Richardson growing into his leadership role

Rocky Mount High senior Artavious Richardson on Tuesday at the high school.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALAN CAMPBELL

Rocky Mount High’s Artavious Richardson tackles Middle Creek’s Riley Frederiksen during the game Friday evening at Rocky Mount High School. The Gryphons fell to the Mustangs 37-25.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALLISON LEE ISLEY

Artavious Richardson fluttered the sideline of Rocky Mount High on Friday night, talking to anyone he thought needed to hear him.

As the Gryphons played host to Apex Middle Creek, the senior defensive end was as active off the field as he was on it. He provided motivational words to frustrated teammates, and he set up both of Rocky Mount High’s first-quarter scores to put the team ahead of the Mustangs.

It was a showing that brought a small grin to the face of his coach, Jason Battle, even after what became a 37-25 loss.

“Had a great first half,” Battle said in his office after the game. “He is our senior captain, and he has been playing up on varsity since he was a sophomore, and I wouldn’t expect anything less of him.

“He did exactly what I expected him to do: He showed up.”

Both the production and the leadership are products of Richardson’s mindset since he joined the varsity squad in 10th grade. It’s why his fellow players voted him as one of the team’s five captains, and it’s a reason Battle pegged him for that role long ago.

“It’s performance, it’s doing the little things,” Battle said. “It is doing the right things in the classroom and school building.

“One of the things we look at is that he’s a kid that has been on varsity since he was a sophomore and played some as a freshman. He’s got a lot of in-game experience and a lot of experiences to pull from. He’s been around the staff and he understands how we want things to be done and our expectations.”

Richardson feels like he’s been spreading the program message before he earned the captain’s “C.” But the adjustment to the new ranking created a need to be more vocal. He saw himself as a lead-by-example guy before this season started, and he knew his voice needed to bellow across the field and locker room more frequently.

“I have to lead my team and show them the right way,” Richardson said. “I feel like I have to correct them with a good criticism of not trying to bring them down or keep them up.

“For example, we are missing a senior linebacker (South Carolina commit Sherrod Greene), so I have tried to let them know that no matter who we have or what we have, we can go out there and do our best and compete to be the best team in the state.”

Battle said Richardson’s physical attributes were evident early. The coach called his player “a hitter,” saying Richardson always finds a way to get to the ball and punish the offensive player in his way.

But Battle also saw Richardson dedicate himself to growing mentally as a football player, and the expectation for him continues to rise because of it.

“He’s learned a whole lot, and he is still learning things from Friday to Monday because of film,” Battle said. “Much is given and much is required.

“To most, he had a great game Friday, but to us, he still could have done better. He is in a great place, but we still have set a ceiling for him that he’s got to reach.”

That dedication to research yielded a big interception play on Friday. At the Mustangs’ 20-yard line, an Apex Middle Creek running back took off on a flat route toward the left sideline. As quarterback Dominique Shoffner pivoted around to make the throw, Richardson dispatched his blocker and headed for the passing lane. The ball landed right in Richardson’s hands, and he eased into the end zone to give Rocky Mount one of its only leads of the game.

It’s a play that the defensive end expected after picking up on it during video sessions.

“It’s what it all comes from — studying and watching film,” Richardson said.

Richardson said he has six offers so far: UNC Charlotte, N.C. Central, East Tennessee State, Gardner-Webb, Hampton and Old Dominion.

He’s received interest from Appalachian State and Western Carolina recently, and he plans to take visits to the schools in the coming months.

In the critiques from college coaches, Richardson said he’s been urged to work on his violent hand motion, which creates the power moves that stagger blockers. It’s the type of skill that Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has made famous on Sundays.

Richardson said he devoted his offseason to improving that part of his game. Given what Battle’s already seen, the coach expects Richardson to continue forming both himself and the players around him.

“He has a personality for leadership,” Battle said. “Not every player that is in a high-profile frame is a leader.

“Some may disagree, but leaders are born. And he is a born leader because he carries himself as such.”

By Ethan Joyce
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Thursday, September 1, 2016