After Richmond’s 62-38 Sept. 4 loss to visiting Mary Institute and Country Day School (MICDS) in varsity 11-man football, Spartans coach Nick Persell challenged his players to have an excellent practice week to prepare for Friday’s road meeting with Marshall.

A reason for the challenge is the recent series history between Richmond (1-1) and Marshall (1-1), Persell suggested.

“We’ve played some really tough games with Marshall the last three or four years,” he said. “I mean, two of them came right down to the last play of the game and I wouldn’t expect this one to be any different.”

Through the first half against MICDS, it seemed Richmond’s latest meeting with Marshall would follow a seesaw victory, rather than a 24-point defeat. Bryson Pruitt’s 19-yard TD run and ensuing twopoint conversion run gave the Spartans an 8-0 lead with 10 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first quarter.

MICDS, however, led 14-8 at quarter’s end by staging back-to-back scoring drives. Noah Menneke’s 14-yard TD pass …