ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — The first win of the Brad Denson era came after a bit of a delay, but it was as sweet as Denson imagined.

The Raiders, No. 23 in the HighSchoolOT Statewide Top 25, took down No. 25 Butler by a score or 26-7 on Saturday night. The game was delayed due to lightning storms on Friday night.

“These kids and this staff, the amount of work they put in during the spring and summer, you almost get emotional,” Denson, a former state champion quarterback for Richmond, said. “I’m telling you, this staff and these kids.. it’s something else.”

Denson choked up when he reflected on his family’s support, particularly his father Dale, a famous Raider assistant coach who is now coaching on his son’s staff.

The re-energized program scored 26 unanswered points to beat Butler.

Richmond is playing with a new level of intensity under Denson. Tonight, the Raiders forced two turnover on downs, forced and recovered three fumbles, and made an interception.

Butler was playing without injured starting quarterback Zach Lawrence, a UMass commit. Lawrence assisted with the offensive communication on the sideline while senior Keyshawn Barrino, who is more of a mobile threat, ran the offense.

The first sign of the Raiders’ intense defense came in week one, when they held the loaded 3A runner-up Seventy-First to 35 points, which would have been the Falcons’ second-lowest regular season output in 2023. Richmond lost that game by just a touchdown, so Denson had to wait an extra week to get over the big first hump.

Richmond’s offense played well under both quarterbacks: junior Evan Hodges and junior Dominic Tillman. Denson, the play-caller, picked the right moments to call his shot plays and screens.

Butler started the game well. The Bulldogs took advantage of an early Richmond muff on a punt and punched it into the end zone on a Jayden Williams two-yard rush with 3:24 left in the first quarter. The seven points there went on to be the only of the game for the Bulldogs.

Besides the early muffed punt, Richmond’s special teams were a difference-maker over Butler. The Raiders scored on a Butler punt attempt that had a low snap that rushed the punter. Richmond outside linebacker Terande Spencer proceeded to hit the punter, forcing the ball out, and it was recovered by Chris Covington for a 5-yard score.

Spencer was a machine. He forced fumbles, had sacks, recovered fumbles, and even had an interception.

Scoring

First Quarter

• 3:24 – Jayden Williams 2-yard rushing touchdown. Bulldogs 7, Raiders 0

Second Quarter

• 9:25 – Evan Hodges 4-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Bostick. Raiders 7, Bulldogs 7

Third Quarter

• 7:42 – Chris Covington 5-yard fumble return touchdown. PAT missed. Raiders 13, Bulldogs 7
• 3:37 – Jordan Bostick 2-yard rushing touchdown. 2-pt. try failed. Raiders 19, Bulldogs 7

Fourth Quarter

• 5:16 – Evan Hodges 3-yard rushing touchdown. Raiders 26, Bulldogs 7

Source: highschoolot.com