STEVE HEATH
The Daily News Journal

FAYETTEVILLE — Since giving up a touchdown on the final play of the game in a loss at McCallie on Aug. 25, Riverdale hasn’t given up much of anything.

Led by a defense that held the home team to minus-6 first-half yards and no first-half first downs, the Warriors (3-1) picked up their second straight win with a 39-7 victory over Lincoln County (2-2) in a non-region game at Falcon Stadium on Friday.

In a 41-0 win over city rival Blackman last week, Riverdale relinquished a mere three first downs.

“Our defense just took over (Friday),” first-year Riverdale Coach Ron Aydelott said. “I knew we’d shown signs (in our first three games). They’re starting to jell.”

Lincoln County did not start senior running back Jeremy Ramsey, who suffered a dislocated jaw in last week’s 17-0 win at Warren County. Falcons Coach Louis Thompson said Ramsey was “90 percent” and Thompson was hoping he could rest the star back, who’d rushed for 527 yards in the team’s first three games. But when Riverdale jumped out to an 18-0 lead midway in the second quarter, Ramsey came in.

He scored the lone Falcons touchdown but finished with just 12 carries for 11 yards.

“He was still a little bit sore,” Thompson said. “I was debating on playing him, but he said (after the game) he felt OK.”

Ramsey’s second-half touchdown cut the margin to 18-7, but Riverdale quickly answered on a 96-yard kick return from Jeremy McClain.

Then, the Warrior defense went back to work. It stopped the Falcons on three plays in eight of their first nine series. Four of Lincoln County’s seven first downs came on its scoring drive to begin the second half. Two others came with the second team in and the outcome determined.

“Everybody was flying to the ball,” Riverdale senior defensive end Hunter Davis said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but I think we improved from last week.”