Matt LeZotte
Prowling Wildcats
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Richmond Hill Wildcats have been a team on the rise for several years, and even though they compete in what may be the toughest region in all of Georgia high school football, there is no reason to believe that won’t continue.
They opened last season with six straight wins, including a monumental 35 to 14 victory over longtime rival and traditional powerhouse Valdosta High School. After that win, the yellow-and-black Cats catapulted to a ranking of fourth in the state for the 6A classification.
But late-season losses to Lowndes and Colquitt County kept them just short of a playoff spot, finishing the season at 7-3. Even so, the program feels like it’s in a great position to take another big step forward this fall.
Head coach Matt Lezotte, who has been leading the team since 2015, isn’t shy about the goals he has for his team. He wants to win every game this year.
Of course, getting through Region 1-6A is no small task. It’s stacked with talented teams, and Lezotte knows that not everyone is going to make it to the postseason. He said all they can do is focus on the things they can control, especially their effort.
Off the field, the growth in the Richmond Hill area is showing up in the football program.
The school is expanding with a brand-new building and upgraded athletic facilities. Lezotte sees this as the perfect time for a fresh start. He’s focused on carrying the positives forward and not letting last year’s disappointment hold them back.
There will be some new faces leading the way this season. One of the biggest changes is at running back. Joshua Troupe, who had a huge year in 2024 with nearly 140 rushing yards per game and 18 touchdowns, has graduated.
Now it’s Amir Miller’s time. He was Troupe’s backup last year, but the coaching staff is confident he’s ready to take the next step.
Lezotte said Miller is a complete back. He can run with power, catch passes out of the backfield and has the kind of top-end speed that makes him a threat to score any time he touches the ball. At 200 pounds and running a low 4.5 in the 40-yard dash, Miller brings a different dimension to the offense.
While Richmond Hill will still rely on the run game, the passing attack is expected to be more involved this season.
Quarterback Gunner Mobley is back and has a better understanding of the system.
Lezotte praised Mobley for being a smart player who knows the offense and sees the bigger picture. With Miller’s receiving ability and an offensive line that has improved its pass protection, the Wildcats should be more balanced than in years past.
Lezotte said this year’s team might not be as big up front as some of his previous squads, but they’re more athletic and quicker. That could give them an edge in games where speed and movement matter most.
There’s a lot of energy around the program right now. The team’s youth camp over the summer drew its biggest turnout ever, and the community continues to show strong support.
Richmond Hill will get started with a bye week, then open the season at home against Glynn Academy on August 22.
The Wildcats have a tough schedule ahead, including non-region games against teams from Florida like Everglades and Buchholz, plus their loaded region slate featuring Tift County, Camden County, Valdosta, Lowndes, and Colquitt County.
It won’t be easy, but Richmond Hill is confident, motivated, and ready to prove they belong among South Georgia’s best.
The Richmond Hill schedule for 2025 is:
8/22 7:30p Glynn Academy (Brunswick, GA)
8/29 7:00p Everglades (Miramar, FL)
9/5 7:00p New Hampstead (Savannah, GA)
9/12 7:30p @ Wayne County (Jesup, GA)
9/19 7:00p @ Buchholz (Gainesville, FL)
9/26 7:30p @ Tift County (Tifton, GA) *
10/3 7:00p Camden County (Kingsland, GA) *
10/10 7:30p @ Valdosta (Valdosta, GA) *
10/24 7:30p Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) *
10/31 7:30p Colquitt County (Norman Park, GA) *
Region Game *
Build The Hill
By: Charlie Moon
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
So, what does the Richmond Hill football team have in common with Ray’s Boom Boom Room? Yeah, I get it. You’re wondering what drug flew into my coffee this morning, but just stick with me.
If you don’t know about Ray’s Boom Boom Room, it comes from the classic comedy, “LIFE.” Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and several others are in prison for life during the Civil Rights era.
Murphy’s character Ray, describes a fictitious place called Ray’s Boom Boom Room. It’s a Harlem jazz dinner club that has it all. Serving such a harsh sentence, The Boom Boom Room takes them to a dreamy place, which has it all and that’s what the 2024 Richmond Hill football team has.
Having been the Cats’ play-by-play voice for six years and knowing the program from Head Coach Matt Lezotte’s tenure, I believe this is the best team the Cats will field.
Even better than the 2019 squad that was one play away from making it to a state title game? YES!
Now, will that equate to a similar run at a state title? Who knows?
A couple major differences abound. Then, there were 7 GHSA classifications. The Cats were in 6A and a much different region than the current. Now, GHSA only has 6 classifications (not including A-Div 1).
Plus, there’s the elephant in the room, a region that I believe is the top-ranked public school region in the entire country. Region 6-AAAAAA includes Colquitt County, Valdosta, Camden County, Lowndes, Richmond Hill and Tift County. Tell me another region that has 36 state titles and 7 national titles; can’t find one.
Lezotte says, “The level of talent we play week in and week out is second to none. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen this, but Lezotte says, “Depending on the personnel we’re running, we’ve got 26 returning starters.”
Of those, the number that are receiving serious college interest is in the double digits.
So…back to The Boom Boom Room.
The offensive line are the servers, the guys roaming around serving food and drinks and usually not getting the big-time praise. They make the party go! Thomas “Zimbo” Zimbolatti and Cameron Jackson headline a group that boasts over 100 career starts.
Asked how this line compares to 2019, Lezotte says, “We’re deeper – 8 guys that play on Friday nights.”
The skill players (RBs/WRs) are the live band. They’re the ones everybody is watching with names in lights.
RBs are led by 2023 800-yd rusher Josh Troupe and 4-year starter, DB Caleb Easterling, who had 27 carries in 2023. But look for young and talented Amire Miller and DJ Porter to get significant carries. Sophomore Porter may be the youngest, but he may have the biggest upside.
Wideouts are led by 2-way star Brandon McDonald, one of the most heavily recruited defensive players in the area. All 18 2023 catches came in the last half of last season. But I call him SLASH, because he plays both ways.
The defense is akin to The Boom Boom Room security, always keeping everyone in check and going after the bad guys.
The LB core could also be one of the best in the Region. Gabe Bauman (114), Lee Johnson (74) and Aiden Grant (59) were the 2023 top 3 tacklers.
In his 2nd year as starting QB, Kirk Scott is the “Ray” of The Boom Boom Room. Ray is the orchestrator of everything in the room. He’s got to be cerebral, direct traffic, and deliver on all the stars. Scott returns from 899 yards, and 8 TDs in 2023.
Make no mistake, this is the deepest and best roster that the Cats have probably boasted in the school’s history.
As they always say in their parts, “Build the Hill.”
