Raiders capitalize on ‘big statement game for us’ in handing Rockets rare regular-season loss

QUINCY — In Taylin Scott’s mind, the last seven days changed the Quincy Notre Dame football team.

“We’re smarter,” the senior linebacker said. “We’re resilient.”

The Raiders have a victory to prove that.

One week after a one-point, first-half deficit ballooned into a 28-point loss to Quincy High School, the Raiders rattled off 22 consecutive points and buckled down defensively in the second half Friday night to secure a 22-10 victory over Richmond-Burton at Advance Physical Therapy Field. 

“I think we showed that we are not the team that we were a week ago,” Scott said.

Or the team Richmond-Burton had beaten in two previous matchups.

“We talked all week about being the best team that we can be, and just kind of paving the way to ultimately get where we want to go,” senior safety/all-purpose back Wyatt Mueller said after handing the Rockets just their fourth regular-season loss in the past six-plus seasons. “(QND coach Jack Cornell) stressed the whole entire week that this is going to be a big statement game for us.”

That statement came on the opening drive.

Richmond-Burton had first and goal from the 3-yard line, but after getting to the 1-yard line, a false start penalty and a couple of Raider stops prevented the Rockets from scoring a touchdown. Richmond-Burton settled for a 20-yard field goal.

“For us to have that huge goal-line stand, hold our ground, and then to just keep them to a field goal, we felt some momentum,” Cornell said.

QND’s offense came alive in the second quarter, highlighted by three scoring drives, starting with an Oliver Triplett 9-yard touchdown run with 11:41 to play in the half. After a Wyatt Mueller interception, Ivan Hun punched it in from 3 yards out to give the Raiders a 14-3 lead halfway through the quarter. 

Then, with only 16 seconds left before halftime, QND quarterback Hunter Schuckman found Mueller for a 9-yard strike putting QND up 22-3 at the break.

“We had a good game plan coming in,” Schuckman said. “Everyone was excited and ready to go. We wanted that bounce back win.”

Richmond-Burton (1-1) scored its only touchdown with two minutes left in the game on a 3-yard run by Hunter Carley. The Raiders’ offense was held scoreless in the second half for the second consecutive game. Hun rushed for 41 yards on 14 carries and Gavin Doellman had four receptions for 61 yards. 

Schuckman looked more comfortable in Week 2. He completed his first 10 passes and finished 10 of 12 for 106 yards with a touchdown and a pair of successful two-point conversion passes to Gavin Doellman and Joseph Doellman.

“I think all the guys around him raised their bar,” Cornell said. “I do give a lot of credit to the guys up front. The (offensive) line did a great job of opening up holes so the run game could get going. They did a good job of keeping him clean in protection and that made it easier for him to really get it going.”

Mueller had two interceptions and the Raiders’ defensive line, powered by the likes of Aidan Brunier, Kamden Huner and Kellen Mangan, held the Richmond-Burton offense mostly in check.

“We just really stressed our tackling technique. We knew they were going to run the ball, and I’m really proud of how our guys played,” Mueller said.

Scott said the Raiders’ defense was ready for Richmond-Burton’s rush-first mentality.

“They’re a heavy run team, and we played them last year. We knew it was coming,” he said. “We just prepared for it.”

Following a non-conference split, the Raiders embark on a seven-game maiden voyage through the Central State Eight Conference, beginning with next Friday’s home tilt against Springfield Southeast.

“My message to the guys after the game was simple. We got to show up on Monday ready to work, because this Central State Eight is going to be no joke,” Cornell said. “There’s not going to be any gimmes in this conference for us. We can’t have any self-inflicted wounds, and we got to keep trying to raise our bar every single day.”