Kyle A. Pillar – Sports Editor

ROCKINGHAM — Starting the “Top Sports Stories” series is a trip to Raider Gymnasium with the Richmond Senior High School volleyball team.

In early October, the Lady Raiders were in the hunt to make the state playoffs and their match against Lee County High School proved to be a major helper in achieving that goal.

On senior night, the program recognized its three seniors ahead of the match — Ava Edmondson, Sharonda Henderson and Abby Wellman.

All of the pre-match excitement was only surpassed when the Lady Raiders dug in after losing the first two sets and rallied to earn a 3-2 victory.

Winning the final sets by scores of 25-19, 26-24 and 15-9, Richmond gave its senior players a night to remember while also avenging a 3-0 loss to the Lady Yellow Jackets earlier in the season.

Helping get the comeback started in the third set was sophomore libero Kenley Smith, who served nine straight points, including three aces, to give Richmond a big lead.

The Lady Raiders also overcame a 22-24 deficit in the fourth set. Getting those three points were a service error, a kill by sophomore Riley McDonald and a net violation.

Sophomores Kalynn McCormick (ace) and Madisen Jackson (block), along with junior J’Nasia Neal (kill), contributed to a 7-3 run to start the fifth set. 

A couple of more miscues by Lee County, paired with a kill from Jackson secured the win as the gym erupted in celebration. 

The victory was the final one of the regular season for Richmond, which was enough to get the Lady Raiders into the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs.

Relive the exciting match by reading the complete article from Oct. 3, 2024, below:

SENIOR SENDOFF: Lady Raiders erase two-set deficit against Lee County

ROCKINGHAM — It wasn’t how the Richmond Senior High School volleyball team started Thursday’s Sandhills Athletic Conference match, but how it finished it instead that counted. 

With several players and head coach Ashleigh Larsen citing a supportive home crowd, the Lady Raiders erased a two-set deficit to defeat Lee County High School 3-2. 

Making the comeback victory even sweeter was celebrating the team’s three senior players on senior night — Ava Edmondson, Sharonda Henderson and Abby Wellman. 

PHOTOS: Click here to view photos of Richmond volleyball’s senior night.

After dropping the first two sets by close scores of 23-25 and 21-25, the Lady Raiders put the momentum in their favor to roll 25-19, 26-24 and 15-9. 

The win helped Richmond even the two-match season series with the Lady Yellow Jackets (11-7, 5-5 SAC).

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Late in the first set, a kill by Edmondson followed by an ace from junior J’Nasia Neal tied the score at 20 points. Edmondson and sophomore Madisen Jackson blocked a shot two volleys later to tie it again 21-21. 

Lee County closed on a 4-2 run to take a one-set lead despite a tip by sophomore Riley McDonald and an Edmondson ace. 

Trailing 11-15 in the second stanza, Larsen called a timeout. The pause in action helped some, seeing the two teams split the next 14 points evenly. 

But Richmond found itself down 2-0 when it couldn’t stop the Lady Yellow Jackets from winning three of the final five points. 

Raider Magic reared its head at the start of the third set as sophomore Kenley Smith served Richmond to a 9-0 lead. She had three aces in the first five points and junior Ka’mora Watkins tacked on a pair of kills. 

Two more kills from Watkins extended the lead to 12-2, but Lee County closed the deficit to a 14-11 Richmond lead, which led to a timeout. 

A pair of kills from Neal, a tip by Jackson and back-to-back aces from Smith contributed to a 20-14 advantage and a Lee County timeout. Down the stretch, several errors by the visitors and an Edmondson kill bolstered Richmond’s lead. 

With sophomore Kaylan Parsons at the service line, the Lady Raiders used a kill from Neal to keep the match alive. 

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The fourth stanza was a back-and-forth battle between both teams. An Edmondson ace and bump from Smith made it an early 3-1 lead. 

Neal later tied the set at 10 points with an attack from the outside spot, but Lee County used a small run to take a 13-10 lead. Larsen called a timeout. 

