone, but the Raiders were called for a pass interference penalty.

The call gave the Scots another fourth down chance (no automatic first down for PI in high school football) from the Raiders 10-yard line, which led to Revelle finding Graves in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown to trim the Raiders lead 21-20. The Scots elected to go for the two-point conversion instead of the PAT in hopes to take the lead, in which they were successful. The Scots drew up the classic “Philly Special” play call, which led to Graves finding Revelle in the end zone to take the lead, 22-21, with 1:49 left in the game.

On an attempt for a game winning drive, McBride tried his luck on fourth down and fired a deep ball on a one-on-one route down field, but Scotland’s Gabe Jones was able to seal the game with an interception in the end zone. After the game, Raiders head coach Bryan Till shared his thoughts on the loss.

“It’s a rivalry game, both sides are just going to get after each other. You hate to not get the breaks, you hate to get backed up like that at the end,” Till said.

He said that the team had their opportunities, and feels that’s why the loss stings more than others.

“We had our opportunities, and I think our guys know that. That’s why it hurt so bad,” he said. “You see the look in their eyes. When you lose one where you know you had a chance, (and) you know you’re a good football team, you believe in yourselves, (and) it’s hard to deal with that.”

Till also noted that he doesn’t want his guys to feel bad for themselves, but yet, to use this loss as a notion of not wanting to lose a close game in the future.

“I don’t want to consult them. I want them to learn as men how to handle that pain… We don’t want to consult them, we want them to grow through it, and that’s the big deal.”

Till said that the team will look forward to the playoffs, and that they will look to put this game behind them.

“This game can’t beat you next week. You are going to have a chance next week to keep the season going,” Till said.

The Raiders, who despite the loss have likely earned a playoff spot, will find out their NCHSAA 3A first round playoff opponent Oct. 29, to see who they will be playing against next week.