History keeps repeating itself, which is unfortunate for the Richmond Raiders.

For the third time in four seasons, the Raiders came up one game short of a championship in the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL).

The local pros won seven straight games this season to reach the title game, but lost 64-38 to the Columbus Lions in the finals July 6 in Ohio.

It’s an old story. Richmond lost to Albany, Ga., in the 2012 finals and to Alabama/Huntsville in the 2013 championship game.

Under Coach James Fuller, Richmond started the season with a whimper, dropping its first two games and four of the first six matches.

Then all the pieces began to fit for the Richmond Coliseum-based franchise.

Sparked by All-PIFL quarterback Jonathan Bane from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D., the Raiders won their last six regular season games and then trounced Nashville 54-25 in the playoff semifinals. Bane passed for a club record 60 touchdowns, including five at Columbus.

Earning second-team All-PIFL was defensive back Kevin Allen from Virginia State University. Allen led the squad with seven interceptions and was second in tackles.

Another local standout was veteran receiver Herb Jones from Virginia Union University. In his sixth season with the Raiders, Jones had 10 receptions for 157 yards and three touchdowns at Columbus.

The Raiders just completed their sixth season. The team was established in 2010 as a member of the American Indoor Football Association and played in the Southern Indoor Football League in 2011 before joining PIFL in 2012.