By Caison Kirkland

caison.kirkland@gaflnews.com

VALDOSTA— In an uphill matchup, the Richmond Hill Wildcats handed Valdosta their first loss of the season, coming away with a decisive 35-14 victory. Richmond Hill’s potent ground game and solid defense proved too much for the Valdosta Wildcats, who struggled to find consistency.

Valdosta’s offense struggled throughout the game, mainly due to the absence of their star quarterback, Todd Robinson, who was sidelined with an injury. Robinson, known for his dynamic playmaking abilities in the air and on the ground, was sorely missed, as Valdosta’s backup quarterbacks could not generate the same offensive spark.

Without Robinson leading the charge, the Wildcats’ offense lacked rhythm and consistency, relying heavily on the run game, which Richmond Hill’s defense effectively contained. Marquis Fennell was still as reliable as ever in the rushing game, with 23 carries for 151 yards. 

The game kicked off with both teams engaged in a defensive struggle early on, exchanging punts on their first few possessions. Richmond Hill’s defense made a statement when Tad Christman pinned Valdosta deep on their own 11-yard line.

Richmond Hill took advantage of their strong field position on Valdosta’s 38-yard line following a punt, quickly driving inside the 20. Running back Joshua Troupe opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown, and Cannon Kuryla’s extra point made it 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

Valdosta’s offense continued to stall, with another punt giving Richmond Hill great field position. Richmond Hill’s offense seized the opportunity once again, with Caleb Easterling breaking free for a 35-yard rushing touchdown, pushing the lead to 14-0. Before the half, Kirk Scott added another rushing touchdown for Richmond Hill, increasing the score to 21-0.

Valdosta finally found life when they recovered a Richmond Hill fumble on the 30-yard line. Jaylin Chastang capitalized with a rushing touchdown, bringing the score to 21-7. Chastang struck again with a 35-yard run on their next possession, cutting the deficit to 21-14 as the first half ended.

The second half saw Richmond Hill stop Valdosta’s comeback attempt. Richmond Hill capitalized on Valdosta’s penalties and mistakes, driving down the field for another score. Troupe added a touchdown on a QB keeper to make it 28-14 with 8:45 left in the game.

Valdosta, now down two, brought Tripp Perry at quarterback in hopes of mounting a comeback. Despite moving the ball with a few good passes, a fumbled snap and an incomplete pass on fourth down all but sealed the game. Richmond Hill added one final touchdown with just under three minutes remaining as Troupe broke through for his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Valdosta returns home next week for their game against Tift County on Friday the 25th.