RHS' senior class gets first win over Marion

Michael Black wore a smile of satisfaction Saturday after he and his Richmond High School teammates released a Giant curse.

But Black already is looking ahead, to the next game and beyond, after the Red Devils’ senior class beat Marion for the first time in four years and grabbed an upper hand in the North Central Conference chase.

“We’re 2 and 0 in the NCC and that’s huge,” Black said after RHS’ dramatic 2-1 victory on a Freeman Park field heavied by overnight rain.

Two second-half goals, including the game-winner from Joel Okafor with just 23 seconds remaining, gave Richmond’s seniors their first victory over the talented Giants.

“It feels so good to beat them,” said senior Chris Szymanowski. “We were pumped and had a good talk at halftime from the seniors and we knew we were going to do this.”

Perhaps RHS (6-1-2) knew the final outcome, but fans waited and wondered. Marion scored in the game’s first five minutes courtesy of a communication breakdown between RHS senior Nathan Guth and goalkeeper Drew Barrett. The two engaged in a sharp but brief exchange after the goal and the Red Devils refocused on the business of minding the net.

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