Loss sends Knights on road for playoffs

ONLINE EXTRA: Watch highlights from the Evans-Richmond Academy matchup Friday night.

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The defending Region 3-AAAA champs will be on the road Friday.

Evans lost its bid for a home playoff game when it lost 21-15 at Richmond Academy on Friday.

After finishing 0-10 two seasons ago, Richmond Academy (7-3) completed the regular season as the Region 3-AAAA runner-up. The Musketeers will play host to a first-round playoff game for the first time since 1998.

"This is fantastic," Richmond Academy coach Chris Hughes said. "It shows these seniors have turned this thing around. They're special, and it's turned into a special year."

Just two weeks ago, Richmond Academy was left for dead after an upset loss in overtime to Cross Creek. The Musketeers rebounded the following week with a win over Hephzibah before knocking off Evans for the first time since 1976.

The Knights (8-2), the No. 3 seed in Region 3-AAAA, played without senior running back Jonathan Finch.

Finch, who has rushed for 1,024 yards this season, posted a pair of second-half rushing touchdowns last season to lift Evans to a 27-10 win against Richmond Academy.

Finch received a two-day in-house suspension, which extended to Friday. Evans coach Marty Jackson said it's a team rule that when a player gets suspended at school the day of a game, that player doesn't see game action.

Evans rushed 29 times for 158 yards. Jamerson Turner led the Knights with 74 yards on 11 carries, while Will Scott added 73 yards on 12 carries.

Richmond Academy running back Jerrel Anderson, still recovering from flulike symptoms, rushed 29 times for 220 yards and a touchdown. He sat out of practice this week, excluding Thursday's walk-through.

Early in the fourth quarter, Anderson took a hard hit and lost his breath. He walked off the field but returned for the Muskeeteers' next possession. He capped a 65-yard drive with a 4-yard run, extending the lead to 21-9 with 6:34 remaining.

"I told coach I had to finish the game," Anderson said.

Evans led 3-0 deep into the third quarter, but Medlock punched it in on a sneak on fourth-and-goal from the 1.

On the ensuing kickoff, Richmond Academy recovered an Evans fumble. Five plays later, Medlock hit Drek Reid on a slant over the middle for 33-yard touchdown. Richmond Academy led 14-3.

Harlem 27, Westside 13

The Bulldogs closed out their season by winning four of their final five games. Harlem finished 4-6, and 3-5 in Region 3-AAAA.

The Bulldogs posted an identical record as a season ago, despite losing the majority of their playmakers to the rezoning for Grovetown High.

Greenbrier 24, Redan 14

The Wolfpack closed their season with a victory over Redan for a second consecutive year.

Greenbrier finished 2-5 in its second season in Region 2-AAAAA and was 3-7 overall.