With quick hands, Edmondson made an athletic knock over the net while running the opposite direction. That point, coupled with a hitting error, pulled Richmond within a point 14-15 and forced a timeout. 

A block by Edmondson was later followed by a boomer from McDonald at the middle of the floor. On the next rally, the Lady Yellow Jackets went into the net to even the score 22-22. 

Down 22-24, the Lady Raiders used a service error, a McDonald kill and another net violation to win in extra points and force a decisive fifth set. 

Consecutive players in the net by Lee County on the first two sequences gave Richmond a 2-0 lead and set the tone. Kills from McDonald and Watkins later tied the score at three and four points, respectively. 

Two errors by the visitors and an ace from sophomore Kalynn McCormick put Richmond ahead 7-3. Later, a Neal kill and a big block by Jackson extended the advantage to 9-5 and resulted in Lee County’s second timeout of the set. 

Building momentum, another Neal kill and an ace from Parsons grew the lead to 12-6. Richmond captured its final three points on a net violation, a Jackson kill and a service error. 

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Dedicated volunteer and mentor recognized for unwavering support of Paso Robles High students and programs

PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District has announced that Allen Bowman has been named the 2025 Community Member of the Year, recognizing his outstanding dedication, volunteerism, and unwavering support for the students and programs of Paso Robles High School (PRHS).

A passionate advocate for education and youth development, Bowman has become a fixture in the Bearcat community. From mentoring students to supporting athletics and writing the popular weekly Bearcat News Report, keeping the school community informed, connected, and engaged. His writing reflects his commitment to celebrating student successes and promoting a strong school spirit. Bowman embodies the true spirit of service and school pride.

“Allen Bowman is the kind of community member every school district hopes to have,” said Jennifer Loftus, superintendent of Paso Robles Joint Unified School District. “He gives his time selflessly, uplifts our students with his guidance, and shows up wherever help is needed — always with a positive attitude and genuine care.”

As an avid volunteer, Bowman has dedicated countless hours to mentoring students and actively supporting the Paso High sports program. Whether he’s cheering from the sidelines or offering support in other ways, his presence is a source of inspiration and encouragement. The Community Member of the Year award honors individuals who go above and beyond in service to the district, and Bowman exemplifies that standard in every way. His impact on PRHS is lasting and deeply appreciated.

Feature Image: Allen Bowman keeps the Paso Robles High School community informed, connected, and engaged, with his weekly Bearcat News Report. Contributed photo

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“Just like that, the whole day changed. Everyone’s mood changed,” said Gustavo da Silva, a junior who has known Gomes since elementary school.

Some said they wanted to throw up. Others cried.

“I was very angry that I ended up ripping my shirt,” said Elias Leite, a sophomore who has also known Gomes since he arrived in the United States at age 6. The team’s coach took Leite outside and they cried together.

On Monday, the Milford teens walked out of school to urge officials to “free Marcelo.” Ahead of a Tuesday night playoff game against Taunton High School, the volleyball team gathered Monday evening to make T-shirts sharing their message about wanting Gomes to come home. They plan to wear them during their game warmup.

The home game starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday and a crowd of community members are expected to show their support for the team, and for Gomes.

Federal immigration agents detained Gomes on Saturday as the teen was headed to volleyball practice at the high school. He remains at a detention center in Burlington, his lawyer said Monday. ICE officials on Monday said Gomes was not their intended target. Instead, officers were looking for the teen’s father, said Patricia Hyde, field director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, on Monday at a news conference.

Hyde said Gomes was driving his father’s car and when agents didn’t find João Paulo Gomes Pereira, who they allege has driven recklessly in the community (something court records do not show), they detained Gomes instead.

Colin Greco, a senior and team captain, invited the players to his backyard to decorate white T-shirts with permanent markers and create their own designs. The teens sprawled the words “Free Marcelo” and “Free Marcie” across the white canvases they’ll sport tonight.

“Our goal is to share his story across the world,” Greco said. “He’s one of our brothers.”

The team is dedicating the game to Gomes and is hoping for a win.

