The weather held up the start of the game 30 minutes and whenever that happens coaches tend to fret and worry about how it will impact their teams mentally. Especially if it’s a young team.
With approximately 80 percent of its roster being underclassmen Richmond Hill falls into that category but when the Wildcats finally got on the field in their season opener Friday night against Effingham County it was business as usual.
“They played hard…they’re all puppies,” Coach Matt LeZotte said following his team’s 14-0 win. “I can’t say enough about their focus in the locker room during the delay. They don’t know any better.”
Richmond Hill struggled offensively, especially in the first half when it had only two first downs and on one of those lost possession when Zion Gillard was hit hard and fumbled following a 21-yard gain.
But a defense which entered the season with questions due to having only one senior in the starting lineup, more than held up its end of the bargain in stifling a Rebel offense that is looking to put points on the board this season.
“Our defensive front played well,” LeZotte said. “Our defensive backs played smart and our linebackers kept the ball on the ground.
“They just played hard.”
It was Richmond Hill’s debut as a Class 7A team and it was a most satisfying win as Effingham is one of the Wildcats’ bitter rivals. It was their fourth straight win over the Rebels and gives LeZotte a 7-1 record in openers at Richmond Hill. He is 9-3 overall in his 12th year as a head coach.
The two teams were locked in a scoreless tie at the half before Richmond Hill was able to break the ice with 4:30 left in the third quarter when senior wide receiver Ravon Grant scored on a 9-yard reverse around right end.
Grant’s touchdown was set up by one of several Rebel miscues.
Facing a fourth-and-13 at the Richmond Hill 48 the Effingham long snapper lofted the ball over the punter’s head and by the time the chase was over the Wildcats had the ball at the 13-yard line, a 39-yard loss for the Rebels.
Effingham, which had 11 penalties for 95 yards, was immediately called for pass interference and after Gillard lost two yards on two attempts to set up Grant’s run which caught the Rebels off guard.
That was all the points Richmond Hill and its hard-hitting defense needed but just for good measure it tacked on another score when Gillard scored from four yards out with 8:02 left in the game.
Gillard finished the night 57 yards on 21 carries while Ty Goldrick completed eight of 14 passes for 73 yards. Mason Wilcox had three catches for 29 yards while Grant also had three for 11 yards.
It was the defense and kicking game which proved to be the difference for the Wildcats who saw senior defensive lineman Dontae Goodner get his season off to a great start with nine tackles, five solo with one going for a loss, and two quarterback pressures. Sophomore lineman Gabe Bauman also had nine tackles.
Aiden Styan punted five times for a 43-yard average and he placed two kicks inside the 20-yard line. Sophomore Blake Williams had three kickoffs for touchbacks. He and Styan each kicked an extra point.
Up next: Richmond Hill plays at Ware County in a non-region matchup. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. in Waycross.
