An eerie quiet hung over the stands as junior Kayden Richardson gained control of the ball and charged toward the goal as the women’s lacrosse team took on North Davidson. As the shot whipped out of her stick and landed in the goal, the fans erupted into cheers as Richardson’s teammates jumped and screamed.
The massive reaction left several parents in the stands exchanging confused looks. With a time-out from Davie, the team announced that Richardson had just accomplished something not done since 2019. With that single shot, the all-time career scoring record of 112 goals, previously held by Sierra Foster, was officially broken. By the time the final whistle blew against North Davidson, Richardson had netted her 114th career goal, officially cementing her place in school history.
This historic milestone added to a long list of accomplishments in a standout high school career for Richardson, who has been making an impact since her freshman year. In her debut season, she finished with 15 goals, instantly earning her a spot among the team’s top five scorers. She truly stepped up her sophomore year, finishing the year with 71 goals and 86 points, a performance that shattered Sierra Foster’s single-season goal record of 58 and passed the single-season scoring record of 79 points previously set by Paige Riordan.
Richardson has only accelerated in her junior season, reaching a staggering 150 career goals in just the 15th game of the year, making her the first player in Davie Women’s Lacrosse history to do so. When the season finished, she ended with a standout performance, an incredible 85 goals and 2 assists for 87 total points. This makes her all career goals at 171, and total points at 193.
Despite the historic nature of her achievements, Richardson remains remarkably grounded about her rapid ascent to the top of the program.
“Hitting 150 goals and breaking the record while setting a new one every game means a lot to me,” Richardson said, “but at the same time, it just feels like any ordinary thing. It honestly feels like it should have been harder to do so. Freshman year, I definitely did not think I would have been able to do it.”
Richardson’s top offensive performance on the high school field is backed by extensive club experience, including time with the Triad Honeybees travel team. Her relentless work ethic and natural athleticism have not only caught the eyes of spectators but have earned the deep respect of the Davie coaching staff.
“She is a player coaches enjoy working with because she works hard to become better, make her team better, and cares for her teammates.” Tripp Kelly, Davie Women’s lacrosse assistant coach, said. “It doesn’t take long to notice her quickness and agility. I’m excited about what else she has in store for next year.”
Not only have her teammates and coaches come to respect her outstanding performance, but her game has also attracted the attention of college recruiters. This spring, Richardson made it official that she would be playing lacrosse at Mars Hill University. But before she takes on the college circuit in 2027, all eyes will be on her upcoming senior season.
