8/23/25
Complete Game Coverage: SWO - 6. Richlands - 18. Final: SWO - 6. OPPONENT - 18.
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Photos (courtesy of Kay McCloskey): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/iwzpptkq5kcsehgokbfjr/AB5otIi4LiUz6IaSCF-Ry4U?rlkey=sj4fxhsxoidthxna1jqmo0y4v&st=wivt6d3u&dl=0
Stallion Video Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO7qSaqI3Ok
Stable Talk Postgame Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muczkGezyJU
Game Story courtesy of Chris Miller @ The Jacksonville Daily News: https://www.jdnews.com/sports/richlands-celebrates-good-win-in-fourth-straight-football-victory-over-southwest/article_9c7ccf05-bcfa-58d5-abb4-06542f5c4d33.html
As is often the case on a Saturday morning, I’m pressed for time—but I wanted to share a few of my own observations to complement Chris’s game story.
Like many Stallions, I entered this game with high hopes and big aspirations. And despite the disappointing loss, those hopes and aspirations remain intact. Looking back on Friday night, I’m certainly feeling a bit down. But there were plenty of positives to take away from this game—so let’s dive in.
As stated in Chris Miller’s JD News article, here’s the game story in a nutshell:
Richlands yielded just 48 yards of total offense, including 14 on the ground, and only four first downs, two coming via penalty.
So either SWO has a lot to work on offensively, or Richlands’ defense is simply outstanding. From my point of view, I think it’s a little of the former and a lot of the latter!
The Wildcats’ defense was phenomenal. Richlands dominated the line of scrimmage—and they’ve been doing so for several years, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise. That said, the Stallions must find a way to generate yardage, especially on the ground. Fourteen rushing yards won’t lead to victories. I’m confident the SWO coaching staff will focus on that during the upcoming bye week.
Positives:
- Great attitude and fight! The Stallions never gave up and played hard. The stadium had a festive atmosphere and a real sense of excitement.
- Discipline and preparation. For a season opener, there were very few penalties and only a couple of turnovers. Things ran smoothly overall—kudos to the coaches and team for being well-prepared and focused.
- Strong defensive showing. While Richlands’ defense was outstanding, SWO’s defense also played a whale of a game. The Stallions gave up some yardage but kept the Wildcats out of the end zone—Richlands’ lone touchdown came on a defensive pick-six. That’s impressive, especially considering Richlands had some standout players (their QB looked sharp).
I haven’t reviewed the game film yet, but during live action, these three players stood out as tough-as-nails, gritty competitors: Tito Escalara, Trenton Scribner, and Alex Torres.
An unusual Week 2 bye awaits the Stallions over Labor Day weekend. SWO returns to action on September 5 at Croatan, who opened their season with a 60–0 win over East Carteret.
We’ll miss the Croatan game due to a prior commitment, but we plan to be with you for the rest of the season.
GO STALLIONS!!!
#OnceaStallionAlwaysaStallion
