By: Jason Bishop

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The Richmond Hill Wildcats have gotten off to a great start in the 2026 season.

Going into Friday night’s game with the Ware County Gators the Wildcats found themselves undefeated on the young season at 3-0.

The Wildcats survived a week 1 encounter with the Effingham Rebels 22-21.

In week 2 Richmond Hill flexed their might against the Liberty County Panthers to the tune of a 42-7 win.

In week 3 the Wildcats welcomed a very good Jenkins Warriors team to ‘The Hill’ and outlasted Jenkins; winning 31-27.

Richmond Hill has had the advantage of all three wins being in the friendly confines of ‘The Hill’ at Wildcat Stadium.

In week 4 the Wildcats would not have the advantage of being at home. In fact, they would travel to one of the toughest places to win in the state, Memorial Stadium in Waycross-‘The Swamp’. Many seasons have been ruined and title dreams ended in Waycross at the hands of the Ware County Gators.

This was the task in front of the Richmond Hill Wildcats, to beat Ware in ‘The Swamp’ to remain undefeated. This is a tall order.

Ware came into the game at 1-1. The Gators took down Bainbridge in week 1 22-21 and lost to rival Coffee County in week 2, 27-7.

Ware also was coming off a bye before the Richmond Hill game so the Gators had a full 2 weeks to prepare for the Wildcats.

At first look this seemed like a game that Richmond Hill would suffer their first loss of the season; playing in ‘The Swamp’, it being their first road game of the year, Ware having 2 weeks to prepare and the Gators coming off a loss. Not to mention it was the first home game of the season for the Ware County Gators.

None of these things mattered and what looked like a likely loss instead turned into a coming out party for Richmond Hill.

The Wildcats upended the Gators 13-7 to remain unbeaten and climb to 4-0 on the season. This game was one of the best games of the season.

With time about to expire and the game tied at 7-7, Ware County lined up to kick a game winning field goal.

Instead of the kick sailing through the uprights for a Ware win, the kick was blocked and pick up by Eli Grant and returned 96 yards for a touchdown with no time on the clock giving the dramatic win to Richmond Hill. Literally snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

DB/WR Eli Grant had a monumental performance to help Richmond Hill win this football game. Grant scored both touchdowns for the Wildcats; one receiving and the other returning the blocked kick. Oh, and also Grant added in an interception just for good measure.

Next up for Richmond Hill is Wando High School out of South Carolina. The Wildcats will be back at home for this contest. Wando is off to a 3-1 start so this will be another tough test for the Wildcats.

Coach Matt LeZotte has the Wildcats off to a great start and they will be a force in region 1-7A.