Richmond Hill’s football team will enter the GHSA Class 7A playoffs Friday when the 20th-seeded Wildcats will travel to 13th-seeded North Paulding. But unfortunately, the Wildcats won’t enter the postseason on a high note.

Richmond Hill (5-5) has dropped its last five games, the latest in a 49-12 defeat to top-seeded Valdosta (9-1).

Valdosta took control of the game in the second and third quarters when they posted 42 points and had a 49-10 advantage heading into the final quarter. Richmond Hill generated 238 yards of total offense, and their running game was held to 43 yards. The Wildcats were also plagued with some untimely penalties.

Quarterback Gunner Mobley went 15 of 24 for 195 yards, and Eli Grant was his prime target with eight catches for 100 yards. CJ Menzie, who entered the game with 824 yards rushing, was held in check, managing just 24 yards on 20 carries.

For the season, Mobley has thrown for 1,509 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Menzie has 848 yards rushing with five touchdowns, and Grant has 48 receptions for 729 yards with six touchdowns.

Head coach Matt LeZotte saw some positives in a game in which his team allowed the most points scored in a game this year. He also was well aware about the slim margin of error his team had against Valdosta.

“We did some good things against Valdosta, but we hurt ourselves with penalties that took touchdowns off the board,” offered LeZotte.

“Against a team like that, you can’t afford to give away those opportunities. We also weren’t able to convert our chances in the second and third quarters. If we had played those quarters the way we played in the first and fourth, I believe it would have been a close football game.”

LeZotte was proud that his team forced Valdosta into numerous punting situations. Jalyon Deal recorded nine tackles, and Tre’ Brown notched five. Deal has a team-high 69 tackles on the season, and Jaleal Barnard has six sacks.

“Defensively, we made Valdosta punt more than any other team on their schedule,” added LeZotte. “That speaks to what our guys are capable of. We have to put four quarters together and make sure our execution matches our effort.”

The Wildcats will meet North Paulding (8-2), which is coming off a 45-7 victory over Wheeling.

North Paulding primarily employs a passing offense behind quarterback Braden Stark, who has thrown for 1,965 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Stark main targets have been Bryson Niehr, who has 37 catches for 632 yards with seven touchdowns, and Presley Carr, who has 31 receptions for 486 yards with three scores.

LeZotte is looking forward to a fresh start after a schedule that featured some of the state’s better programs in the second half of their season.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to face North Paulding and begin a new season,” said LeZotte. “ Everybody starts at 0-0, and our focus is going 1-0 this week.

“We’ve been challenged by a tough schedule, and now we have an opportunity to use those experiences to play our best football. We need to eliminate costly penalties, finish drives and play consistently for four quarters.”

He also recognizes the state of the games for his seniors.

“For our seniors, this is a chance to keep playing with their teammates and continue building their legacy,” said LeZotte. “There’s a lot to play for, and we’re looking forward to preparing with purpose and giving ourselves an opportunity to advance.”