Written by: Corby A. Yarbrough - Gannett Tennessee

MURFREESBORO _ Mariko Odom was here, there and everywhere for Riverdale Friday night.

As a result, the second-ranked Warriors were able to cruise to a 44-7 victory over visiting Cookeville at Tomahawk Stadium.

The Riverdale sophomore had 164 all-purpose yards in the first half and a touchdown as the Warriors (9-0) jumped out to a 35-7 lead after two quarters. They tacked on a touchdown and a safety in the second half for the 44-7 final.

"I'm trying to be wherever the ball is every play," Odom said. "Whatever it takes for my team to win, that's what I'm going to do."

Odom helped setup Riverdale's first score when he returned a punt 54 yards to the Cookeville 2. Three plays later, Adam Davenport was in for a 1-yard touchdown run.

Odom used two plays to help setup the Warriors' next scoring drive. He took his second punt return 20 yards to the Riverdale 49, caught a 37-yard pass three plays later and enabled Davenport to score from the 3 on the Warriors' second drive.

"I usually don't get punt returns, but I knew I had to do it this week," said Odom, who was subbing for normal return man, and his brother, Marcelous Odom. "I felt like it was meant to be. They put me back there for a reason."

It was Odom again on the third Riverdale drive — an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ate up five minutes. He contributed 33 yards to the drive, including a 9-yard scoring run.

And there he was for a fourth time and the fourth Warrior score. Odom scooped up a Cookeville fumble at his own 31 to end an 11-play drive, returned it 13 yards and had Riverdale near midfield again. The Warriors drove 56 yards in 10 plays and quarterback Dillon Woodruff ran it in from the 3 for the score.

Riverdale got touchdown No. 5 of the first half when Scotty Boykin forced a fumble on the kickoff following Dillon Woodruff's touchdown. William Cantrell recovered and three plays later Woodruff snuck in from the 1.

Ricardo Terry returned the second half kickoff 49 yards, got a 15-yard horse collar tacked on, and Woodruff needed just two plays before he found Michael Wigfal for a 26-yard scoring pass.

"We wanted to come out and do what we've done all season: get our big-time players to make big plays," said Woodruff, who finished with 106 yards on 11-of-13 passing.

The Warriors got the final points when a snap went over Cookeville (5-4) quarterback John David Edgington's head at his own 15 and he knocked the ball through the back of the end zone with 7:04 left in the game.

"Our gameplan was definitely different coming in," Edgington said. "We wanted to come in and run the ball and try to slow down their defense. Offensively, we moved the ball but we shot ourselves in the foot with turnovers. We can't have mistakes like that against a good team like this."