PLAYOFF PREVIEW: No. 31 Lady Raiders return to 4A playoffs for first time since 2021

CHAPEL HILL — Friday was cause for celebration for the Richmond Senior High School girls soccer team.

For the first time in three seasons, the Lady Raiders and head coach Chris Larsen qualified for the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs.

After being on the bubble each of the last three years, including this spring, Richmond snuck in as the No. 31 seed in the 4A East.

Each of the past two years, the Lady Raiders were within a few spots but ended on the wrong side of the finalized brackets. The last time they made the playoffs was in 2021 as an eight-seed.

The NCHSAA released its final brackets Friday afternoon. Richmond was paired with No. 2 Millbrook High School.

Larsen has become a sort of Ratings Percentage Index wizard since the NCHSAA switched to that formula a few years ago to determine playoff seedings.

Each year he’s been able to use Richmond’s strength of schedule with non-conference opponents to get the team within striking distance of the postseason.

While there’s no exact science, this season’s tough slate worked to the Lady Raiders’ benefit.

Richmond recorded the 31st-best RPI in the final rankings, securing a 0.51435, just ahead of No. 32 Corinth Holders High School (0.49978 RPI, the final seed).

The NCHSAA also uses a team’s winning percentage, opponents’ winning percentage and opponents’ opponents winning percentage to calculate RPI. The Lady Raiders’ line of a 0.43750 WP, a 0.57162 OWP and a 0.51485 OOWP helped them return to the playoffs.

This season, the Lady Raiders posted a 9-12-3 overall record. Within the Sandhills Athletic Conference, they had a 4-7-1 mark to finish in fourth place.

Millbrook (18-0-2) finished second in the 4A East’s RPI standings (0.69076), just behind No. 1 seed Ashley High School (18-0-2, 0.70725 RPI)..

The Lady Wildcats secured one of the top spots with a 0.95000 WP, a 0.59073 OWP and a 0.56488 OOWP.

During the regular season, Millbrook and coach Derek Blackwelder won the Northern Atlantic Conference title with a 9-0-1 record. The team enters the playoffs on a seven-match winning streak and winners of 18 of its last 19 matches.

Richmond is averaging 1.75 goals per match and allowing a slightly higher 1.95 goals against per 80 minutes.

The Lady Wildcats are netting 4.25 goals per match and giving up 0.55 goals per night.

Hopeful all season to make the playoffs, Larsen said just the opportunity to represent Richmond on the big stage is “a feather in the program’s cap.”

Knowing the odds are stacked slightly against his team’s favor, Larsen was optimistic in saying that’s why the match is played. A win, he added, “would put (Richmond) on the map.”

Monday’s first round 4A East matchup will be played at Millbrook. The tentative start time is 6 p.m.