By Conner Orr

Rushing sweeps worked all night, and especially on the first drive of the game for River as they marched right down the field. On second and goal, they scored on a fumble recovery by Trey Daniels. The score was 7-7.

River’s defense forced a three and out and got their offense the ball back. Then, River drove right down the field and Aedan Pena finished it off with a sweep rushing touchdown. The score was 13-7, River.

R.A. Long got the ball back and answered immediately. On the drive, they had a 60-yard completion and scored the next play.

There was one more scoring drive before half, which put River on top 19-13 on a Joey Ianello rushing touchdown.

To start the second half, River took the ball 71-yards and scored. River’s defense followed it up by causing a three and out. On the punt return, Ha’AHeo Delarose took it 68-yards to the house, putting River up 31-13. 

With around 11 minutes left, however, R.A. Long got the ball back, and took the ball 55-yards for a touchdown to get the game within 10 points. The following drive, after stopping River, they drove the ball down to River’s 21-yard line, and scored on fourth down. The score was now 31-28, River, with 2:42 left in the game. 

After a forced three and out, R.A. Long was able to get the ball back with 48 seconds left on their own 28 yard-line. However, River’s defense held strong and stopped R.A. Long to win their first league game of the year, 31-28.

“The offensive-line got going,” head coach DeWayne Patterson explained on how River’s offense was so dominant. “[We’re] trying to finish [the rest of the league] off strong and make [the playoffs].”

“It feels great, we just all played our hearts out… I couldn’t expect anything more from my teammates,” senior captain Preston Shearer explained on what it meant to get the first league win of the season.