Richmond continues to climb defeating Hampton 41-10 (10-22-22)

By: Lamonte Thomas

headline photo credit: Richmond Spiders football

The @CoStarGroup Play of the Game is this 87-yard TD run by @Fmula_ ‼️ Fonnae Webb took it to the house on his first career carry, marking the fifth-longest run in program history and the longest since Tim Hightower went 90 yards at Northeastern in 2007.#OneRichmond #CoStarUS pic.twitter.com/r4TIFlBOnM

— Richmond Spider Football (@Spiders_FB) October 23, 2022

The 19th-ranked Richmond Spiders (4-2, 2-1) came to Armstrong Stadium for Hampton (4-2, 1-2) Homecoming on Saturday, but the Spiders weren’t there for the festivities. Quarterback Reece Udinski led the Richmond offense to 498 total yards, including 314 yards through the air on 30 completions. Udinski found Senior Jakob Herres (7 recs, 109 yards, TD) on a 22-yard play just under two minutes into the game for the first score. Head coach Russ Hueman continues to praise the Richmond offense, as they got off to a 17-0 lead on Hampton after a field goal and a Jeff Garcia 14-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The Spiders covered 205 yards on the ground on 30 attempts.

Hampton running back Darran Butts fought back for the Pirates with a 74-yard scamper after catching a Malcolm Mays pass; bringing the score to 17-7 Richmond’s offensive groove ensued when a 10-play, 67-yard drive was capped by a one-yard passing touchdown from Udinski to Jasiah Williams, the redshirt sophomore from Thomas Dale High school (Chester, VA). Williams finished with nine catches for 98 yards and “tuddy” as the new schoolers call it. Axel Perez knocked in a field goal before halftime, bringing Hampton within two scores, 24-10.

Richmond would turn up the defense in the second half, allowing no more points to Hampton and just 31 yards in the last two quarters. Tristan Wheeler, the redshirt junior, picked off a Mays pass when Hampton went to the air after grounding out with the running game. The Spiders’ six-play, 65-yard opening half drive saw a 13-yard Leroy Henley touchdown reception from Udinski; and an Andrew Lopez field goal with just under five minutes left making the score 34-10, Richmond over Hampton. The redshirt sophomore Fonnae Webb from Washington, D.C. then took his first career rushing attempt 87 yards for an immaculate touchdown run, rounding out the final score at 41-10, in favor of the Richmond Spiders.

Richmond (5-2, 3-1) travels to Maine (2-5, 2-2) next week to take on the Black Bears while Hampton (4-3, 1-3) visits Villanova (4-3, 2-2) next week