Eric Richardson Rolls Lucky Seven TD's; Gahr Rolls Millikan

Speed kills. That much has always been clear to those who have followed sports.

The Gahr Gladiators were lightning quick against a bigger Long Beach Millikan team, running away with their home opener, 48-8, Friday night at Hanford Rants Stadium.

“It was good that the younger guys could say, ‘he’s bigger than me, but I’ll be okay’,” said Gladiators coach Greg Marshall after his team completed its second blowout of Millikan in as many seasons.

Senior quarterback Eric Richardson led the charge for Gahr, which stormed out to a 41-8 halftime lead. Richardson suffered through an injury-plagued junior season, sitting on the sidelines after just two games.

In his first game back, the Gladiators quarterback left little doubt that he was the man for the job. Richardson threw for 265 yards in the first half alone, and finished the game with seven touchdowns.

“You only get ten guaranteed games a year and you have to take advantage of the ones you get,” said Richardson looking back on his shortened 2010 campaign.

Six of Richardson’s touchdown passes were caught by senior wide-receivers Dewayne Washington and Delshawn McClellon.

“We came out ready to play,” said Washington of the way his team jumped out to a huge lead early.”

Both receivers are being heavily recruited by Pac-12 schools.

“It makes it really easy,” said Richardson of the advantage of having worked with his two standout receivers for four years. Richardson also called his top targets “two of the fastest players in the game.”

Next week promises to be a big test for the Gladiators and their quick strike passing game as Gahr travels to Irvine to take on the Irvine Northwood High Timberwolves.

The T-Wolves went 8-3-1 last season, making it to the CIF semifinals in a 35-21 loss to eventual champion Garden Grove. Game time is set for 7 p.m.