‘Raider Magic’ is back. There’s a new No. 1 in the Sweet 16
Raider Magic is back.
Richmond Senior, which last won the season-ending Sweet 16 championship 20 years ago, jumped to the No. 1 spot after upsetting Myers Park Friday.
Richmond won three straight Sweet 16 championships from 1997-99 and is in position for another after a 35-32 win over the Mustangs that saw Richmond Senior rally from a 21-7 deficit. Fans in Rockingham call these kinds of turnarounds “Raider Magic.”
The new No. 1 Raiders host Vance in a regional championship game Friday.
▪ There’s one new team in this week’s poll. Lawndale Burns (12-2) is in at No. 16. Burns joins No. 6 Shelby and No. 7 Kings Mountain and No. 15 Boiling Springs Crest in the poll. All four teams are from Cleveland County. Burns plays at Shelby Friday in a 2AA regional championship game.
Quick Links
Vance, Richmond set up ‘unexpected’ showdown
Friday’s high school basketball scores, videos, top performers, schedule
Friday’s NC/SC scores, how the Sweet 16 fared, next week’s schedule
Richmond Senior stuns Myers Park in regional semis
Vance dominates West Forsyth to advance to regional final
Charlotte Catholic one win away from another state final appearance
The Observer’s Sweet 16
| Rk. | School (Cl) | Rec | Prvs. |
| 1. | Richmond Senior (4A) | 13-0 | 2 |
| 2. | Weddington (3A) | 14-0 | 3 |
| 3. | Vance (4A) | 11-2 | 4 |
| 4. | Myers Park (4A) | 12-1 | 1 |
| 5. | Mallard Creek (4A) | 10-1-1 | 5 |
| 6. | Shelby (2A) | 12-1 | 6 |
| 7. | Kings Mountain (3A) | 12-2 | 8 |
| 8. | Charlotte Catholic (3A) | 10-3 | 9 |
| 9. | Boone Watauga (3A) | 13-1 | 10 |
| 10. | Northwest Cabarrus (3A) | 12-2 | 7 |
| 11. | Ardrey Kell (4A) | 11-2 | 11 |
| 12. | Clover, SC (5A) | 12-1 | 12 |
| 13. | Charlotte Christian (IND) | 8-2 | 16 |
| 14. | Statesville (3A) | 12-1 | 14 |
| 15. | Boiling Springs Crest (3A) | 10-3 | 15 |
| 16. | Lawndale Burns (2A) | 12-2 | NR |
Dropped out: North Lincoln (2A, 12-2); West Rowan (3A, 9-5). Also receiving consideration: Salisbury (2A, 12-2); Thomas Jefferson (1A, 12-1)
This story was originally published November 30, 2019 at 1:53 PM.