Gomes is a player who has constant energy, Greco said.

“Lose a point, win a point, Marcelo is always on his toes. He’s always screaming, cheering, whether or not he’s on or off the court,” he said. “He’s the light of the team. Without him, it just kind of feels like a dark, empty room.”

The teens are trying to find justification for what happened to Gomes. On Tuesday afternoon, they watched a livestream of an ICE press conference.

“They were saying things that just weren’t related to Marcelo at all,” said Diego Santos, a junior who watched the livestream on his phone after he was done with school work.

Santos said he agrees people with serious criminal backgrounds should be arrested, but said that’s not the case for neither Gomes nor his father.

“He’s a good kid,” Santos said.

“Was his dad a murderer? Was his dad a drug dealer? Did he hurt people? No. No one hurt anybody. They’re good people. They have faith. They believe in God. They’re very religious people, and they always smile through everything,” he said.

Gustavo, the junior who has known Gomes since childhood, watched the livestream and didn’t like how officials talked about his friend.

“The guy referred to him as an alien,” he said. “He’s not an alien.”

For his teammates, Gomes is a good and loyal friend who is dedicated to athletics, church, and music.

“We’re missing such a core member of the crew,” said Jason Comisky, a senior. “He’s a really fun, upbeat guy. He’s always made my day.”

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Marcela Rodrigues can be reached at marcela.rodrigues@globe.com.

NEW ORLEANS – Ole Miss track & field moved up to No. 11 in the Week 10 USTFCCCA Outdoor Rating Index released Tuesday morning, the final national rankings released before the upcoming NCAA Outdoor Championships in Oregon on June 11-14. Only marks from nationally qualified athletes were included in this week’s index.
 
This marks the 78th appearance in the outdoor national top-25 for the Rebel men since their first appearance in 2010, the 28th under 10th-year head coach Connie Price-Smith. Of the 137 total outdoor rankings appearances in Ole Miss history, Price-Smith owns 78 (50 women, 28 men).
 
Ole Miss is currently preparing for the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships, which this year returns to TrackTown USA at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field from June 11-14.
 
No. 11 Ole Miss Men • USTFCCCA Week 10 Rating Index • 146.20 Points
2. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan – Shot Put – 20.85m/68-5 – 31.10 Points
2. Arvesta Troupe – High Jump – 2.26m/7-5 – 30.74 Points
4. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan – Hammer – 75.72m/248-5 – 27.17 Points
8. Toby Gillen – 5K – 13:26.92 – 17.23 Points
10. Jake Dalton – Hammer – 69.72m/228-9 – 12.91 Points
11. Bryson Smith – Hammer – 69.12m/226-9 – 10.78 Points
16. John Kendricks – Pole Vault – 5.50m/18-00.50 – 5.92 Points 
18. Atkinstall-Daley, Urrutia, Todd, Michel – 4×100-Meter Relay – 39.11 – 4.35 Points 
21. Kidus Misgina – 5K – 13:37.29 – 3.09 Points
23. Mason Hickel – Hammer – 66.05m/216-9 – 1.71 Points 
24. Logan Kelley – Pole Vault – 5.33m/17-05.75 – 1.21 Points
 

Greater Lowell Tech’s Justin Tejada has been named the Commonwealth Athletic Conference’s Upper Division MVP after leading the Gryphons to the boys volleyball league title.

Greater Lowell’s Nate Howe was named the Coach of the Year, while Nashoba Tech picked up the Team Sportsmanship Award.

In the Upper Division, named as all-stars from Greater Lowell were Tejeda, Daymeon Chea, Luis Carrasquillo and George Robles, while Lowell Catholic’s representatives were Matteo Wright, Luke Dennis and Aren Lyttle.

In the Lower Division, Innovation Academy’s all-stars were Morni Kong, Asnh Patel, Jackson Sims and Dev Patel. Selected as all-stars from Nashoba Tech were Felipe Cangirana, Elijah Oxender and Hermes Prak.

Originally Published: June 3, 2025 at 4:25 PM EDT