Randolph School edged John Carroll Catholic 25-21 on Friday, Oct. 23, securing a home first-round playoff game and setting up another matchup between the teams in two weeks.
The Raiders finished second in Private Double-A, Region 2, after improving to 6-3 overall and 4-3 in region play. The teams will meet again at SportsMed Field in Huntsville for the opening round of the playoffs.
Lefebvre Watson leads Randolph’s comeback
Randolph entered halftime with a 10-7 lead but trailed 14-10 after three quarters. Running back Lefebvre Watson helped turn the game around in the fourth, scoring on a 25-yard run with 10:37 remaining before adding a 2-yard touchdown run with 6:55 left.
Watson finished with 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He also contributed four receptions for 52 yards.
The Raiders’ early points came from Tanner Durbin’s 23-yard field goal in the first quarter and quarterback Landon Leo’s 6-yard touchdown run late in the first half.
Will Simpson sparks the decisive drive
Randolph trailed 21-18 in the fourth quarter when the Raiders recovered a John Carroll fumble near midfield. Will Simpson then broke off a 48-yard run on a reverse, setting up Watson’s go-ahead touchdown during a three-play, 53-yard drive.
Simpson, a Washington & Lee commit, also intercepted a pass on the final play of the game and recorded two tackles for loss.
John Carroll finished with 313 total yards, compared with Randolph’s 261. The Cavaliers gained 212 yards rushing and 101 passing, while the Raiders recorded 205 rushing yards and 56 passing yards. John Carroll also lost two fumbles and threw one interception.
Raiders and Cavaliers prepare for playoff rematch
John Carroll fell to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in region play. The Cavaliers scored through a 21-yard touchdown pass from Harry White to Kannon Hammock, a 5-yard run by Aven McCall and an 8-yard touchdown by Cam Graham.
Both coaches acknowledged the challenge of Friday’s matchup. Randolph coach David Lloyd praised John Carroll’s effort, while Cavaliers coach Will Mara said his team responded well after a difficult stretch.
Before the playoff rematch, Randolph will host Madison County, while John Carroll will host Leeds. The teams will then return to Huntsville to compete for a place in the next round of the playoffs.
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