Great article in the Laurinburg Exchange about the Richmond/Scotland rivalry. It inspired me to post all sorts of fun stats. There are a few errors though, but a good write-up. Here are the corrections...
"From 1994 until 2011 it was Richmond who had bragging rights as the SEC champions."
>>Richmond did not win the title in 1994. They actually lost 3 conference games that season and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Even though Richmond won the state title in 2008, they did not win the conference title. That one was won by Jack Britt.
"In 2011 that all changed as the Scots finally reclaimed the conference title after a 17-year drought." >>In 2001, Richmond, Scotland, and Byrd all shared the conference title, so the Scots' drought wasn't quite as long as it appeared.
"Since then the SEC title has lived in Scotland County as head coach Richard Bailey and the Fighting Scots have won six straight conference championships." >>Richard Bailey was not at Scotland for the first of those titles, and 2011-2015 is only five straight championships (although that could change Friday, we will see.)
“Nobody in our program right now has lost a conference game, JV or varsity, but we can’t let all the expectations weigh on us”
>>While this may very well be true, I find it surprising that none of the current juniors or seniors were on the Scots JV team that lost to Richmond 48-20 two seasons ago. However, with the youth on the varsity team, it is definitely possible. On a side note, there were a few current Scotland players on the 9th grade team that lost to Richmond 41-14 in 2014. So regardless of what happens Friday night, not all of the current Scots are going to graduate without a loss to Richmond on their transcripts. Also, Richmond’s JV’s won this year’s meeting 19-8 giving the Raiders a little hope for the future.
Some other notes…
This will be the 50th meeting between the two schools.
Richmond leads the series 35-13-1 and leads in points 1115-760.
Scotland has won the last 5 straight and has outscored the Raiders 173-69 in that time.
The Scots have only allowed 20 first half points during their 5-game run.
22 of the 49 meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less.
5 of Scotland’s 13 wins against Richmond were not conference games. For whatever reason, Richmond and Scotland were not in the same conference from 1981-1984. Scotland won 3 of those 4 meetings. In 1993 and 1994, the Raiders and Scots met twice each year (once in nonconference play and once in conference play). The Scots won all four of those games.
The Scots 8 conference victories against Richmond are the most conference wins that any team has earned against the Raiders. However, Lee County will probably hold on to the best overall record against Richmond in conference play for a while. Lee County went 7-14 against Richmond in conference play, which is impressive considering Richmond participated in 5 state title games during the years that the Raiders and Yellow Jackets were conference foes. Lee also beat Richmond twice in the playoffs during that time.
The two teams have met three times in the post season with Richmond winning them all. The 1978 meeting was for a chance to go to the state title game. Richmond won that game 9-7. A controversial call by an official gave Richmond one last chance to win the game, and they did. It is still being debated nearly 40 years later. The Raiders defeated West Charlotte 14-0 the next week to earn Richmond its first ever state title.
Scotland’s 5-game winning streak is tied for the longest streak that anyone has put together against the Raiders. East Mecklenburg beat the Raiders 5 times between 1977-1981.
Even though Scotland didn’t defeat the Raiders back in 1973, the Scots still managed to help put the biggest blemish on Richmond’s storied tradition that season. The Scots came into the game 1-7 and were expected to lose handedly. Instead, the two rivals battled out to a 20-20 tie. That tie, in a game that Richmond was expected to win, caused the Raiders to end the season with a 4-5-1 record. It is the only losing season in Richmond 44 years of existence.
Ten different Richmond/Scotland games were either decided in the final 90 seconds of play or in overtime.
The 1992 was the only meeting that went into Double Overtime. This happened after both teams missed field goal attempts in the first overtime. Richmond scored and then intercepted Scotland in 2OT to win 21-14.
