RCHS rallies to defeat Randleman

Rockingham County fans were rewarded for their faithfulness Thursday evening as their team roared back from a 13-0 first-half deficit to notch their first win of the season.
Playing a day early due to a severe weather threat from Tropical Storm Hanna, the Cougars (1-1) scored on each of their first three possessions in the second half to earn the 21-13 victory. Rockingham’s offense tallied 413 total yards for the night, with 223 of it in the second half and all of that on the ground.
Senior running back Elijah Russell led the Cougars’ ground attack, rushing 11 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow senior Jamal Ziglar was next with 91 yards on 7 rushes and junior Eric Kennedy had 76 off 9 rushes.
Rockingham took the opening kickoff and began a good drive, working their way across midfield to the Tigers’ 39-yard line. That march ended when Randleman recovered a fumble by Russell.
The Cougars’ defense allowed Randleman only three yards on their first possession and started from their own 19-yard line after the punt. This time they took the ball nearly 50 yards downfield before punting it away.
Randleman’s next possession took the game into the second quarter. The Tigers marched 87 yards down the field before quarterback Josh Broach took the ball in from the 2-yard line for the evening’s first touchdown. Kicker Jacob Bishop brought the score to 7-0 with 8:24 remaining in the first half.
The Cougars next attempt ended on the second play, when junior quarterback Cody Munson’s pass was picked off by Randleman’s Jason Goins. But the Tigers were not able to get anything working and went three-and-out.
After punting on fourth-and-long in their next possession, Rockingham gave Randleman good position near midfield. That proved to be enough of an advantage to allow the Tigers to march to the end zone in eight plays. Broach hit sophomore running back T.J. Simmons with an 11 yard pass and the Cougar defense blocked the extra-point attempt, giving Randleman a 13-0 lead with only 24 seconds left in the first half.
The Tigers began the second half throwing, earing a couple quick first downs before Rockingham’s defense and a couple tough penalties cornered them at fourth-and-24.
Starting on their own 26-yard line, the Cougars brought in senior quarterback Jake Wall and began grinding yards on the ground. Twelve plays later, Wall kept the ball himself to get Rockingham on the board from 1 yard out. Kicker Jason Davis, brought up from the jayvee squad for Thursday’s game, added the extra point to bring the score to 13-7 with 52 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Cougars forced another three-and-out from Randleman and took only two plays to take the lead at 14-0 off a 33-yard scamper by Russell.
Another three-and-out stand from Rockingham’s defense gave the offense the opportunity to set up another long touchdown run from Russell. This time, the senior running back ran 44 yards to the end zone for the final score of the game with 5:02 left in the game.