MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / October 14, 2000

EDGARD – The Riverside offense, the most productive in the River Parishes with over 400 yards per game going in, kept it up against West St. JohnFriday night.

Riverside finished with 315 yards in offense, 257 coming on the ground, in defeating the Rams, 35-10, in the battle for the lead in District 9-2A.

Riverside, ranked second in Class 2A, improved to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in district play. West St. John, the fifth-ranked team in 2A, fell to 5-2 overalland 3-1 in district.

Brandon Delaneuville led Riverside with 99 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Jared St. Amant had 63 yards and three touchdowns on nineattempts. Damian Melancon also had 63 yards on two carries and completed3-of-5 passes for 58 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

West St. John finished with 289 yards in offense. Randall Nicholsoncompleted 14 of his 36 passes for 159 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Jamailar Mayho had seven catches for 69 yards and a score.The Rams also had 114 yards on 31 carries, led by Darnell Landry with 40 yards on six attempts. Devin Herbert finished with 31 yards on 19 carries.After being held on its first two plays of the game from the 26, Melancon took off around the right side on a keeper, cutting upfield before being taken down by Randy Hilaire at the West St. John 24 after a 50-yard gain.On the next play, St. Amant took a draw down the left sidelines for a 23-yardgain before being pushed out of bounds at the 1. St. Amant took it in off leftguard for the score on the next play. The extra point was no good, making it6-0 with 10:37 left in the first quarter.

Riverside got the ball right back as Sean Delaneuville blocked a punt by Ashton Pierre at the West St. John 10-yard line. After a 5-yard loss,Melancon found Jeff Roccaforte for 14 yards to the 1. Again it was St.Amant taking it in, this time over center. Brandon Delaneuville then sweptright for the conversion, increasing the lead to 14-0 with 8:07 remaining in the opening quarter.

Euclid Temple ended Riverside’s next drive with an interception at the West St. John 37. But four plays later, Ryan Weber got the ball back for theRebels with an interception at the Riverside 39, returning it to the Rams’ 43.

Delaneuville carried for 8 yards on the first play, then found a hole on the left side and went down the sidelines to complete a 35-yard touchdown run.

Blake Torres added the extra point to make it 21-0 with 3:51 left in the first.

Nicholson got hot as the second quarter opened, driving the Rams 66 yards in nine plays for their first score. On the first play of the drive from the 34,Aaron Sylvain made a leaping catch on the right sidelines for a 28-yard gain to the Riverside 38.

Two plays later, Nicholson connected with Haven Gaudet in the left flat for 13 yards to the 27. A 10-yard slant pattern to Mayho gave the Rams a firstdown at the 15.

Four plays later on fourth down from the 18, Nicholson found Mayho in the right side of the end zone for the score. Sylvain then made a leaping catch inthe right corner of the end zone for the conversion, cutting the deficit to 21-8.

Riverside responded on its next possession with a seven-play, 80-yard drive.

On third down from the 22, Melancon kept around the right side for 13 yards.

On the next play, Melancon found Bradley Hodges on the right sidelines for a 39-yard gain to the Rams’ 26.

A 12-yard gain by St. Amant and a 9-yard run by Britt Waguespack broughtthe ball to the 5. St. Amant went off left tackle for his third touchdown ofthe night and Torres added the extra point, increasing the lead back to 28-8.

West St. John drove to the Riverside 6 on its next possession behind passesof 13 and 9 yards to Davin Farnell. But with 25 seconds left, Joel Levinintercepted Nicholson in the end zone, preserving the 28-8 halftime lead.

West St. John drove to the Riverside 27 on its first possession of thesecond half, aided by a roughing the punter call on fourth-and-21 from the 48. Nicholson completed passes of 10 yards to Landry and 13 yards toMayho at the 25. But Riverside held and Barrett Gommel tipped away a passover the middle on fourth down.

Riverside then drove 73 yards in five plays. On the first play, Delaneuvilleswept around the right side for 16 yards. Two plays later, Delaneuville sweptright, hurdled a tackler and went down the sidelines for 28 yards to the 27.

St. Amant carried 22 yards up the middle to the 5. A play later, Melancon hitSeth Johnson in the back of the end zone for the score. Torres’ extra pointmade it 35-8 with 4:32 left in the third quarter.

West St. John drove to the Riverside 18 on its next possession behind a 16-yard pass from Pierre to Herbert on a fake punt. But Weber grabbed hissecond interception of the game off a deflected pass at the 1-yard line.

Two plays later, Waguespack was tackled in the end zone by Lionel Howard.

The safety cut the Riverside lead to 35-10 with 9:33 left in the game.

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