The most points Richmond has scored against Scotland is 51 back in 1989. (Raiders won 51-22)
The most points Scotland has scored against Richmond is 49 back in 2013. (Scots won 49-14)
The most points scored in a Richmond/Scotland game is 73 back in 1989. (Richmond won 51-22)
The fewest points scored in a Richmond/Scotland game is 10 back in 1979. (Richmond won 10-0)
Richmond has shut out Scotland 7 times and has held the Scots to a TD or less 15 times.
Scotland has never shut out Richmond (although they easily could have in 2011), but have held the Raiders to a TD or less 5 times.
Scotland’s largest margin of victory was their 49-14 win in 2013 (35 pts).
Richmond’s largest margin of victory was their 39-0 victory over Scotland in 1975 (39 pts).
Conference Titles
1972 – Richmond
1975 – Richmond
1976 – Richmond
1977 – Richmond and Scotland shared the title each with one conference loss. Richmond beat Scotland head-to-head.
1978 – Richmond
1979 – Richmond
1984 – Scotland (Defeated Richmond that season, but was not in the same conference with the Raiders)
1985 – Richmond
1987 – Lee and Richmond shared the title each with one conference loss. Lee beat Richmond head-to-head.
1988 – Richmond
1989 – Richmond
1990 – Purnell Swett and Richmond shared the title each with one conference loss. Swett beat Richmond head-to-head.
1991 – Richmond
1993 – Scotland and Richmond shared the title each with one conference loss. Scotland beat Richmond head-to-head.
1994 – Scotland
1995 – Richmond
1996 – Richmond
1997 – Richmond
1998 – Richmond
1999 – Richmond
2000 – Richmond
2001 – Scotland, Richmond, and Douglas Byrd shared the title each with one conference loss. Scotland beat Byrd, Byrd beat Richmond, Richmond beat Scotland.
2002 – Richmond
2003 – Richmond
2004 – Richmond
2005 – Richmond
2006 – Richmond
2007 – Richmond and Jack Britt shared the title each with one conference loss. Richmond beat Jack Britt head-to-head.
2009 – Richmond
2010 – Richmond
2011 – Scotland
2012 – Scotland
2013 – Scotland
2014 – Scotland
2015 - Scotland
"From 1994 until 2011 it was Richmond who had bragging rights as the SEC champions."
>>Richmond did not win the title in 1994. They actually lost 3 conference games that season and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Even though Richmond won the state title in 2008, they did not win the conference title. That one was won by Jack Britt.
"In 2011 that all changed as the Scots finally reclaimed the conference title after a 17-year drought." >>In 2001, Richmond, Scotland, and Byrd all shared the conference title, so the Scots' drought wasn't quite as long as it appeared.
"Since then the SEC title has lived in Scotland County as head coach Richard Bailey and the Fighting Scots have won six straight conference championships." >>Richard Bailey was not at Scotland for the first of those titles, and 2011-2015 is only five straight championships (although that could change Friday, we will see.)
“Nobody in our program right now has lost a conference game, JV or varsity, but we can’t let all the expectations weigh on us”
>>While this may very well be true, I find it surprising that none of the current juniors or seniors were on the Scots JV team that lost to Richmond 48-20 two seasons ago. However, with the youth on the varsity team, it is definitely possible. On a side note, there were a few current Scotland players on the 9th grade team that lost to Richmond 41-14 in 2014. So regardless of what happens Friday night, not all of the current Scots are going to graduate without a loss to Richmond on their transcripts. Also, Richmond’s JV’s won this year’s meeting 19-8 giving the Raiders a little hope for the future.
Some other notes…
This will be the 50th meeting between the two schools.
Richmond leads the series 35-13-1 and leads in points 1115-760.
Scotland has won the last 5 straight and has outscored the Raiders 173-69 in that time.
The Scots have only allowed 20 first half points during their 5-game run.
22 of the 49 meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less.
5 of Scotland’s 13 wins against Richmond were not conference games. For whatever reason, Richmond and Scotland were not in the same conference from 1981-1984. Scotland won 3 of those 4 meetings. In 1993 and 1994, the Raiders and Scots met twice each year (once in nonconference play and once in conference play). The Scots won all four of those games.
