FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Seventy-First and Richmond started off 2024 with everything a high school opener could ask for.

Big plays? Check. Lead changes just seconds apart? Check. The lights going out just before a big moment in the fourth quarter? Also check.

When both teams left the field, there were two undeniable truths.

The first, No. 5 Seventy-First had won 35-28 over the visiting Raiders. The second, that this was the kind of contest both teams needed to start a new year.

The Falcons, a 3A state runner-up a year ago, needed a wake-up call and a reminder that championships are not won in preseason rankings — and they answered that call. Richmond, coming off a 5-6 season and welcoming new coach Brad Denson in his debut, needed to show positive signs of improvement — and did they ever.

The first quarter started out mildly enough, with neither team finding the end zone until Falcons quarterback Deandre Nance punched in a 1-yard run with 8.6 seconds left in the period. The lead changed on the very next play, with Richmond’s Jaylen Hamilton returning the ensuing kickoff 84 yards to paydirt to go up 7-6. Seventy-First’s lead was gone nine seconds later.

Richmond’s lead? It lasted a little longer — 19 seconds. Seventy-First scored on the second quarter’s first play from scrimmage, a 48-yard halfback draw by Donovan Frederick to make it 12-7 after the two-point conversion.

The Falcons (1-0) led 21-7 at halftime as Nance’s second touchdown run, this time from 2 yards out, capped a 6-yard drive thanks to a fumble from Richmond and return from Xavier Gear.

Richmond (0-1) alternated quarterbacks in the first half but Evan Hodges was the guy for the second half. After an 0-for-4 start to the night, he got the Raiders into their first offensive rhythm of the evening on back-to-back scoring drives.

The first ended with a 6-yard run by Jordan Bostic. The second, on 4th-and-goal, ended with Bostic throwing a halfback pass to Nic Griggs for a 3-yard score.

With 3:27 on the clock in the third quarter, both teams were tied 21-all.

Seventy-First responded with a 40-yard strike from Nance to Jy’Taivius Whitted to go up 28-21. That lead lasted a little less than 25 seconds.

Richmond’s next drive took hardly any time at all, with Javion Smith toting the ball 14 yards for a tying score with 28.3 left in the third.

The fourth quarter was solved in three drives.

Seventy-First’s first one ended with a 1-yard run by Frederick with 8:13 to go. Richmond went 3-and-out, and the Falcons’ next drive milked the clock all the way to the end, with Nance and Frederick each converting big first downs.

Nance ended the game with 113 yards passing and 85 on the ground and responsible for three of the Falcons’ two scores. Frederick, who ran for 94 yards, had the other two. Whitted had 98 yards receiving. Nance and Frederick are returning HSOT all-state selections.

Hodges ended the night 6-of-11 passing for 118 yards. Bostic’s 19 yards rushing were the highest on the team, splitting touchdowns with Smith (14 yards). Ameir Morrison had a team-high 76 yards receiving.

Though Richmond was unranked statewide, the Raiders are seventh in the preseason 910 area code rankings.

The Raiders came tantalizingly close to turning the game on its head. A third-quarter onside kick was nearly recovered, but the Raiders player was ruled out of bounds before possessing it. Two Nance fumbles were recovered by himself. On the second, he threw a touchdown pass on the next play. And in the fourth quarter, with Seventy-First trying to milk the clock, two third-down pickups came on a ever-winding run by Nance and the second on a pass interference call. A third, a 12-yard run by Frederick in which he carried the tacklers nine extra yards to turn a 3-yard gain (a Richmond timeout just before the play was extended as the lights went off at the stadium for about a minute) into 14 to set up victory formation, put the upset effort to bed for good.

FINAL STATS

Passing: Richmond — Dominic Tillman (2-2 passing, 19 yards); Evan Hodges (6-11 passing, 118 yards); Jordan Bostic (1-1 passing, 3 yards, 1 TD); Seventy-First — Deandre Nance (9-11 passing, 113 yards, 1 TD)
Rushing: Richmond — Dominic Tillman (3 carries, -16 yards); Evan Hodges (2 carries, 7 yards); Jordan Bostic (8 carries, 19 yards, 1 TD); Chance Crowder (2 carries, 4 yards); Javion Smith (2 carries, 16 yards, 1 TD); Seventy-First — Deandre Nance (19 carries, 85 yards, 2 TDs); Donovan Frederick (12 carries, 94 yards, 2 TDs); Jasyon Franklin (9 carries, 16 yards); Shon Pone (1 carry, 2 yards); Jy’Taivius Whitted (1 carry, -15 yards)
Receiving: Richmond — Bobby Pegues (1 reception, 10 yards); Ameir Morrison (3 receptions, 76 yards); Nic Griggs (3 receptions; 41 yards, 1 TDs); Jordan Bostic (1 recepton, 10 yards); Seventy-First — Jadyn Surgeon (2 receptions, 6 yards); Jy’Taivius Whitted (5 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TDs); Shon Pone (2 receptions, 9 yards)

SCORING SUMMARY

1Q
SEV — Nance 1-yd run, XP no good, (6-0, 8.6)
RICH — Hamilton 84-yd kick return, (7-6, 0.0)
2Q
SEV — Frederick 48-yd run, Franklin 2-pt run, (14-7, 11:41)
SEV — Nance 2-yd run, XP good, (21-7, 5:58)
3Q
RICH — Bostic 6-yd run, XP good (21-14, 8:57)
RICH — Bostic to Griggs 3-yd pass, (21-21, 3:27)
SEV — Nance to Whitted 40-yd pass, (28-21, 52.7)
RICH — Smith 14-yd run, XP good, (28-28, 28.3)
4Q
SEV — Frederick 1 yd TD run, (35-28, 8:13)

Source: highschoolot.com