The #47-ranked HS Club Richmond Strikers defeated the #32 Charlotte Tigers on a hot Saturday in Virginia.

From the opening kickoff, It was a very intense hard hitting game.  Both teams showed solid skill with ball in hand and with their kicking games to keep pressure away from their goal line.

The scoring was started off my Ned Mangum with a beautiful grubber into in-goal, which he chased down to score himself. this play was typical of the poise Mangum shows.

Richmond came back with more pressure and forced Charlotte to give up a penalty in front of their posts. The Strikers ran a penalty play but the Tigers stripped the ball and made two passes to free up their fullback for a 95-meter gallop and a converted try. Charlotte led 7-5.

Charlotte then scored again as No. 8 Sederik Saxon stepped in between two Richmond players, set the ruck, and then got the ball later to charge over. The Tigers led 12-5 at halftime.

Charlotte added to the lead, punishing some Richmond mistakes and moving the ball nicely to score.

"This is sports at its finest and a coach’s ultimate reward," said Charlotte Head Coach Erik Saxon. "Helping to create moments and memories that kids and their families will carry with them forever."

With 11 minutes left, Richmond mounted a comeback. They took a scrum in their own half and moved it down the field where sophomore Jackson Skarie picked up and was over. That made it 19-12.

Charlotte kicked deep and Richmond countered. Blake Bailey sold a little dummy and was gone for 30 meters before offloading to fullback Sean Lehew, who scored to tie the game 19-19.

The ensuing restart went to junior Max Buono who powered ahead and then offloaded to Gabe Semidey to finish it off. Richmond now led 24-19.

Charlotte came back on the attack and had a five-on-two overload. Richmond's Conner Nichols closed the space on the ballcarrier and slowed him enugh for Cal Tulley to come in and steal the offload. Tulley raced off 50 meters to score and make it 31-19.

That's how it ended. It was a massive win for an up-and-coming Richmond side against a very capable Charlotte Tigers team.

Skarie was named player of the game by the captains, while the coaches were unable to single one player out.

Next up for Richmond is Vienna, the top-ranked team in Virginia.