"We had to have this one," quarterback Cody West said. "... Our confidence level is up. We have to keep the intensity level up and not just get flat."

Sherril, a junior, was one of four runners who had at least 49 yards as the Warriors (3-3) consistently moved down the field in short order.

Their longest drive went 90 yards but it required just nine plays and took 3:14 off the clock before Trey Oliver scored on a 14-yard run. Four of Riverdale's seven touchdown drives started on Dickson County's side of the field, and five of the seven required five plays or fewer.

The mercy rule was enacted after Tyler Hunt's 3-yard touchdown run on the second play of the fourth quarter.

"Just all cylinders were firing," senior running back Aaron Ebalaroza said. "The offensive line was blocking, the backs were running. Everything just started falling together and then we just moved the ball."

Sherril finished with a game-high 130 yards on 10 carries, and Oliver added 105 on 11 rushes. Ebalaroza had 53 yards and two touchdowns on seven attempts, and West carried six times for 49 yards.

As a team the Warriors ran for 374 yards on 41 attempts.

In the first half, Riverdale's 24 offensive plays produced 11 first downs and four touchdowns. The offense had seven running plays of 15 yards or more, the longest of which was Sherril's dash up the left side of the field on a misdirection play.

"Everybody got the big block, and it just sprung open," Sherril said. "And I hit it. It's a good feeling to score."

Conversely, Dickson County (0-5) ran 25 plays through the first two quarters. The Cougars had three first downs and drove only as far as the Riverdale 32. Their only offensive touchdown came on a 48-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run by senior Cody McCallister against the Warriors' reserves.

"Everybody's feeling better, but we still have stuff to work on too," Sherril said.