The fireworks show that opened Homecoming Night at Richmond County continued with a 59-point first-half salvo against visiting Pinecrest.

The Patriots achieved some consolation in the 59-6 defeat by holding the Raider reserves scoreless in the second half and scoring their first touchdown in five games.

"We ran the clock in the second half," Raider coach Ed Emory said. "I didn't want to score any more after 39, but we scored four times on defense and scored one on the kicking game."

James McNeil capped a 58-yard drive on the game's opening series with a 29 yard touchdown run. On the second Raider possession, the Patriots' Chris Terry intercepted a pass from quarterback Derrick Wiley on the goal line and returned it to his own 10.

But moments later, the Raiders' Terrence Jones picked off a Chais Beloso pass and took it 17 yards for a touchdown. The extra point made it 14-0.

One of the next two Raider scores was also via an interception return.

The speed of the Raider kickoff team and the fierce rush put on the Patriot punters contributed to poor field position for the visitors throughout the first half. Offensively, the Patriots managed a net yardage of 27 and two first downs.

The final Raider touchdown came off a punt blocked by Russell Anderson that was picked up and carried into the end zone by Donnie LeGrande.

Chandler Moore and Vincent Brower covered two of the three fumbles the Raiders lost in a second half shortened by the running clock.

On the first series of the second half, Pinecrest punter Danny Heimrich boomed a 50-yarder that was fumbled by the Raider return man. Playing in his first game after suffering a shoulder injury in the season opener against Union Pines, Moore gave Patriot supporters a rush when he picked the ball up and took it into the end zone. By rule, the ball was given to the Patriots at the spot of the recovery, the Raider 25-yard line.

The visitors went backwards from there and the series ended on a 46-yard field-goal attempt by Heimrich that was short.

"It felt like I never left," Moore said of his long-awaited return to action. "I came back 110 percent. I believe I should have gotten that touchdown, but that's OK, we still put some points on the board."

Early in the fourth period, the Patriots took over on the Raider 37-yard line after the Brower recovery. Beloso led the Patriots to paydirt in just five plays.

On third-and-eight from the 35, Tyler Martin gained 10 yards and Danny Heimrich picked up six on screen passes. On the next play, Trevor Scewczak took the ball the final 19 yards off a shovel pass from Beloso. The extra point attempt was blocked.

"We put it in two weeks ago, but we hadn't run it yet," Scewczak said of the scoring play that caught the home team by surprise.

Patriot coach Larry Adams was asked if it felt good to the team to finally get on the scoreboard.

"You'll have to ask them," he said, "they were the ones out there."

"It's not as good as winning," said Scewczak, "but it felt all right."

Scewczak is proud of his teammates for giving it their all under difficult circumstances each week. The Patriot squad numbered 29 for the game, while 76 Raider players saw action.

"Again it comes back to heart," he said. "These guys have as much heart as any team I've seen."

Beloso, Spencer Bishop and Scewczak all took turns at quarterback for the Patriots, combining for nine completions in 25 attempts for 50 yards, two interceptions and one touchdown.

Patriot ball carriers were held to 26 yards in 21 attempts.

The win raises the record of third-ranked Richmond to 6-0. Next Friday night Pinecrest (0-6) entertains Hoke County.

On Thursday, the Pinecrest junior varsity team split up for games at home against Richmond and on the road at Princeton. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 35-0 in a game that was called at halftime because of a severe thunderstorm.

A squad of Patriot freshmen defeated the Princeton jayvee team 28-12. Devon Hinson ran for three scores and Harold Pratt returned an interception for the other touchdown.

Pinecrest 0 0 0 6 -- 6

Richmond 27 32 0 0 -- 59

Scoring Summary

(R) McNeil 29 run (Newton kick); (R) Jones 17 interception return (Newton kick); (R) Ayers 11 pass from Wiley (kick failed); (R) Williams 39 interception return (Larsen kick); (R) Terry 11 pass from Wiley (kick failed); (R) Ingram 40 punt return (run failed); (R) Stroman 39 run (Newton kick); (R) Covington 2 run (Standridge kick); (R) LeGrande 24 blocked punt return (pass failed); (P) Scewczak 19 pass from Beloso (kick blocked).