The Scots 8 conference victories against Richmond are the most conference wins that any team has earned against the Raiders. However, Lee County will probably hold on to the best overall record against Richmond in conference play for a while. Lee County went 7-14 against Richmond in conference play, which is impressive considering Richmond participated in 5 state title games during the years that the Raiders and Yellow Jackets were conference foes. Lee also beat Richmond twice in the playoffs during that time.
The two teams have met three times in the post season with Richmond winning them all. The 1978 meeting was for a chance to go to the state title game. Richmond won that game 9-7. A controversial call by an official gave Richmond one last chance to win the game, and they did. It is still being debated nearly 40 years later. The Raiders defeated West Charlotte 14-0 the next week to earn Richmond its first ever state title.
Scotland’s 5-game winning streak is tied for the longest streak that anyone has put together against the Raiders. East Mecklenburg beat the Raiders 5 times between 1977-1981.
Even though Scotland didn’t defeat the Raiders back in 1973, the Scots still managed to help put the biggest blemish on Richmond’s storied tradition that season. The Scots came into the game 1-7 and were expected to lose handedly. Instead, the two rivals battled out to a 20-20 tie. That tie, in a game that Richmond was expected to win, caused the Raiders to end the season with a 4-5-1 record. It is the only losing season in Richmond 44 years of existence.
Ten different Richmond/Scotland games were either decided in the final 90 seconds of play or in overtime.
The 1992 was the only meeting that went into Double Overtime. This happened after both teams missed field goal attempts in the first overtime. Richmond scored and then intercepted Scotland in 2OT to win 21-14.
The most points Richmond has scored against Scotland is 51 back in 1989. (Raiders won 51-22)
The most points Scotland has scored against Richmond is 49 back in 2013. (Scots won 49-14)
The most points scored in a Richmond/Scotland game is 73 back in 1989. (Richmond won 51-22)
The fewest points scored in a Richmond/Scotland game is 10 back in 1979. (Richmond won 10-0)
Richmond has shut out Scotland 7 times and has held the Scots to a TD or less 15 times.
Scotland has never shut out Richmond (although they easily could have in 2011), but have held the Raiders to a TD or less 5 times.
Scotland’s largest margin of victory was their 49-14 win in 2013 (35 pts).
Richmond’s largest margin of victory was their 39-0 victory over Scotland in 1975 (39 pts).
Conference Titles
1972 – Richmond
1975 – Richmond
1976 – Richmond
1977 – Richmond and Scotland shared the title each with one conference loss. Richmond beat Scotland head-to-head.
1978 – Richmond
1979 – Richmond
1984 – Scotland (Defeated Richmond that season, but was not in the same conference with the Raiders)
1985 – Richmond
1987 – Lee and Richmond shared the title each with one conference loss. Lee beat Richmond head-to-head.
1988 – Richmond
1989 – Richmond
1990 – Purnell Swett and Richmond shared the title each with one conference loss. Swett beat Richmond head-to-head.
1991 – Richmond
1993 – Scotland and Richmond shared the title each with one conference loss. Scotland beat Richmond head-to-head.
1994 – Scotland
1995 – Richmond
1996 – Richmond
1997 – Richmond
1998 – Richmond
1999 – Richmond
2000 – Richmond
2001 – Scotland, Richmond, and Douglas Byrd shared the title each with one conference loss. Scotland beat Byrd, Byrd beat Richmond, Richmond beat Scotland.
2002 – Richmond
2003 – Richmond
2004 – Richmond
2005 – Richmond
2006 – Richmond
2007 – Richmond and Jack Britt shared the title each with one conference loss. Richmond beat Jack Britt head-to-head.
2009 – Richmond
2010 – Richmond
2011 – Scotland
2012 – Scotland
2013 – Scotland
2014 – Scotland
2015 - Scotland
