By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
gmsportsmedia2023@gmail.com
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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – In the 64th edition of Richland and Haltom football on Friday night, the Royals erupted in the second half to pull away from the Buffalos 52-33 in the season opener at Birdville Fine Arts Athletic Complex. The Royals improve to 42-21-1 in the series and have won the last seven.
Both teams made the playoffs last season – Haltom out of District 8-6A, Richland from District 3-5A Division 1.
The Royals have reached the regional semifinals in back-to-back years.
Haltom made a statement on the opening drive – going 69 yards in 12 plays and eating up nearly six minutes off the clock. The Buffs ran the ball 11 times with Drico Roberson and KJ Parks leading the charge.
They converted a pair of third downs and Roberson punched it in from the 5 to give Haltom a 7-0 lead.
Roberson, the 5-9 senior, rushed for over 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns in ’24.
Richland went quick on its opening drive – going 75 yards in under three minutes. Junior quarterback Brett Kates connected with Aaron Brooks for a 21-yard pick up. Three plays later, Kates, the son of head coach Ged Kates, tossed a 12-yard touchdown pass to Noble Bradley to tie the game at 7 with 3:43 left in the first quarter.
That didn’t distract the Haltom offense as the Buffs scored on their second drive.
They went 9 for 9 on runs with Roberson breaking loose on the first play for 55 yards. Haltom continued to chip away and faced fourth and goal from the 3 to start the second quarter. The Buffs came back to the field and punched it in on a tough run from Parks, who broke two tackles.
Kates added 36 yards on a pass to Brooks, who made a nice catch on a ball that was slightly under thrown. Then on third and 8 from the Haltom 32, Kates handed it off to running back Jayshon Gibson, who ran up the middle for the score and tie at 14-14 with 10:31 left in the half.
Both defenses finally made stops as both offenses were forced to punt.
But on Richland’s attempt, the Royals got a direct snap to Gibson. Haltom’s D blew up the play for no gain and the Buffs took over on downs at the Richland 45.
11 plays and over five minutes later, Haltom found the end zone for the third time in the half – a Roberson 9-yard touchdown run on third down. However, the kick was no good, leaving the Buffs’ lead to 20-14.
The Royals drove down field with 28 seconds left – highlighted by a Kates’ 13-yard pass to Brooks followed by a 17-yarder to Ben Sanders – leaving enough time for a field goal try by Beck Spivey from 43 yards away.
Spivey just got enough on the try – sending it to halftime with Richland trailing 20-17.
Richland came out hot in the third quarter – led by Gibson – and scored 24 straight points. The Royals led 38-20 before Parks returned a kickoff 96 yards for a Haltom TD. The Royals scored 35 points in the second half.
Musa Kerkula scored from the 1 for Richland’s final points – with 5:51 left in the game.
***STORY WILL BE UPDATED***
