Richmond Hill High School

Denney goes over 1000 yards rushing for the season

Richmond Hill junior scores twice in lopsided 71-14 loss to WACO

Washington County High School at Richmond Hill High School

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Washington County beat Richmond Hill Friday 71-14, but that still didn’t detour a bright spot of the season for Wildcat Zach Denney – reaching the 1,000 mark for rushing.

To start the game, Richmond Hill recovered a Washington County fumble and Denney broke a long gain to near the goal line. He then finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.

This started an early chain of events that Coach Brian Brocato would later characterize as a "punch in the mouth" that he had hoped would help slow down the faster, bigger, and stronger Golden Hawks.

Instead, Washington County would score on their next five possessions aided by three Richmond Hill fumbles. Senior running back Keith Swint did most of the damage against the Wildcats and would pick up his first of two touchdowns with a one-yard run that followed the Golden Hawks’ 80-plus-yard opening drive.

A missed field goal attempt at the end of the half broke the string of Golden Hawk consecutive scores but left Brocato and his team looking for an alternative goal to shoot for in the second half.

Denney started the game needing close to one hundred yards to go over the 1,000 yard rushing milestone for the season. Unofficially a school rushing record, his first half performance of close to eighty yards made that record seem achievable.

WACO had other ideas.

The Golden Hawks picked up where they left off and scored again on five consecutive turns with the ball, giving little time for Denney to gain much ground. Then, in their final possession, Denney would take matters in to his own hands.

On the last play from scrimmage in the game, the Richmond Hill junior took a handoff off tackle and broke to the visiting sideline where he simply out ran the defense to the end zone. His 81 yard score easily put him over the 1,000 yard mark and also gave him his second touchdown of the day - added to his team-leading stats in that category.

It has become Denney’s trademark running style this season - one of the smallest players on the field running head long into a pile and coming out the other side like he was shot from a cannon. He has also demonstrated a toughness that any 1,000-yard rusher needs. For every yard he has made this season, there were likely a few bruises to go with them.

The Wildcats finished their season on senior night with a 2-8, 0-6 record and said goodbye to their senior class in a ceremony at the start of the game. Brocato paid his respects in a teary farewell at the end of the game to seniors Tyler Mitchell, John Phifer, Josh Davis, Taylor Compton, Drew Tomlinson, DJ Stembridge, Antwann McGirt, Franklin Brown, Kevin Bodaford and Nick Balas.

The Wildcats final business will be their post season banquet that will be held at the high school on Nov. 18.