Riverdale routs Wolverines

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

The Warriors (4-1 overall, 2-1 in District 7-AAA) built a 28-7 halftime lead on the heels of all of the aforementioned.

Riverdale scored the 28 points on 25 plays and 193 yards. The Warriors did so with a 10-play 55-yard, game-opening drive capped by Artavious Collier's 15-yard touchdown run.

They did so thanks to a La Vergne fumble setting up a short field for Austin Bryant's first of three rushing scores (1, 3, and 1 yards).

Austin McGrone's 64-yard run set the table for Bryant's second TD. And the Warriors benefited from a low snap on a punt giving them the ball on the Wolverine 20, and one play later, Canaan Owens pulled in a spectacular one-hand, backhanded grab from Cortland Owens for the 21-point halftime lead.

"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 started negating plays from the jump. The Wolverines saw a 15-yard run taken back after a holding call on their first play, and proceeded to go three and out.

A missed interception on the following series at the Riverdale 35, a fumble on their own 40 on the ensuing offensive possession, an offside call to make a third down more manageable on a Riverdale scoring drive, the low snap on the punt all stacked up against La Vergne.

"It seems like every time we get a drive going we make a mistake," said receiver Quinn Jernighan, who had both touchdowns for the Wolverines and eight grabs 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 TD pass to Jernighan being called back for a block in the back two plays into the third quarter. The drive stalled, and although Jernighan did score on the following series, La Vergne was left with what ifs at potentially 28-23 instead of 28-15.

That's as close as La Vergne (2-3, 1-2) got. Another missed interception at the Riverdale 39 was foreshadowing for the Wolverines as Howard was picked off twice in the fourth quarter.

Gentry Bonds stepped in front of the first Howard pass to take possession at the La Vergne 49.

Friday's Scores

Oakland 35, Smyrna 14

Riverdale 42, La Vergne 15

Blackman 49, Stewarts Creek 14

Science Hill 52, Siegel 28

Forrest 21, Eagleville 7

MTCS 66, Community 21

DeKalb Co. 47, Cannon Co. 0

Lancaster Chr. 19, MAHS 18