Warriors whips La Vergne 42-7

BY ADAM SPARKS • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • September 5, 2009

Photo by Tom Beckwith

Riverdale made quick work of La Vergne Friday night — literally.

The Warriors took a 35-0 halftime lead, enacting a TSSAA mercy rule that continuously ran the game clock in the second half en route a 42-7 Warriors' rout in their District 7-AAA opener.

Riverdale (2-1, 1-0) rushed for 327 yards, including 271 in the first half, and scored on six consecutive possessions.

A pair of speedy sophomores — Marcellous Odom and Waltez Gaines — led the way. Odom had 174 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns and one interception, all in the first half. Gaines, who moved from Independence High over the summer, had 108 rushing yards and two TDs on just three carries.

"You never feel completely comfortable because you're playing with sophomores, but they're growing up in a hurry because they have to," Riverdale coach Ron Aydelott said. "But you like those things to happen. You like not to have to punt and you like to score a lot of points. That's always a good thing."

Riverdale reached paydirt at different speeds in the lopsided first half. The Warriors raced to the end zone in three plays or less on three first-half scoring strikes and took their time on back-to-back 10-play touchdown marches to take a 35-0 halftime lead.

After losing the ball on downs in its initial drive of the night, Riverdale went on a scoring spree.

Odom capped a three-play, 55-yard drive with a 31-yard scamper off right tackle midway through the first quarter. The possession only took 55 seconds of game clock.

Odom had carries of 13 and 20 yards and a 15-yard catch on Riverdale's second scoring drive — a dominant 10-play, 81-yard march which ended on Cody West's 10-yard quarterback keeper for a TD.

Riverdale stuck with the ground game, marching 55 yards on 10 running plays for its third score. West had four rushes for 40 yards on the drive, and Odom converted a fourth-and-goal play for a 1-yard score.

La Vergne's offense looked out of sorts and a step slow.

When the Wolverines finally reached Riverdale territory on their fourth possession, quarterback Landon Grooms fumbled and was replaced by Luke Hayes on the next series.

Grooms suffered a possible bruised rib and hip pointer, according to La Vergne coach Will Hester. Grooms did not return to the game, and he will be re-evaluated over the weekend.

Riverdale converted La Vergne turnovers for a pair of TDs to end the first half. After Grooms' fumble, Gaines had a 57-yard run to the La Vergne 2-yard line and followed with a 2-yard TD.

Odom then picked off Hayes' pass on La Vergne's next series, and Riverdale's Adam Davenport scored on a 16-yard run on the next play.

Riverdale's final two TD drives of the first half took a combined 32 seconds, and the Warriors led 35-0 at the break.

Gaines added a 49-yard TD run on Riverdale's first drive of the second half to go ahead 42-0.

"I think big plays are what I do, but I'm humble about it," Gaines said. "We ran the ball like we did because coach had us all ready to run it hard tonight."

Riverdale improved to 13-0 in the all-time series with La Vergne (1-2, 0-1), and the Wolverines lost their 13th consecutive region/district game.

"It was an old fashioned tail whoopin'," Hester said. "They put it on us, and we couldn't stop them early on in the game. We didn't throw and catch like we had been. There's not much to say besides that. They executed and we didn't, and you can't play like that against anyone in our league and win."

After relieving Grooms, Hayes was 11-of-20 passing for 155 yards, two interceptions and a 14-yard TD toss to Phillip Williamson late in the fourth quarter.

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email this