MURFREESBORO

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Big plays, big drives, and big mistakes helped Riverdale cruise to a 42-15 victory against La Vergne on Friday night.

Riverdale (4-1, 2-1 7-AAA) built a 28-7 halftime lead, scoring all its first-half points on 25 plays while totaling 193 yards.

Riverdale opened with a 10-play, 55-yard drive capped by Artavious Collier’s 15-yard touchdown run.

A La Vergne fumble then set up a short field for the first of Austin Bryant’s three rushing scores. An Austin McGrone 64-yard run set the table for Bryant’s second touchdown.

Riverdale then benefited from a low snap on a punt, giving Riverdale the ball on La Vergne’s 20. One play later, Canaan Owens pulled in a spectacular one-hand, backhanded grab from Cortland Owens.

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“It’s huge to capitalize on any turnover, that just changes the momentum so much,” Bryant said. “Any turnover is good to get the football out of their hand.”

La Vergne endured negative plays from the outset. The Wolverines saw a 15-yard run called back by a holding penalty on their first play, which led to a three-and-out.

La Vergne (2-3, 1-2) also had a missed interception chance on the next series at the Riverdale 35, a fumble on its own 40, an offside call on a Riverdale third down and the low snap on the punt.

“It seems like every time we get a drive going we make a mistake,” said receiver Quinn Jernighan, who had both TDs for La Vergne and eight catches for 163 yards. He scored on passes of 21 and 18 yards from Drew Howard.

“Every time in practice we need to be disciplined so when we do it in a game it will be natural. Discipline is a big factor for us right now because it’s costing us the game.”

The biggest killer was a 73-yard touchdown pass to Jernighan which was called back for a block in the back two plays into the third quarter. Jernighan did score on the next series to put La Vergne within 28-15.

La Vergne was unable to get closer as Howard was picked off twice in the fourth quarter.