DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / November 11, 2000

RESERVE – The Riverside Rebels shot down the Loyola Flyers, 28-7, in the Class 2A bi-district playoffs Friday night at Riverside Academy.

Riverside improved to 11-0 with the win. The Rebels travel to North Vermilionfor the regionals next week. North Vermilion defeated Jewel Sumner, 27-20,Friday.

Riverside got off to a good start, making its way down field to its 44-yard line. Quarterback Damian Melancon called his own number and swung left,past the scrimmage line and then back up the middle for a 56-yard touchdown run.

With only two minutes down in the game, Blake Torres made a good extra point kick and the Rebels put seven on the board.

Loyola headed nowhere on its next drive, so Riverside made another go of it.

With six first downs, Melancon brought the team down field. Running backBritt Waguespack ran three of the last four plays, moving the ball from the 16-yard line to the goal line.

Brandon Delaneuville plowed through the Flyers’ defense for the last yard and the Rebels scored again. Torres kicked the extra point shot square betweenthe uprights and the board read 14-0 with 3:09 left in the first quarter.

The game turned a little sour for the Rebels during their third possession.

Starting off the second quarter with the ball, the Rebels’ drive stalled out at their 47-yard line. The snap to Torres, ready to punt, sailed over his head.Torres scrambled and recovered the ball just in time to punt it into the chest of a Flyer. Loyola recovered the ball on the Riverside 36-yard line.The Riverside defense, working hard all night, again successfully held off a Loyola first down until an error on the Flyers fourth-and-eight punt fake.

The Rebel defense was penalized for pass interference and Loyola received a first down at the Riverside 18-yard line. The Flyer workhorse, tackle JonAlston, took the ball to the end zone in three plays, the last a clean run, untouched, up the middle for the touchdown. The extra point kick by ArthurCarmody was good and Loyola come on the score board trailing Riverside 14- 7.

Riverside lost the ball on a fumble on the first play of their next drive. Loyoladid not make a first down and was forced to punt the ball back to Riverside anyway.

The half ended with Melancon throwing an interception to Adam Powell in the last few seconds.

In the second half, both defenses came back on the field ready for business.

Trey Thomas sacked Riverside’s Melancon on third down, stopping a drive. Itwasn’t until the third quarter that Riverside finally made it back down field, within scoring distance.

Delaneuville again put his shoulder into the game, running the last 13 yards in three plays for a touchdown. Torres put the extra point on the board, movingthe Rebels up to 21-7 with 10:54 left in the game.

A minute and a half later, Loyola lost its quarterback John Evans to a broken ankle.

On its next drive Riverside pushed its way down field to the 1-yard line.

Melancon did the honor himself as he bulled over the goal line. With theTorres kick, put the last seven points on the field.

The last six minutes of the game was played out in the middle of the field, neither team able to make it into the end zone.

Riverside relied on their rushing plays, passing for only 19 yards the whole game. Waguespack led the team in rushing for 107 yards on 16 carries.Melancon had 61 yards on nine carries. Delaneuville ran for 73 yards on 16carries. The Rebels finished with 258 yards rushing.Alston led Loyola with 82 yards on 25 carries.

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