Richlands has relied on a stalwart defense averaging 12.56 points allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Friday. They lost 34-14 to the White Oak Vikings. The Wildcats' loss signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.
Richlands' defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Caleb Simco, who threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 50 yards. Another receiver making a difference was Tyler Clouatre, who picked up 96 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Joshua Smith was his usual excellent self, rushing for 210 yards on only 13 carries, while also throwing for 61 yards and two touchdowns while completing 71.4% of his passes for White Oak. The dominant performance gave Smith a new career-high in rushing yards. Jamison Avila also deserves a mention for his punt return touchdown.
Having lost for the first time this season, Richlands fell to 8-1. As for White Oak, the win (which was their seventh in a row) raised their record to 8-1.
Richlands will take on Dixon at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Dixon is coming into the game with four straight losses on the road, meaning Richlands will have to defend against a team hungry for a victory. As for White Oak, they and Swansboro are set to duel on Friday. White Oak is facing Swansboro at the right time seeing as Swansboro is stuck on an eight-game losing streak.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
