Scotch Plains girl scores historic touchdown, second in NJ football history
Sophomore Jaliyah Richards is the second girl in state history to score a touchdown in boys varsity football
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A Scotch Plains football player has found her way into school and state football record books.
When sophomore Jaliyah Richards entered the game for Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Oct. 10, she had a lot of field in front of her and almost no time on the clock. But 70 yards later, Richards became the second girl to score a boys’ varsity touchdown in New Jersey football history.
Back at practice with the Raiders, she has a new favorite play - “42 Dice.”
“It's designed like an inside run,” said Scotch Plains head football coach Shawn Johnson. “Jaliyah made the right cuts at the right time. She got to the next level, and the rest was her.”
Richards’ parents had a front-row seat for their daughter’s historic touchdown run.
“I lost my voice,” said Alexandria Richards, Jaliyah’s mother. “I was screaming my lungs out.”
But her daughter wanting to play tackle football against boys wasn’t an easy sell to mom years ago.
“I said no,” Alexandria Richards remembered. “Flat out, you can't do it. So, we signed her up for flag football.”
“My brothers always roughhoused with me,” explained Jaliyah Richards. “So, football is kind of just a way to roughhouse with other people and not really get in trouble.”
Jaliyah Richards plays football in the fall and wrestles in the winter. She hopes to play flag football in college. For now, she’s using her social media following to inspire others.
“Encourage more girls to play sports - not even just football,” said Jaliyah Richards. “Whatever they want to play.”
“She can be an inspiration to them,” said Alexandria Richards. “To let them know that it's not only for boys.”
“Jaliyah has put us on the map,” said Johnson. “She put herself on the map.”
