Riverwood's Jr. Raiders play two consecutive home Saturdays at Hoskyn Stadium, starting Saturday, Oct. 17 against Dunwoody.
The 7th-grade squad kicks off at 10 a.m. that day, with the 8th-grade game following at noon. A week later, on Saturday, Oct. 24, the Jr. Raiders host Johns Creek. The 7th graders take the field at 9 a.m. and the 8th graders at 11 a.m. Riverwood Athletics posted the schedule Tuesday, Oct. 13, calling on families to come out and support the program's next generation.
The Jr. Raider program serves 6th through 8th graders across the Riverwood cluster and feeds directly into the varsity pipeline. Patrick Hope, a 2017 Riverwood graduate now in his fifth year on staff, runs the program as Director of Football Operations, Jr. Raider Program Director and Assistant Athletic Director. Hope also carries the title of Future Raider Liaison, a role described on the Riverwood athletics site as bridging middle school families into the high school program.
The program itself has a comeback story. The Junior Raiders returned to the field in August 2022 after roughly four years away, opening that season against Northview. The Riverwood Football account posted at the time that the Raiders led 14-8 heading into the fourth quarter of that first game back. The program has been active each fall since.
Earlier this season, the Jr. Raiders joined varsity and JV players at a Football Community Night scrimmage on Aug. 13 at Hoskyn Stadium. Raider Cheer and Band also took part.
All four games take place at Hoskyn Stadium, named for Hall of Fame coach and former athletic director Bill Hoskyn. The Jr. Raiders' schedule beyond Oct. 24 has not been published.
