STEVE HEATH
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It was Riverdale’s wing-T vs. Dickson County’s wishbone and the wing-T won.

The old school run-oriented offenses made for a physical game between the tackles and the fifth-ranked Warriors handled the previously unbeaten Cougars 28-6 on a windy Homecoming evening at Riverdale’s Tomahawk Stadium Friday.

It was Riverdale’s 20th straight win at home, last losing to Dickson County in 2003.

Only a first-half turnover deep in its own territory kept Riverdale from completely dominating the first two quarters.

“We knew it would be a physical game and we had to come out prepared to do the right things,” said Riverdale junior defensive tackle LaDarrius Verge. “We knew they were going to be good and tough. We had to match their intensity.”

The Warriors (5-1) opened the game with a 12-play, 80-yard drive finishing with senior fullback Chad Hunter’s 2-yard touchdown run.

A brief Dickson County (4-1) possession was followed by a 10-play, 92-yard series that climaxed with junior halfback Jeremy McClain sprinting for a 48-yard touchdown. All 22 of the plays were runs.

“Offensively and defensively — I’m not going to say we controlled it or dominated — but we won that battle up front,” said Riverdale coach Ron Aydelott of his two line groups.

Riverdale ran the ball 51 times for 335 yards, while holding Dickson County to just 151 yards of total offense and only 92 rushing yards.

Coming in the Cougars had two running backs, Shane Rayburn with 432 yards and David Brown with 375, averaging over or close to 100 yards per game.

The Cougars cut it to 14-6 after recovering a Riverdale fumble on the Warrior 15. Two plays later, junior quarterback John Primm threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rayburn. It came with 2:38 left in the half.

Twice in the second half Dickson County got inside the 20 but on both occasions Riverdale’s defense made stops. Defensive back LaBryan Lawrence knocked away a fourth-down pass and linebacker Ben Atakpu, also on fourth down, dropped Rayburn for a 6-yard loss on a possession starting inside the Riverdale 10.

“In the end, we came out and did what we were supposed to do,” said McClain. “It looked like Riverdale defense and (on offense) our O-line comes out and does it every Friday night.”

A rare Warrior pass, a 29-yard strike from Scott Thomas to tight end Tyler Lusk, accounted for the other touchdown.

“We just got beat by a better football team,” said Dickson County coach Jackie Bledsoe.

— Steve Heath, 278-5169